2008 Tour Narrative
If the 2008 Great British Experience had been, as originally planned, the last-ever after more than 30 years, it would indeed have been a fitting grand finale in both quantity and quality—most definitely going out with a bang, not a whimper! Our two hundred species included virtually all of the difficult British breeding specialities (Bittern, Red Grouse, Capercaillie, Montagu’s Harrier, Cetti’s Warbler, all three crossbill species…) and an extraordinary range of extras from Trumpeter Finch and Hoopoe to Snowy Owl and Whooper Swan: in short, Arctic species on the one hand, and on the other birds from the Mediterranean and the deserts of North Africa—plus even a Bonaparte’s Gull from America. Each day was designed to bring new experiences, but every single day also brought unplanned and unexpected new delights. Highlights, too numerous to itemize fully, included both male and female Nightjars perched on the same dead tree, the serendipitous discovery of the Springwatch Crested Tits, an unexpected Spoonbill, three Red-necked Phalaropes where local knowledge had reported only one this year, normally remote species such as Golden Plover and Ring Ouzel seen from the coach, a displaying Honey Buzzard, a Nightingale singing in full view, and an exciting countdown to our 200th species on the last day.
This year’s visitors’ book sketch began with Norfolk’s first-ever Trumpeter Finch, followed by the bird-of-the-trip Dartford Warbler with its attendant Stonechat and a remarkable selection of finches: Twite, Redpoll, Bullfinch, Siskin, Hawfinch, and Common, Parrot, and, Scottish Crossbills. Some fine songsters include Wood Warbler, Firecrest, Nightingale, and Redstart; among the tits are Crested, Marsh, Willow, Long-tailed, and Bearded, plus Cetti’s Warbler, Woodlark, Ring Ouzel, Quail, Red Grouse, Stone-curlew, Crane, Barn Owl, Red-billed Chough, Kingfisher, Dipper, Little Owl, Spoonbill, Roseate Tern, Bonaparte’s Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Gray Plover, Ruff, Red-necked Phalarope, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Whooper Swan, Puffin, Black Guillemot, Black-throated and Red-throated Divers, Slavonian Grebe, Mandarin, Garganey, and Red-crested Pochard. Flanking the upper selection there’s the Hoopoe and the Nightjars. In flight there’s the male and female Capercaillie, Manx Shearwater, British Storm-petrel, three skuas (Long-tailed, Great, and Arctic), Hobby, Peregrine, Turtle Dove, Bittern, Golden Eagle, three harriers (Marsh, Montagu’s, and Hen), White-tailed Eagle, Red Kite, Honey Buzzard, and Snowy Owl being mobbed by Black-headed Gulls. Just 74 of the most outstanding species we encountered—apologies to the increasingly scarce Tree Sparrow, Whinchat, and Grasshopper Warbler.
Equally comprehensive was our selection of cathedrals, churches, castles, picturesque villages, and breathtaking scenery, plus fine choral singing at evensong and morning eucharist, a Shakespeare performance at Stratford, and an evening of contemporary jazz in Britain’s oldest theater, a tiny Georgian gem. So many classic images of Britain all packed into 24 days and 4,000 miles that photos can evoke only a few of the pleasures we shared on our grand tour together. But the memories will last forever.
- Bryan Bland
Updated: October 2008