My Rarest Shot Ever

I took this shot about three years ago, it is a Trumpeter Finch, all the way from Africa, it was taken at Tankerton , Whitstable, on the North Kent Coast, three years ago, only two have ever made it to the UK, to get the shot I was using a 400mm zoom lens the distance at least 75 yds, I would add that some birders were less than concerned for the birds welfare and to my mind were tantamount to harassing the exhausted bird.

Strangely that day I was in contact with another great rarity which was spotted by Bill Oddy the day before, whilst in the company of top brass from the RSPB, they were out on the pools at Cliffe Marshes for whatever reason, he apparently exclaimed quietly, are you aware of that Terek Sandpiper over yonder! Lots of red faced RSPB Brass, and because of this quite brassed off.

I lived in Cliffe at the time and went down to the pools in the evening after returning from my encounter with the Trumpeter Finch, stopping off at Oare, Faversham, on the way home. On the viewing mound there were probably 30 birders, I managed to get my shot and drove further out onto the marsh there was a bird which was flying low the other side of the fence catching the occasional glimpse, the colouring was such I thought Kestrel, it got ahead of me by about 25 yds and settled on a post, identification was then unmistakable it was a Rufous Cuckoo not only that it flew off and joined another.

I will never be blessed in my lifetime, with the vision of three rarities in one day, but one never knows!