Northern Mockingbird – Newbiggin, Northumberland, 7^th May 2021

On the 5th May 1984, my co-worker Chris Thomas (who is apparently now Vice-Chancellor at Aberystwyth University) and I found a Wood Sandpiper on the pond on Middleham Common in North Yorkshire, whilst I was doing my first proper paid work, undertaking the Upland Bird Survey (UBS) for the old Nature Conservancy Council in the Yorkshire Dales. Certainly, at the time, I considered it was my 200th bird species in the UK[1].

As part of the UBS we were regularly visited by Andy Clements (the recently retired CEO of the BTO), who acted as the ‘man-in-the-field’ on behalf of Dr Tim Reed, the NCC officer responsible for the survey, visiting and co-ordinating with the field teams.

Andy, was a big twitcher at the time. For example, he regaled us with fantastic stories from the mythical Scillies (I particularly remember his tale of the pre-dawn twitch to St. Agnes for the October 1982 Common Nighthawk which he vividly described appearing before the assembled gallery to hawk backwards and forwards over the dawn lit beach). He had also disappeared off the previous year with his co-worker, Tony Merritt, and the veterinary surgeon in Bainbridge, to twitch the Hudsonian Godwit at Blacktoft Sands in late-April 1983. And he had whisked me off on an exciting but ultimately disappointing twitch to Newcastle General Hospital in an attempt to see the Laughing Gull that had taken up residence there.

Anyway, when Andy heard about our Wood Sandpiper, he joked that he needed to watch himself the way me and Chris, “Had come crashing through the 200 barrier...”. 😂😂😂.

No doubt Andy would be amused to hear that on the 7th May 2021, almost exactly 37 years later, I finally crashed through the 500 barrier!

This had been a declared objective for a long time, too long. For example, for years I had teased the girls that if I needed just one more for my 500 before I died, they had to get me there at all costs, for example, by pushing me in my wheelchair across miles of unsuitable terrain…. . I think the enormity of this ‘wish’ genuinely worried them.

I had been with Jonny Holliday at Aith, Fetlar, when he had relocated the Swainson’s Thrush there in October 2016; this was his 500th species, giving me just a hint of what it might be like to achieve this target.

And although I didn’t see it with him, the Crag Martin at the Crooked Spire in Chesterfield in November 2015 had been Ken’s 500th species, and, for example, I saw the cards he received as a result.

At the time Ken and I had broadly understood that our lists were in the same ballpark. However, I was actually quite a long way behind. The Crag Martin was my 476th species, and the last for me during 2015.

2016 saw me make unheralded significant advances as it was a momentous year that provided eleven stupendous ticks, taking me from 477 (Gyr Falcon) to 487 (Blue Rock Thrush). Subsequent years couldn’t compete, very obviously. 2017 eventually provided three more after one (Hudsonian Whimbrel) was briefly denied to me by a lumping travesty. The two other ticks that year, a difficult one, were Red-winged Blackbird soon after Dad had passed away in the spring, and American Redstart in the otherwise blank autumn. But at least I was now in the 490s. However, 2018 was worse; other than the Gray Catbird in the autumn it was a blank year. 2019 was better, advancing my list from 492 (Tengmalm’s Owl) to 495 (Eastern Yellow Wagtail).

Which brings us to 2020. Needing just five more we entered the COVID-19 era…. . D’oh!!!!!! That said, despite an ill-fated entirely blank trip to Mainland Shetland (after we had eventually cancelled our planned visit to Unst which would have produced for me) 2020, remarkably, delivered. Firstly, it delivered to almost literally my doorstep with the Scopoli’s Shearwater next to the Forth Bridge (shortly before I moved house to South Queensferry from where I could have actually seen the Shearwater!!!). Then, before COVID-19 restrictions were re-imposed, the autumn provided three more ticks, two (Two-barred Greenish Warbler and Taiga Flycatcher) in Northumberland and the other (Hudsonian Godwit) in Fife, by which time I really shouldn’t have been travelling that far. They had saved the autumn, as had I been in Shetland later that I had, or in Scilly, I would potentially have had other ticks.

The Hud Wit took me to 499. So close. But I was now confined to barracks, locked down, and locked into the extensive programme of renovation I had committed to at 62 High Street.

Initially this was all fine really as besides being gainfully employed (a blessing during the rigours of lockdown) although there were some good birds, there was nothing that I needed, nothing that would take me to the long sought after 500.

This all changed on the 6th February 2021 when, incredibly, a Northern Mockingbird was reported as having been present for a few days (and ultimately weeks) in gardens in Exmouth, Devon. Sure, a long, long way to go, but under normal circumstances at trip that I would have certainly made, especially given that it would have been my….. .

The mockingbird remained in Exmouth day after day, but I was resigned to my fate. Some birders (or toggers?) ignored travel restrictions and travelled to Exmouth all the same, but this just wasn’t tenable or advisable for me being in Scotland.

My angst was compounded firstly and briefly by a Lammergeier in Norfolk in mid-February, but more so by the re-appearance of the Walrus that had been seen in south-west Ireland in south-west Wales, at Tenby, in late March…… . What a twitch that would be! Indeed, tentatively, Steely and I talked about it…… just a few more days and weeks, when restrictions are relaxed a bit more and it becomes permissible to travel – if it / they stay…. . Please stay?

So, February passed, and then March too, but the Mockingbird still lingered. Surely, I couldn’t…….? However, almost exactly two months after the incredible news first broke, it disappeared. Having been seen in its usual haunts in Exmouth on the 7th April it was nowhere to be seen the next day, at least not there.

Incredibly, though, it was then almost immediately relocated near Pulborough In West Sussex, 260 km to the east north-east later that day!!!

I tried to console myself by vicariously twitching it by mobilising Tegan Newman who was just returning to work at the nearby Knepp Rewilding Project for another year, but even this failed; the Mockingbird proved to be a brief stayer in Pulborough.

Other than the Lammergeier, the Northern Mockingbird proved to be the only bird I had needed for my list during the early part of 2021.

I resigned myself to ‘it just wasn’t meant to be’; it wasn’t my fault that COVID-19 had necessitated travel restrictions which had precluded me travelling to Exmouth, despite the birds prolonged stay there.

My hopes for Northern Mockingbird (appropriately?) being my 500th evaporated, and life returned to ‘normal’.

Indeed, it did, as without actively seeking work by April I had increasingly become involved in several different projects, as well as my own project at home. Further, life was gradually returning to some sort of ‘normal’ in other ways too.

For example, David Steel contacted me on 4th May to say that he and Bex Outram would be staying in the Premier Inn in South Queensferry on the nights of the 5th and 6th May as they were doing an outdoor first aid course at Bonaly Scout Centre, just off the by-pass, and as such they would be up for…… wait for it, seeing me socially, which was unprecedented in the past year or so.

So it was that I booked us a table at the Orocco Pier on the evening of the 5th May, and once they had escaped from the Isle of May, checked in at the Premier Inn, indulged in some retail therapy (denied to them when exiled on the Isle of May) and walked down into Queensferry, they joined me for a quick alcoholic drink outside the Orocco Pier, before we retreated inside for a meal. Afterwards they came to 62 High Street to have a look around, and continue our excellent evening.

All very enjoyable.

The following evening, I sent a WhatsApp message to Steely suggesting I would fully understand if he and Bex weren’t up for another night out at 18:28.

Much later, at 23:04 Steely eventually responded (of sorts) with a message forwarded from the Northumberland Bird News WhatsApp group which said, “Video of a Northern Mockingbird apparently taken in Newbiggin in recent days, bird still present today, exact location currently unknown”. This was followed by another WhatsApp message saying, “Interesting news”.

Fuck!!! Was it!!!!

Incredibly, (again!!!!) the Northern Mockingbird had been relocated and was now, somewhat more conveniently and fortunately (as lockdown was being relaxed) in Newbiggin in Northumberland.

The following morning, I sounded out Steely about any plans to see the bird post- his outdoor first-aid course with a WhatsApp message I sent at 07:09, before any news update. It emerged that Steely was going home to North-east England after his course anyway.

We continued a WhatsApp dialogue, and I tried to work, but it was difficult to concentrate.

At 11:21 Steely forwarded me a message from BirdGuides saying:

“Northern Mockingbird Newbiggin-by-the-Sea still in gardens off Front Street; park in Church Point car-park (55.186, -1.5040, Walk west along High Street for 450m and turn right through double gates beside Endeavour Café to view garden to west of red metal container at 55.1858, -1.5108 (11:16) (!!!)”

RBA responded with something broadly identical soon afterwards.

I messaged Steely saying thanks and deliberating whether to go there and then or the following day. He pointed out crowds would be less if I went the next day.

I WhatsApp messaged Ken Shaw who responded that he had just seen the news, but was getting his second jab and so couldn’t go until the next day. He added, “Probably not, generally” (i.e., interested in the Mocker) and, “You go before it is a complete circus”. I also WhatsApp messaged John Nadin, but predictably got no immediate response. 

By 11:45 I was in the car. Unfortunately, there was an accident on the by-pass which caused significant delays (ironically before I passed Bonaly where Steely was).

Otherwise, the journey was good. I stopped at Purdy Lodge on the A1(T) for a quick ‘pitstop’ and whilst there received a delayed batch of WhatsApp messages including one from Martin Scott seeking a lift.

I continued on, and with one slight ‘diversion’ successfully navigated my way off the A1(T) to arrive in Newbiggin some three hours after leaving South Queensferry.

As I drove along the High Street, I saw a birder / birders being ushered into some back yard. At this point I thought, “Sod the Church Point car-park” (where the directions indicated I should park) and turned into the nearest available side street, having failed to find a parking place along the High Street.

Once parked, which was very easy, I assembled my gear and walked swiftly back along the High Street to the entrance to the backyard where I too was swiftly ushered in with words along the lines of “Aye, get in, it was just showing”.

I entered into what was effectively a derelict building plot within which there were a couple of storage units. This ‘yard’ was surrounded by brick walls capped (in that traditional way of the urban north) with broken glass. At the far end was a wooden boarding fence, similarly adored with barbed wire, and it was here the bird showed.

Indeed, it was doing so as I arrived. I saw it immediately on arrival with the naked eye, and as such, any pressure was off.

As is ‘de rigueur’ nowadays at twitches, I variously looked for the bird when it wasn’t showing, ‘scoped it (or attempted to photograph it) when it was, scribbled some notes / sketched it and WhatsApped certain people with my momentous news.

There were generally some 15 or so other birders scattered around the yard throughout my stay and it was all very sociable.

Initially Mark Holling and Bruce Kerr were there when I was, and eventually Angus Murray and John McLoughlin (Birdline Scotland and Birdline North East England) were.

We socially distanced, but did so very socially.

The bird? Oh, yes, the bird. Basically, throughout my stay it was often out of sight below the line of the perimeter fencing around the yard. But it frequently perched just beyond this (and occasionally higher) and as such gave good ‘scopable views.

It would sit relatively still, looking out for suitable prey items and occasionally moving around before then flying out of sight again.

As ever with a bird that I’d previously frequently seen in its natural range, I actually looked at this vagrant, taking in its finer details (though perhaps not to the extent I would do normally). It was (appropriately given the family it is part of!) reminiscent of a thrasher or Gray Catbird in some respects.

It was about the size of a Blackbird and had, broadly, the appearance of a thrush. It had a long tail, and a stoutish, longish slightly downcurved bill. The legs and bill were dark. The eye involved a dark pupil and warm mid-brown iris. The plumage was pale grey brown overall, with the underparts being paler than the upperparts. The plumage was generally plain, with the exception of the remiges and retrices. The remiges were dark-centred and pale-fringed, with whitish wing-bars formed by the fringes of the greater and median coverts, and a white patch created by the white alula feathers. The retrices were darker than the overall plumage, with whitish outer edges to the tail. Otherwise, the lores were darker than the rest of the head, which gave a masked appearance.

All and all very good.

Given my easy acceptable views, and the presence of the Grey- / Black- headed Wagtail at nearby Bothal Pond, I gave the bird some 90 minutes or so, before leaving to locate some suitable lunch fodder and move on.

This I did at a nearby bakery. Whilst in the queue I chatted to a local couple who were genuinely interested in me having seen the bird; indeed, the woman showed me her own photos of it which she had taken in a friend’s garden. I really enjoyed the earthy warmth of the proper folk of Newbiggin; it reminded me of all that I love about people ‘back home’.

After consuming my steak pie at my car in the side street around the corner, I journeyed around Ashington to Bothal, and eventually (no thanks to the RBA App mapping) Bothal Pond. Here my timing was good as despite the size of the ‘pond’ the wagtail was showing well just over the hedge opposite where I had parked the car. And what a bird!!! …. just a shame that it seemingly underwent an identity crisis and was considered (mystifyingly?) to be a Grey-headed Wagtail… .

Having seen it I gradually wended my way home (attempting to get a car charger USB cable from the Tesco’s in Berwick-upon-Tweed unsuccessfully, and getting fish and chips from a chippy in Dunbar successfully). I consumed these near Seafield Pond at Belhaven, where I saw a female Yellow (or was it Blue-headed?) Wagtail and heard Reed Warbler. Steely ‘phoned me whilst I was there, and, although my ‘phone was in low power mode to conserve the battery, he and I had a good chat; he too had caught up with the Mocker.

Once home that night, I was finally able to charge my ‘phone and respond to various messages, etc..

I also composed a tweet about my experiences earlier in the day; I was in a strangely philosophical mood about the whole experience me seeing my 500th species in Britain involved. My tweet said:

“Indulged in some dirty twitching for my 500th species in the UK. And very good it was too. Enjoyed the whole experience, familiar faces, the people in Newbiggin, rubbish food (mandatory on a twitch) and a stonking bonus bird”.

Gratifyingly, this produced a lot of likes, not just from friends, but also from complete strangers.

Similarly so, my Facebook post the following morning. In this I mused about my twitching journey that had culminated in the Northern Mockingbird; 30+ years of incredible experiences as I finally discovered twitching in the mid- / late 80s, coinciding with the transformation caused by the replacing of the traditional rare bird news grapevine by Birdline (which itself was progressively superseded by pagers / Apps / tweets). I commented that I wouldn't swap it for anything. Did I say culminated? I also mused about stepping back from serious twitching now I'd finally reached my long-held target of 500.

However, I also noted that (at the time of writing) the official British list currently stands at 622 (and still increases by one or two each year or so) and that I still have some relatively easy ones to get...... . I concluded that it wasn’t something I was going to grow out of, and as such, that I would probably continue to chase the odd rare bird or so each year.

I even devised a new target total and confided this to Tessa…. .

Who knows what I'll do, where it will take me?




[1] More recent recounts may have altered this, but let’s not spoil a good story.

The scene of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ May 2021.

Northern Mockingbird, Newbiggin, Northumberland, May 2021. (photographs credited to Tom Hines).