Why did I do it?? For my disertation I had chosen potentially the coldest experiment on the world. Regular sets of 2 hours sat on a freezing beach scoping waders. Inactivity & windchill. Fortunately the icy blasts have caused my subject Ringos push off and the whole thing has been transplanted to Teal on inland waters. Much warmer. And a hide.
Anywho my bumbling about on Barmston beach just after 8 on tuesday morning did produce a few birds of note. Some Blackbirds - looking like cold weatehr migrants from Scandinavia were feeding around the holiday camp. A Jack Snipe in off, single Purple Sandpiper on the collapsed road at the foot of the cliff and numerous Sanderling up and down the beach. Nothing of note offshore. A quick trip up to Flamborough saw the Hooded Crow west of Danes Dyke on the Bempton road. 257 for Yorkshire now but still 4 behind Mike and 5 behind Marcus. So close. May be headed back down to Lincs for the Steppe Shrike again on Sunday.
On Monday I had a trip out to see the Rough-legs at Pocklington - managed to get great close views of an adult female and 1 juv plus a couple of Red Kites, Common Buzzards and single Sprwak Merlin & Keza. Super raptor watching.
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
6 Shrikes and im out
Scored my 6th Shrike species for the Year today, all UK (unless you split steppe and southern grey) with a stunning and easy to watch Great Grey in Wykeham forest. Dipped on the LT Duck, GND, Iceland and Med Gulls in S'boro but on my way to Wykeham, whilst watching the coppers close the A64 i saw a massive raptor circling over Seamer/Ayton sort of area. Proper huge it was. Bear in mind I was at the bottom of Staxton Hill so quite a way away.
Monday, 17 November 2008
Tophill on Sat
started my volunteering/placement at Tophill on Saturday. For mileage purposes i have found that the reserve is a startling 14.4 miles away despite being 7 as the crow flies. Oh well its more petrol money to claim from uni.
Rolled up at 10am and had a coffee with Richard who was outlining the direction the reserve is going in (upward!). I gradually came too, as my caffeine fix permeated my veins. The grand plan for the day was to dig out a diesel sump which had become choked with vegetation and stagnant. We were cleaning it out so that dragonfly nymphs could thrive in future in the sump. Tophill has a decommisioned sit on lawn mower as a tractor impersonator and i was allowed several goes on this across the day. It beats walking. We cleaned the sump out surprisingly quickly with only the phragmites proving tricky to remove. It stunk and my left wader leaked a little but i wasnt disheartened. The only pain in the bum was as i got to lunch i noticed my left arm had been leeched! Barely clotted blood dripped down but it was all good.
Further coffee for lunch with a Kitkat and i was raring to go but not before seeing a Sprawk buzz the feeders. A few coal tits buzzed about but nothing much else was doing. In the afternoon we were clearing the willow scrub that had surrounded the sumps. Many small to medium sized woody trees were cleared and the whole area became much more open. Shame about the massive bramble tangle that we came to. We also managed to remove most of the willow that had started to invade the reedbed (we were on South Marsh for those that know!). Birdwise we had a good passsage of Curlew and numbers of Redwing roosting in the pines that previously held Amur Falcon. Not a lot else was seen bar the odd coot or moorhen but all said a thoroughly enjoyable (and tiring) day.
Rolled up at 10am and had a coffee with Richard who was outlining the direction the reserve is going in (upward!). I gradually came too, as my caffeine fix permeated my veins. The grand plan for the day was to dig out a diesel sump which had become choked with vegetation and stagnant. We were cleaning it out so that dragonfly nymphs could thrive in future in the sump. Tophill has a decommisioned sit on lawn mower as a tractor impersonator and i was allowed several goes on this across the day. It beats walking. We cleaned the sump out surprisingly quickly with only the phragmites proving tricky to remove. It stunk and my left wader leaked a little but i wasnt disheartened. The only pain in the bum was as i got to lunch i noticed my left arm had been leeched! Barely clotted blood dripped down but it was all good.
Further coffee for lunch with a Kitkat and i was raring to go but not before seeing a Sprawk buzz the feeders. A few coal tits buzzed about but nothing much else was doing. In the afternoon we were clearing the willow scrub that had surrounded the sumps. Many small to medium sized woody trees were cleared and the whole area became much more open. Shame about the massive bramble tangle that we came to. We also managed to remove most of the willow that had started to invade the reedbed (we were on South Marsh for those that know!). Birdwise we had a good passsage of Curlew and numbers of Redwing roosting in the pines that previously held Amur Falcon. Not a lot else was seen bar the odd coot or moorhen but all said a thoroughly enjoyable (and tiring) day.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
Some things in football are just down to pure physics
If you like a bit of footy and some humourous banter (one way unless for the 1,057th time you want to get involved) get subscribed to the Guardians (big paper) tea-time email the Fiver. Ruddy hilarious topical stuff, daily to your inbox about the funniest sport out there.
Expect linkage like this :
Expect assorted Portsmouth players to be scoring belters like this (http://guardian.chtah.com/a/tBJGbWMAY30QpAe9jDF$eZ6Y1Lq/fvr26 ) now that NottinghamForest legend Johnny Metgod has been appointed first-team coach atFratton Park.
And comedy values like this:
The FA has asked Joe Kinnear to explain his comments after brandingMartin Atkinson a 'Mickey Mouse' referee. We're not sure which bit ofJoe's critique is open to misinterpretation either - perhaps Atkinsonhas particularly large white hands and eats a lot of cheese.
Here is the link for subs:
SUBSCRIBE TO THE FIVER You can subscribe and unsubscribe at
http://guardian.chtah.com/a/tBJGbWMAY30QpAe9jDF$eZ6Y1Lq/fvr34
Expect linkage like this :
Expect assorted Portsmouth players to be scoring belters like this (http://guardian.chtah.com/a/tBJGbWMAY30QpAe9jDF$eZ6Y1Lq/fvr26 ) now that NottinghamForest legend Johnny Metgod has been appointed first-team coach atFratton Park.
And comedy values like this:
The FA has asked Joe Kinnear to explain his comments after brandingMartin Atkinson a 'Mickey Mouse' referee. We're not sure which bit ofJoe's critique is open to misinterpretation either - perhaps Atkinsonhas particularly large white hands and eats a lot of cheese.
Here is the link for subs:
SUBSCRIBE TO THE FIVER You can subscribe and unsubscribe at
http://guardian.chtah.com/a/tBJGbWMAY30QpAe9jDF$eZ6Y1Lq/fvr34
Monday, 10 November 2008
A Good Day
Had a bit of a mental twitchathon yesterday which left me falling asleep at my computer last night writing an essay. First stop was Bilsdale, 15 miles north of Helmsley. A cold walk up hill with Andy after bumping into him and his friend Dave. A two hour freezathon with everyone looking at the wrong feeder was enlivened by some tres bizarre birders and the gypsy king himself. All of a sudden the bird was in the farms front garden and bosh it was there for all to see. And boy did all want to see it. Despite the melee it was all very good humoured, like when the guy elbowed me and when i got pushed in a bush. All smiles. Thing is im a mild mannered 26 year old but next effing tosser to elbow me at a twitch is getting knocked out. Fact. It'll be some fat balding 45-50 year old prick anyhow. So theres the warning! ;)
A quick 90 minute jaunt to Filey ensued arriving just behind the red Kia which is the gypsy king mobile currently. The paddy white arse was over the cliff and then whoosh it was flitting round the holiday camp with many people in pursuit. 2 rares one morning. Just to top it off 3 Tundra Beans in a field up the way at Buckton made it a 4 lifer weekend feeding round a puddle with 6 y-fronts. Nice.
A quick 90 minute jaunt to Filey ensued arriving just behind the red Kia which is the gypsy king mobile currently. The paddy white arse was over the cliff and then whoosh it was flitting round the holiday camp with many people in pursuit. 2 rares one morning. Just to top it off 3 Tundra Beans in a field up the way at Buckton made it a 4 lifer weekend feeding round a puddle with 6 y-fronts. Nice.
Saturday, 8 November 2008
One Steppe Beyond
Steppe Grey Shrike down to 2 feet. And no, i didnt chase it - used a crazy thing called fieldcraft. Unlike the stupid woman who walked towards the bird when it had flown away - its not like when it chose to feed it was distant. Got an unuploadable (decentish) pic. Was fecking freezing and blowing a gale. The bird was a very sandy grey mantled with a similar tone underneath. Was joined by john sadler for the trip. Nowt much else on site. A quick pop down to Donna Nook produced a Glonk with a Gammy Leg, a lifer for John. A single greenland Wheatear was on a post. A flock of very Twite like finches failed to let themselves get pinned down. Arse. As we were headed back too late to do owt about it a female Pied Wheatear came out at Reighton. Looks like tomorrow is gonna consist of a twitchathon with 2bard-xbill, canvasplac & the aforementioned wheatear. Hope i get 2 from 3.
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