Atlasville, 17 Nov 2004

The birding grapevine was abuzz this morning with a huge mega-tick opportunity for those who could get there and see it. A first southern African and only the second all-Africa sighting of a rare vagrant (or just horribly lost) Asian Dowitcher. And where was this wader to be found? At Leeupan just south of Boksburg. What? That’s only 9 km as the crow flies from my house!

When I got there, parking was at a premium and already 100+ birders were there with almost as many spotting scopes. So finding the bird was also very easy. Just look where the scopes are pointing. Probably the easiest rarity I’ll ever tick off. I was home within 90 minutes!