Lucy the Gull, and a Local Twitch for Local People!

Been a bit under the weather for the last few days. A rotten cold since last Tuesday, and only just feeling better from it now. In recent checks of Uttoxeter Quarry from the last few days, not much to report apart from 3 Green Sandpipers yesterday, and on Thursday evening was this leucistic Black Headed Gull.


Tell you what, if that was mixed in with a flock of gulls and you only saw the white primaries sticking out, you could easily think there's an adult Med Gull in there.

And to today, which was going to be more of the same at the quarry, and probably Blithers as well. But that all changed when the pager went off, "Derbyshire, presumed Western Bonelli's Warbler at Arnfield Reservoir, Tintwistle". Hallelujah, that's good enough for me, I'm off!

Once past a metaphorical line that crosses the Birdnet shop in Buxton, Carsington and Ogston, knowing where places are further north in Derbyshire start to get a bit hazy, although I knew it was kind've near Glossop. But Arnfield Reservoir really is close to the Greater Manchester border, about as far away as you can get from Drakelow and Swad. In fact, it's that way!


The bird showed well a few times during the hour and twenty minutes that I stayed for. Frequenting an area of trees next to this stream, seen from the footbridge. And an excellent record to boot!

And with that I went home to type up some words on the computer. But one last thing to do, which was to pay homage to the nearby town of Hadfield.


Hadfield is the world-reknowned location of the comedy televisual show, "The League of Gentlemen", the town of Royston Vasey. I can't think where I got my blog name from. Recognise the statue?