Midweek MEGA Dusky Thrush in Beeley

First views from our parking place 

Clearly a popular bird

Early afternoon view

Berry chomping

Twitchers in Beeley

Organised parking available for a great cause

Every angle taken

The Alcester Squires grabs a record shot

A stunning Fieldfare

I struggle to remember going to Derbyshire for any reasons other than to watch the cricket or attend confernces for work, ahhh yes.....and to twitch a Crag Martin in Chesterfield last year. Like everyone I was gob smacked to hear a Dusty Thrush had been found in a small village in the Peak District called Beeley by Rachel Jones, who had only been birding for 18 months, on Sunday afternoon from looking into her garden.

The normal array for texts and phone calls happened over the next 24 hours. You going ? When you going ? Who's driving ? Given the forecast for thick fog on Tuesday we opted for Wednesday. Although hopeful given the improved weather, the bird had become very elusive on Tuesday with a good number not been able to connect with it.

The team tactics proved spot on, leaving the Midlands at 8am to arrive on the stroke of 10am. It's hard to believe within a minute of parking up all four of us were watching the UK's 12th Dusky Thrush. 

I can say the other three connected in seconds as they abandoned the car leaving scopes and coats hanging out of the boot and not to mention the windows open ! Thanks lads. 

The birds super rarity status certainly attracted visitors from all over the country and all wonderfully received by the village of Beeley. The High Ropes Centre had organised hot drinks, hot sandwiches and cakes for the visitors and looked to be doing a roaring trade. Let's hope the bird sticks around as this sort of business can be a god send for small charaties. The bird is clearly feeding very well on the local apples & berries.

The Dusky Thrush was superb to see, we were all very spoilt. We managed to see the bird where we parked, in the orchard, perched high in east of village and also got two fly over views. The bird that breeds in Serbia and generally winters in south east Asia becomes yet another great bird seen in the UK this Autumn. Other sightings included large number of Redwings & Thrushes, Goldcrests and two Buzzards. The Thrush also became my 250th species seen in the calendar year.

This surely has to be the last great twitch of 2016.......quite a year.