These are the ramblings of a one time manic twitcher now mellowing in old age and bashing his local patch whence the mood takes him. I work (some call it that some say I'm a jammy bugger) as a full time survey monkey (birds usually but the odd bat and newt now and again) hence I get paid to bird...nice!!! I still twitch if my list requires what evers on show but much prefer to find stuff which is a tad harder. I am the original Comberbach Casual.
As you may or not already know we've had a lot of rain over the past few months (years) and some of it has found its way into Neumann's Flashes neighbours once dry(ish) confines namely Ashton's Flash.
So much so that we now have a new mere on the patch that will hopefully rival Rostherne or even Burton Mere Wetlands. Fingers are crossed for the arrival this year of some mega Cheshire cripplers that us local patchers can feast our eyes upon before the hordes descend (remember the stilt fiasco).
from Bund bench
from the far corner bench
The hide over at Neumann's, Bund hide is to say the least a bit draughty what!
I've still not seen the dwarf birder who uses the lower viewing window!!
The latest patch year tick was floating just across the water viewable from both upper and lower windows a pair of Pintail. A rather nice grip back having missed probably the same pair way back on the 1st of January.
One and a half Pintail puts me on 94 for the year. 100 up by the end of March now looking virtually impossible especially with these damn snow storms still coming. Still you never know in this game and that's what makes it so enjoyable (and sometimes bloody frustrating)...roll on spring!
Mystery goose sp on the mere had me zapping down there pronto to find not the claimed Egyptian Goose but a much rarer Orinoco Goose!!! from South America.
A distant 'record shot' of the fence hopper (apparently plastic duck brothel near to Sandbach patch). I won't be submitting this to the CAWOS rarities committee cos I didn't find it...shame!
Got me out birding though and nearby on Kid Brook spit the first Redshank of the patch year was going about its business.
Next day on the same bit of mud the first LRP of the year and the earliest by 8 days I reckon.
Work had me heading down to Kent for a three day mega survey just in time for the return of that big yellow thing up in the sky and a light southerly wind. Surely I'd pick up a few summer migrants en route.
Well as it happened no! but I did connect with some cracking year ticks non better than a self found Common Crane...
What a surprise and a great start to the 'Spring'
I also had literally crippling views of the long staying Penduline Tit at Stodders took all of two minutes to find the relevant bit of board-walk then whap on it went. My second one here after seeing a male way back in March 1984. and my 7th in the UK.
The Kent paparazzi
first contact
The 'twitch'
The reed mace muncher
Whilst down there I also added the flock of 5 Tundra Bean Geese, Black necked Grebe
and a WaterPipit to the year list.
A sea watch off Dunge produced Guillemot for the year plus Kittiwake and Gannet. On the ARC pits I could only find two of the 'flock' of Redhead Smew that had been present most of the winter.
Near Lydd a good size flock of Bewick Swans (43) were performing well for the local listers.
A top secret mission (for a work colleague) close to the enemies doorstep (Nighthawk DJ) had me conveniently passing through Bedford where on a lake in Priory Country Park floated one rather nice drake Fudge Duck...
Could easily be the bird I saw last year at Minsmere through Mr Bedford's scope (cheers Dave) now coincidence or what?
Caught up with this humungous 1st winter Glaucous Gull down at Richmond Bank, Moss Side, Moore, Cheshire. Light as always in your face, wind chill -7'c so I didn't give it long. As is the case when I turn up there not a flippin Caspo Gull insight...funny that!
Could be my last visit ever unless some dude finds the boss his bogie bird USA Herring Gull. The tip is due to close so I'm told, where they gonna tip all that rubbish??
2013 UK Year List = 164 in the great listing year of 2005 I was on 171... 'strewth nearly up with the pace
En route to and fro, back and forth, here and there as one does.
Some of the things I've managed to catch up with of late but still 41 species behind the Nighthawk DJ how the feck does he do it??
Seaton Common gull fest minus any Glaucous Gulls, Caspians etc
Midlands (no permit required) Euro Whitefronts
Lancs Waxwings quick piccy cos a woman ran over the road to me, thought I was photographing her house for the local council! she didn't believe me so I legged it before the cops came.
The Beeley Moor Great Grey Shrike via a sat nav b-line short cut home, bloody freezing place.
That's 161 for the year, just holding the Doc at bay but after his sojourn with the rest of the 'B' team up to the Hebs for the Harley Duck looks like I'll be relagated to 2nd or maybe 3rd as Robbo's up there as well...bugger me!!
Just to get the ball rolling cos I'm well busy at the mo...
that first glimpse is always a knee trembler...get innnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!
Groucho is all smiles the mega Scandinavian hot totti is whapped in style, what a bird.
PINE GROSBEAK
Best I could do, a bit scared it might just take my arm off...it was huge!!
The first tick I've had since that other Shetland beauty the Sibe Ruby, what a place just a shame it's a proverbial pain in the rectum to get to and from.
Missing out on a plane ride (£600+) I joined the 'B team' of Big Al, Groucho and Shetland virgin Robbo for the twitch. It was a drive to Aberdeen, over night ferry to Lerwick then two full days on Shetland cos we got stranded when the ferry didn't sail due to the force 10 winds. One nights hire of a self catering house (one free evening meal care of the last occupants, cheers) two days car hire and fuel. Then back on the ferry, pay the jock car park fee and home. Guess how much excluding food and beer (lots)...£153 that's value, sorted as we say in Manchester (and Cheshire).
Some videos to give one a flavour of how well it showed...
Having an unexpected extra day on mainland Shetland gave us the chance to show Robbo some famous birding places and see a few goodies to boot...like the 1st winter Ring-billed Gull at Scalloway
Nearby on the fishing quay my first ever (honest!!) Kumlien's Gull was a real bonus bird and one for the educational list me thinks? We even managed to find a Puffin...in February!!
Down at the south end of the island where most of the real Shetland birder's live there was a great showing of winter stuff such as 80+ Purple Sandpipers, 25+ Long-tailed Ducks scores of Great Northern Divers and a fly by Iceland Gull off that big rock soon to be a hotel Sumburgh Head.
I wonder if they'll plant some shrubs and flower beds etc? just might make the place a no go area unless you're a 'paying' guest oh dear!
More birds...
Great to see Fulmars doing so well. There were literally hundreds off the headland and in the various quarries.
Scatness Long-tails not I hasten to add flushed by me, my lens isn't that big I have to be sat on top of whatever I'm image gathering.
What a great twitch and cheers to the team for making it so bearable (sorry I meant enjoyable).
