Rock Thrush - Monticola saxatilis
On Thursday May 12th 1994 Sander Lagerveld, Raymond & Wim van Splunder were
trying to break their Big-day record of 1993 (164 species). At 11:30 AM they
arrived at their Black Redstart-spot at Noordburen (Noord-Holland).
The Black Redstart was present, but also a larger individual.
This bird proved to be female Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis! They warned other
birders with the pager-system, but because they mis-interpret the map, it was only after two
hours the first birders appeared (leaving the bird after a discovery without waiting for
other birders to arrive does not make you popular). The long wait caused them to fail to break their record.
I saw this bird the same evening and the next day, when we broke the big-day
record with one species more to 165. Next day we lost that record again, because another
team saw 166 species on May 14th! The Rock Thrush was however not on their list, since
the bird was gone that day (cf Dutch Birding 17: 113-117, 1995).
12 May 1994, Noordburen NH; © Eric Koops.
13 May 1994, Noordburen NH; © René van Rossum.
This was the second record for the Netherlands. The first was a male at Borgercompagnie
(Groningen) from April 22nd-23rd 1951 (cf Natura 48: 103, 1951)
Do you want to go to the main-index, the 1994-index or the next species, the White-rumped Sandpiper?