Weedon's World
A very special rare bird lightens Mike’s heart during a time of great sadness for him and his family
Please join me in raising a glass of ‘snowball’ to my dear friend David ‘Godot’ Goddard, with a toast of “the gift of laughter”. Godot tragically died last week (late November), in the closest thing to ‘dying of grief’ that I can imagine for someone in their late 50s. “The gift of laughter” was a toast he made as my best man in 1997, near the end of the perfect best man’s speech, which was closer to what the Americans call a ‘roasting’, leaving me head-in-hands in shame and pouring with tears of laughter.
Big G was the funniest person, but also exceptionally kind and selfless, dedicating nearly his whole adult life to caring for his partner, Lindsay, who sadly died in the spring from complications related to MS.
I was going to write this column in tribute to Godot and how we Weedons were so looking forward to hosting him over the Christmas period. But, it all became too slushy, slightly morose and off topic, so I am going to try to move on, but with a bit of context thrown in.
My dear wife Jo and I last saw Godot in late October, visiting him as usual, in Dundee, on the way back from our latest BW Highlands reader holiday based at the Grant Arms.
His mobility in particular had declined notably since the spring. With this and his Christmas visit in mind, I spent time planning the birdy goodness Godot and Eddie and I could see from the car, when G came down to Peterborough.
On 24 November, I drove along the Deeping High Bank, following the River Welland, watching Whooper Swans, Stonechats etc. A Red Kite came low over the car, and a male Marsh Harrier was buzzing the Mallards on the river. Raptors were Godot’s favourites, and I was thinking how much he would love seeing such sights (much more than the ‘rare’ inland Kittiwake I found minutes later). And it was going to be such fun and so lovely and easy to see great birds and perhaps an Otter or two along that stretch of river. But, it was that same evening we heard the terrible news. Since then, I have revisited the Deeping High Bank. It is still producing exciting birds, with a family of four Cranes usually visible from near where the harrier buzzed the Mallards (it is crazy how we take Cranes for granted, these days, around these here parts!). There were great flocks of Golden Plovers and Lapwings in the fields, Goosanders and Goldeneyes on the river, a Great White Egret, and a Barn Owl perched on one of the fenceposts which line the road.
After a bit of lull in the action (and year listing in particular), things have been starting to take a turn for the better in the last week. In fact, a turn is an understatement. There has been a sensational shift. It all kicked off on the afternoon of 1 December, when news came of an exceptionally rare bird having been seen (on 29 November) at the inland site of Deeping Lakes LWT: a Red-flanked Bluetail.
Matt Merritt and I quickly left the BW office and went for a search, though we were poking around in the dark, somewhat, as there were no precise location details. But, that evening, more details emerged. The bluetail had been seen by a visiting birder from Devon, in a patch of woodland in a corner of the reserve. I have seen lots of bluetails, nearly all of which were in Japan, and that patch of habitat looks perfect.
So, naturally, the next morning, I was there at first light and gradually a handful of Peterborough area birders (Paul, Will, Brian and John) were spread out in hope that this most desired of rarities had stuck since Tuesday. The highlight was a flushed Woodcock which barely missed my ear! We searched every twig, every patch of leaf litter, but to no avail, bluetail-wise. So, at 9.30, I said goodbye to the searchers and headed back to the car, slightly despondently noting Cetti’s Warbler, Goldcrest and Bullfinch on the hobble back.
Then I got a call I had not been expecting, from my friend Paul: “I’m looking at it!” I phoned Will and passed the news on. Perhaps five minutes later, I had joined the throng, looking at the first and only Red-flanked Bluetail to be seen in the Peterborough area. It was a bold bird, often flying in the direction of the observers, if they were near a twig it favoured as a vantage point. Mind-blowing!
The news was released, and more birders joined us for excellent views of the bluetail. But, after it was chased by an angry Robin, we never saw it again.
I know exactly what Godot would have said seeing that cute little bird: “Smart!”. He would have loved it. But not as much as the two male Hen Harriers, the hunting Peregrine, the battling Sparrowhawks, or the dozen or so Marsh Harriers (or even the 38 Cranes) that were on display from the car park of the Nene Washes, at Eldernell, last night.
Why snowball? In his last text message, Godot promised he would bring a bottle of Advocaat with him. So, snowballs are going to be a new Weedon Christmas tradition.
THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER WAS A TOAST HE MADE AS MY BEST MAN