Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, 29 April 2015

A Young Birder's Twitch for Hudsonian Godwit

On Saturday 25th April 2015 we had been to the Isles do Scilly to twitch a Great Blue Heron from America.  As we arrived at the airport in the morning, we had a phone call from James Packer a Somerset birder and good friend, to say that someone has found an Hudsonian Godwit on the Somerset Levels.  This was 30 minutes from home and on our local patch.  There was nothing we could do now and so we continued our journey, luckily seeing the bird and making back to Penzance on an early boat.  After a speedy journey north, we arrived at the site at 7 pm with the knowledge that the Godwit had not been seen since 4.20 pm when it flew.

Twitchers from around the country had seen the bird except, it seemed, us.  We stayed until dark with friends Dr Rob Lambert and Lucy McRoberts who had raced us up from Penzance.

Although we had seen a new bird that day, we felt thoroughly dejected, despite a lovely bittern on full show.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig at Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig at Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Bittern, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

My gran was waiting for us at home, after we had ditched her in favour of a new bird.  She was used to it but I'm sure it always annoyed her a bit.  We had to switch from silent and disappointed to chirpy and happy in a moment!

The next day, Dad went to look for the Godwit at every site he could think of with no luck.  We took Gran out for lunch at Avalon Marshes and looked around the family day event taking place.  We then spent the afternoon at Meare Heath with others who had missed the bird the day before for a collection of reasons.  No sign at all but we hoped that it could still turn up with other Godwits.  As it neared dusk we left again. I was not feeling optimistic.

Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Although there had been much discussion about the Husonian Godwit reappearing, hope seemed lost by the Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, I went to work as usual.  At midday, my parents received a 'Mega Alert' that the Godwit had been seen again at Meare Heath at 11 am but had then flown off with a flock of Godwit.  At 1.30pm Dad went off to help at Forest School at Ubley Primary, my old school where my neice still goes.  Then at 2.15 pm news came that the bird had returned and had stayed put.  Dad managed to immediately leave Forest School and offered to pick mum up.  She was amazing and said no, even though she is a few away from 500, and said she would wait for me.

Normally on Wednesday afternoons I walk with my friends Hazel and Hattie from school to dance classes in Chew Magna.  I am preparing for a tap dancing lesson and my teacher gets really annoyed if we miss a lesson.  As I walked outside of school, I saw mum waiting in her car.  I felt overwhelmed with excitement...it could only mean a rare bird.  Mum shouted through the window that the Godwit was back. Without a moments hesitation I threw myself and my belonging into the car, shouting at my friends to cover for me.

25 minutes later I was watching the Hudsonian Godwit through Chris Goodie's telescope (the Jewel Hunter) recovering from the slightly too fast journey and run from the car park.  It was a stunning bird and an excellent 'catch up'. 

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig at Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig at Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig at Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Hudsonian Godwit Twitch, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose  Craig

Hudsonian Godwit Twitch, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose  Craig

Hudsonian Godwit Twitch, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose  Craig

Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

After an hour chatting to various birders I had to leave, to finish a volcano project for the next.  I had promised my geography teacher a volcano cake, so couldn't hang around any longer.

I got home happy, with my British list on 446.  It wasn't a world tick though as I had seen one in Colombia.

Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

About the writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 12 year old young birder, conservationist, writer and speaker.    She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She is looking forward to seeing Mountain Gorilla in East Africa this summer and watching penguins in Antarctica in December, her 7^th continent.  She has recently been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people.  Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter

Great Blue Heron - Bryher, Isles of Scilly, 25 April 2015

A Young Birder on a twitch to the Isles of Scilly

At heart, I am a twitcher. However much birding and ringing I do, I can't resist a good old fashioned twitch. This spring has been great for rare vagrants, raising my excitement levels.

On Saturday 25th April 2005, we left our Somerset home to go on a twitch to see a Great Blue Heron. The Heron is from America and something I had seen before in South America and so wasn't a world tick but it was a second for Britain and so new for all of us. We left the house at 3 am to drive all the way down to Cornwall to get the first plane to the Isles of Scilly at 8.30 am. The Heron had turned up the week before but had been flying around 3 islands and so been giving people the run around. We couldn't go the weekend before because my gran was visiting. We tried not to mention the bird or show our disappointment. Gran arrived again for a second visit two weekends in a row but this time dad couldn't bear it any longer and ditched her for the day. She didn't seem to mind too much and spent the day shopping in Bath instead. She must be used to it after all these years 

As we arrived into the car park, dad had a phone all from his good friend James Packer, who knew we were going to Scilly. His first words were ominously"are you on the plane yet?”. OMG! There was a Hudsonian Godwit at Meare Heath on the Somerset Levels, a place about thirty minutes from our house and virtually part of our local patch.

What to do? We decided that our master plan was to see the Heron, get the first boat back to Penzance at 12.45 pm (there were fortunately two boats that day due to expected bad weather) and drive back down to Somerset slightly above the speed limit, to get to the Godwit by 7 pm with plenty of light.

So, we got the 8.30 am plane across to St Mary's and shared a fast boat to Bryher that some other forward planning twitchers had booked. We were extremely lucky because within twenty minutes of arriving, we managed to see the Heron really well. People had been waiting until lunch time to see the bird in recent days, so we couldn't believe how our plan was slotting into place.

Great Blue Heron, Bryher, Isles of Scilly
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Great Blue Heron, Bryher, Isles of Scilly
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

We then speed walked back to the Bryher quay, just in time to catch the boat back to St Mary’s as a boat load of birders arrived in the opposite direction.  Back in St Mary's, we were just in time check e-mails in the deli before catching the Scillonian  back to Penzance on mainland Cornwall.  There had been bad weather the day before with cancelled flights as well as no flights since the early morning.  So an extra boat had been added, which was overflowing with passengers desperate to get back to mainland. So while we were patiently waiting in a traditional English queue, we bumped into our friends Rob Lambert and Lucy McRoberts as well as Scottish birder Ken Shaw.  We spent the Scillonian crossing chatting to them, before quickly sharing a taxi to from Penzance Quay to our cars at the St Just Airport.  We were all aiming to see the Husonian Godwit before dark, so naturally we made it into a little competition. Whoever got there first got the bragging rights.

We did get there first just after 7 pm, but unfortunately the Hudsonian Godwit had flown off at 4.30 pm. We all stayed until dark, not wanting to leave in case the bird returned and we were gripped off.

The only plus was a lovely male bittern showing in the reeds really well.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig at Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig at Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Bittern, Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Meare Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Although we had seen en extremely rare bird, it was hard not to be disappointed missing a bird so close to home and which was seen by so many people.  But, there was always tomorrow....

About the writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 12 year old young birder, conservationist, writer and speaker.    She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She is looking forward to Mountain Gorilla trekking in East Africa this summer and watching penguins in Antarctica in December, her 7th continent. She has recently been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people.  Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter

Learning from talks and meeting Tony Juniper

It was a jammed packed week.

A Young Birder at "Nature - Our Big Green Ally" Debate

Firstly on Wednesday 4th March 2015 we went to @Bristol to hear a debate "Nature - Our big Green Ally" with Miranda Krestovnikoff from BBC The One Show, Simon King BBC personality and Stephanie Hilborne Wildlife Trusts and John Lawton.

The debate was about what can be done in the future, the Wildlife Act and was really interesting.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig in
Front row seat at the "Nature - Our big Green Ally" debate, @Bristol, Bristol
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

"Nature - Our big Green Ally" debate, @Bristol, Bristol 
Miranda Krestovnikoff and John Lawton
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

"Nature - Our big Green Ally" debate, @Bristol, Bristol
Simon King and Stephanie Hilborne
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

"Nature - Our big Green Ally" debate, @Bristol, Bristol
Miranda Krestovnikoff and John Lawton
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

"Nature - Our big Green Ally" debate, @Bristol, Bristol
Miranda Krestovnikoff, Simon King, Stephanie Hilborne and John Lawton
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

A Young Birder at a talk by Mark Cocker

The following evening we went to Bristol to hear Mark Cocker speak.  He was really interesting and I bought his beautiful book.  It was brilliant because he talked about my favourite antpitta 'Shakira' an Ochre-bellied Antpitta from Angel Paz in Ecuador and had a photo of her in his book.  Mark said that hadn't been sure about including that section and so he was really glad he had.  It was worth having his book just for that!

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Mark Cocker, University of Bristol
Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig with Mark Cocker's book
Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Bristol Naturalists' Society Celebration of Nature

After a morning of ringing in on Saturday morning, we went into Bristol to a nature day organised by Bristol Naturalists Society.

Posted for Bristol Naturalists' Society Celebration of Nature
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Lots of local organisations has tables like RSPB South West and Avon Wildlife Trust.  I also realised they their President is David Hill, a lichen expert who lives in our village and a friend of the family.  David came and helped at my garden bio blitz last year, finding 40 species of lichen in our garden.

A Young Birder attending Tony Juniper's talk "What Nature does for Britain"

Then in the afternoon, we went to the Watershed to hear Tony Juniper talk about his new book, What Nature does for Britain. His talk was inspiring and positive making me feel that there were things that could be done to help with renewable energy and climate change.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig with Tony Juniper, Watershed, Bristol
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

After a bury week, I finished on a high, feeling that I could do something to help our planet.

About the writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 12 year old young birder, conservationist, writer and speaker.    She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world.  She was the youngest person to see 3,000 birds in 2013 and she hopes to see her 4,000^th bird in Antarctica, her 7^th continent, in 2015.  She has recently been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people.  Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter

Family Birding Day, Ham Wall RSPB Reserve, Somerset Levels, 18 April 2015

A Young Birder inspiring children

I have been going to as many events for Young Wardens down on the Somerset levels as possible.

They also run family days for younger children to come to with their families.  I thought that it would be good to go along with my little niece Laila who is 6 years old, and help with the children.  I think it's really important to inspire younger children and act as a role model.

Many of these events take place in the school holidays when we are away birding.

On 18th April 2015, there was finally a perfect event. A session focussed on bird watching on a date I was free.  The Avalon Marshes Centre advertised the event with me as the "celebrity" helping as a leader, which was fantastic.

Although my big sister Ayesha had been big twitcher before having children, now she didn't have the time or money to go out.  Laila had started telling her that birding was boring and so she was desperate for us to take her out, and liking birds again.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

It was a small group of young children with mums, but perfect for spending time with each on a one to one.  There was a boy call Rufus who was the same age as Laila, who shared his sticker books with her.

Don't get me going on sticker books, they are the very best thing for young children.  They love sticking things in and will do anything for the next sticker.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig 

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

We met at the new Ham Wall RSPB car park, walking all along looking for otter tracks before focusing on the singing birds and trying to see them.  Dad has an app on his phone, so he could show them pictures of the birds we saw.

We saw four Great White Egret, Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler as well as an enormous grass snake in a ream, looking for baby water voles to eat.

Grass Snake, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Grass Snake, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Grass Snake, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Grass Snake, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

We also heard a couple of Bittern Booming which was a bonus.

It was a great afternoon which I think the children really enjoyed.  They kept coming up to me and asking me questions and wanting to walk alongside me.  I think that it's really important for children to have role models and for them to think birding is cool because someone they think is cool wants to do it.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

 I'm now looking forward to the next family day.

Chris Craig, Laila Price, Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Rufus' mum, Rufus, 
Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Chris Craig, Laila Price, Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Rufus' mum, Rufus, 

Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Mary Scott, Chris Craig, Laila Price, Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Rufus' mum, Rufus, 

Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Rufus' mum

Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Laila Price and Rufus, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Laila Price and Rufus, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Laila Price, Rufus and Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Laila Price, Rufus and Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Laila Price, Rufus and Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels

Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

About the writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 12 year old young birder, conservationist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She was the youngest person to see 3,000 birds in 2013 and she hopes to see her 4,000th bird in Antarctica, her 7th continent, in 2015. She has recently been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter