Having spent all week hoping that the Roller at Holt in Norfolk would stick around until the weekend, I had to concede on Friday that it's probably done a bunk.
Since Thursday there had only been one unconfirmed report of the bird, and none on Friday. So Saturday's pre-planned Norfolk trip was off.
Instead Brian's text Friday night reads "fancy Isle of Wight tomorrow?". My reply is always the same, what time are we meeting.
Dad still getting over the shock of hearing Isle of Wight, and then looking up the mileage and seeing it's not much further than Minsmere, is now a lot keener on the trip.
Saturday morning see's us meeting up at 5am and setting off on the 128 mile drive down the M25, M3 and M27 motorways heading towards Lymington. Arriving at 7.15 a quick visit to the information centre to book the ferry (£55 return to take the car across) after boarding the ferry we landed at Yarmouth around 8.30.
The phalarope had been reported using Yarmouth station pond, and after a short drive we turned into Victoria Road and this lead us straight into Station Road. Parking at the bottom of the road, we made our way towards the pond. A quick scan of the closest area and Bingo! straight on the bird. It's in the company of a single Redshank and a small group of Black-tailed Godwits.
A few quick hand gestures (all of which were polite) to the group of birders on the other side sees them heading our way to view the bird.
One guy informs us that the bird must have just flown in from the estuary as it wasn't present a short while ago. So perfect timing then.
A stunning female summer plumaged Wilson's Phalarope, noticeably larger than Red-necked and Grey. It spent much of it's time feeding among the reeds, emerging every so often to give good views.
Within the group of birders present there were still a few familiar faces present. The faces remembered more for which bird and location we had seen them at, than for any of their names.
Within the group of birders present there were still a few familiar faces present. The faces remembered more for which bird and location we had seen them at, than for any of their names.
Another guy we met David Aitken who is the Assistant Warden at Bempton Cliffs, told us he had driven down last night and missed the last ferry, so had to make do with sleeping in the car. Arriving early morning only to get completely soaked by the early morning downpours.
As we left for the ferry, he was off to buy some dry socks!
There was still just time to have a drive around the island for a quick sightseeing tour for further references, then it's back on the ferry and the journey home ahead of us.
Having missed the Roller , this wasn't a bad consolation!
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