Black-winged Pratincole – Monikie Country Park, Monikie, Angus, 16^th August 1996

On the night of Wednesday, the 14th August 1996, as I was at ‘home’ in my rented accommodation in Creetown in Galloway, I was ‘perplexed’ to find out from my Rare Bird Alert pager that there was a Black-winged Pratincole at Monikie Country Park in Angus. At the time, I was working on the Scotland-Northern Ireland Pipeline Project, which necessitated being based in Galloway during the working week. I was perplexed, as the following day I was going to Northern Ireland for what proved to be an eventful trip. So eventful, that I was unable to ‘phone either a Birdline, or Gilly. (my then girlfriend and future wife and ex-wife). This failure didn’t seem too critical, as the message, as I recollected it, suggested that the bird had disappeared that same day, and as the next day, Thursday, I had received the greater proportion of the messages, none of which mentioned the Black-winged Pratincole. However, perhaps during the excitement of the return trip on the Jetliner between Larne and Cairnryan, just north of Stranraer, which was diverted to off the Mull of Galloway in sea fog to take part in an air-sea rescue search, I had missed something ....!

So it was that I was somewhat dumbfounded on the morning of Friday the 16th August when the pager told me that the Black-winged Pratincole was still at Monikie Country Park. What? Still? 

Fortunately this was the first or second message on the pager, and so I had time to react. Unfortunately, there were major complications, as although it was Friday, when, usually, I would be travelling from Creetown to South Queensferry, on this occasion I was staying in Creetown and Gilly was travelling down from South Queensferry, as amongst other things we were intending to go for a meal with my friends Mark and Fiona Hannay. Or that was the plan! I had to intercept Gilly before she set off, or we would end up crossing as I travelled to Monikie, and she to Creetown. 

As I pondered this dilemma, I was informed by the secretary that Gilly had phoned on Thursday afternoon, to see whether I was back from Northern Ireland. Why? I phoned home twice, leaving a frantic message; as I couldn’t remember her plans. Then I remembered that she was staying at her friends’ overnight, so that I might miss her altogether if she set off straight from there.

I was desperate to contact her to arrange to meet her somewhere, so that we could take in the bird together, and then return to Creetown. I wanted to go, but knew I couldn’t until I had contacted Gilly. A further complication was that I didn’t know anything about what the bird was doing, for instance, was it showing and what had its pattern been the previous day? Then inspiration came to me – ‘phone Monikie Country Park! This I did but unfortunately no one was around who could give me an update, although I was gratified to hear that someone would ‘phone me back when news was available.

Someone did ‘phone, but that someone was Gilly! And she already knew about the bird, as my erstwhile friend Stuart Green had ‘phoned her in South Queensferry to find out whether I was coming up for the bird. 

Hence the ‘phone call from Gilly on Thursday! She was really excited about the news. I told Gilly to wait there, and suggested that I would be there by c.12:00. I ‘phoned Mark Hannay in case he wanted to come, as I would be passing Cardoness, his estate outside Gatehouse of Fleet, shortly, and also to indicate that we might not get back if the bird proved difficult. He declined, I departed, calling ‘home’ to the craftshop cottage in Creetown to collect my essential belongings, in case we did not make it back, before driving at pace to South Queensferry. I set off at c. 09:25, and arrived there at c.11:35, in doing so breaking my all-time record for the journey. With minimum fuss the next scheduled pit stop was completed and the co-driver collected.

Gilly then completed the driving to Monikie Country Park and we both feasted and bantered as we went. We arrived promptly and precisely at around 13:05, and on sighting birders overlooking the wall alongside the road we parked up alongside a woodland opposite the reservoirs / country park. On emerging from the car Gilly asked the immediately rather superfluous question, “Are you bringing the ‘scope?” This was quickly, and more appropriately, followed by, “Brian!” as she glimpsed what she knew was it as it hawked directly overhead. 

It had apparently just reappeared, or so we were told as we joined the assembled birders on the other side of the road. From here we enjoyed similar views as it race-glided backwards and forwards. It was frequently in the company of Swallows and indeed looked somewhat like a large hirundine in comparison. The views were initially very good for flight views, often directly overhead, and in the ‘scope which I had by now retrieved, but slowly it drifted further and further away, until it was out of sight, apparently never to be seen again. Phew!

The main identification features were noted during these views. These included dark underwings, with the linings and trailing edge darkest, and also darkish brown upper-wings, again with a dark trailing edge, white rump and dark forked tail. The underparts, including the head were pale, and the bill and eye were dark. There was a hint of mottling on the face and neck. But the flight – this was very distinctive, and almost like what I imagine a Sooty or Eleonora’s Falcon to be like in flight.

We later found out that had disappeared for good when we saw it go (despite our assurances to the contrary to later arrivals) but, perversely, within nine days I had seen another, as, whilst I was in Lancashire, one turned up at Leighton Moss! This proved useful, as it was a first summer as opposed to a juvenile, and also gave views on the ground as opposed to in the air.

And we made it back for our meal at Cardoness that night!