What’s the best bit of train-birding you’ve ever had? My thanks to everyone who responded to my recent blog about the Stour Estuary, as observed from a train on the Norwich-London line: now you’ve got me wondering about other birds seen from other trains.
One of the train-traveller’s great pleasures is that lightning — but still unmistakable — almost-no-glimpse of a bird. I remember a few months ago, on the same line, seeing a sparrowhawk fizzing along a hedge: my sudden secret joy was compounded by the certainty that no one else in the carriage and perhaps the train had seen it. Privilege, eh? It was like travelling first class, only better.
Years ago I saw a hen harrier when travelling the line between Newport and Shrewsbury. It was a ringtail – that’s to say, either a female or an immature male, brown with a white ring round the base of the tail. I recognised it with joy, not foreseeing all the trouble hen harriers would get me into.
One of the loveliest stretches of rail in England stands between Exeter and Newton Abbot. It goes along the Exe Estuary, follows the coast for a while and then turns back inland along the Teign. I once saw a white raft of avocets on the Exe. The train is slow at this point, but still too fast for accurate counting. I reckon there were getting on 400 of them
But perhaps the best of all was last winter. I was travelling from Norwich to Peterborough. In the Fen country the train becomes the highest point for miles around and sometimes seems to be travelling weightlessly over a surface of water. We were rattling on at a fair pace when I looked up – gasped – surely not – but what else could they be — and they were gone.
Glory be, they were cranes, half a dozen or more, hard to say: just an impression of legs and necks and infinite eternal grace…the train now standing at platform two is for Liverpool Lime Street by way of Ely, Peterborough, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester Piccadilly and Heaven…
Best ever was when Stafford – Aberdovy train made unscheduled stop so we could see ‘our ospreys’ on each journey!
Been on that train – coach from Sheffield to Manchester ‘coz of floods 6 hrs late!
There is still a real world out there – if you have the eyes to see. Keep up the proselytising.
Playing catch-up with your blogs on the train – Waterloo to the West Country. No view out at this time of day, only a reflected me in the dark window, but heaven within thanks to your wonderful words Simon. Thank you.
I can’t match your hen harrier and cranes, but I too like the stretch of line between Exeter and Newton Abbot — although the best I’ve done along there is a clutch of egrets. Two or three times I’ve been lucky enough to see a kingfisher flash under the train (via a bridge!) or alongside — once, yes, on that magical stretch between Norwich and Ely; another time from the tram just north of Seaton, Devon.
Hi Simon,
Since your departure from the times I no longer buy it on a regular basis, my enjoyment diminished by your absence. The blogs are for me a source of reconnection with nature tempered by sadness at our indifference to what we are destroying.
I recently collected some friends from my local station. What did you see on the journey I asked. Deer? Foxes? Sheep? Oh, nothing. What a shame. The loveliest thing is having the time to take in your surroundings. A rare privilege in this day and age.
I recall that in his book “Finding Nests”, Bruce Campbell mentioned finding the nest of a Red-backed Shrike from a moving train. Needless to say that was quite a long time ago!
Always enjoy your blogs, sir. You have such an eloquent way with words. Love the image of the sparrowhawk ‘fizzing’ along a hedge. I have only ever glimpsed that once at close quarters and it was an electrifying moment. So thanks for reminding me of that magical moment.
I’ve travelled from Truro to Exeter a few times but unfortunately have never seen any wonders like you describe, Simon.
However, some years ago I was driving up to Aberystwyth, and at one point travelling along a ridge when I became aware of something above me through the sun visor, which, to my infinite joy, was a buzzard soaring in my direction for several seconds, about twenty feet above me!! Luckily I lived to tell the tale without veering off the road!!!
Bit of a cheat but when stopped for train problems somewhere in the South of France (GASP! Yes other countries have delays too) I was treated to a roller flitting from post to post for a few minutes. I liked the irony that this was rolling while we, errr, were not!
First time i saw cranes( common) was from the train south of Berlin. Midwinter, around 2011. My first thought was grey herons, no not…