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Will's wanderings around Peterborough, 2008! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter will bowell
- Start date
will bowell
Will the wandering birder
Snow Finch? Don't think they are on the British list....
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
I wonder if OB thinks you are in Peterborough, New Hampshire?
I know exactly where Peterborough is having travelled there on a daily basis for several years.|
| I used to work for APV in Paston and later at Brotherhoods. I also know there was a Snow Finch in DSJ in 90 something because I went to see it just in case. Hang on it may have been DSN:brains: I always got confused with all the Deepings. Whats the one out in the middle of nowhere where the long straight road does a kink and thats about it? Thats where the Snow Finch was.
Edit! It was Deeping St Nicholas, just looked on the map. Theres often Dotterel on passage in the fields just to the North of the A16.
| I used to work for APV in Paston and later at Brotherhoods. I also know there was a Snow Finch in DSJ in 90 something because I went to see it just in case. Hang on it may have been DSN:brains: I always got confused with all the Deepings. Whats the one out in the middle of nowhere where the long straight road does a kink and thats about it? Thats where the Snow Finch was.Edit! It was Deeping St Nicholas, just looked on the map. Theres often Dotterel on passage in the fields just to the North of the A16.
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Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
I know exactly where Peterborough is having travelled there on a daily basis for several years.|
Edit! It was Deeping St Nicholas, just looked on the map. Theres often Dotterel on passage in the fields just to the North of the A16.
Ooh. Will is going to be well gripped. But since he was probably only about 4 at the time, he couldn't have put on his list anyway. Or could he ...
rogerscoth
Well-known member
Will's Dad works (or did, if he is now retired?) for Brotherhoods!
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Brian Stone
A Stone chatting
Snow Finch, hmm...
Couldn't be Snow Bunting could it? As Will said, Snow Finch ain't on the British list.
Couldn't be Snow Bunting could it? As Will said, Snow Finch ain't on the British list.
Periwinkle
Tame Valley Birder
wasn't it a desert finch?
Brian Stone
A Stone chatting
Ah, an escape! What a fuss about nothing!
will bowell
Will the wandering birder
You big boaster
There WAS a Desert Finch as well at some point in the 90's at Nicolas Watt's farm. Obviously an aviary let a few things out in that decade.
So what is your name? My Dad, Ray, does still work at Brotherhoods. Small world, in it?
Will
will bowell
Will the wandering birder
6th January- Glonk!
The day started by stumbling out of some hall or other, after dancing with some nice Polish lass's and drinking lots of cheap booze. Don't you just love work's Crimbo parties? Okay, I know it's not Christmas now, but we were so flipping busy at Christmas that we didn't have the time nor the energy to have one then, so had one last night. Shall not say anymore, in case my boss ever finds this....
Went to sleep for a few hours or five and woke up. Woke my Dad up and told him we were going birding (at 6.15am) and that we were taking Helen. He swore at my appalling memory and the fact I hadn't told him until then, but got ready anyway.
Picked Helen up and then immigrated to Woodwalton Fen, managed to stay on the icy, bumpy roads. It was actually fairly quiet on the reserve but beautiful nevertheless. Ice covered nearly everywhere and as the sun rose, everywhere shone white, apart from the reeds which shone gold. Great colours!
The elite we were after was of course Bittern, which we failed on. Did manage to bag a few needed year ticks though, just common stuff mind.
With everything going numb, we headed back to the car and went off in search of the next elite- an Iceland Gull found by Kev Du Rose yesterday. Tanholt Gravel Pits over looks Eye Tip, so we called in there first and with no white wings gleaming on the new pit, we took on the mammoth task of searching the field next door.
This has lots of dips and ponds in it, where gulls just disappear, so you can only see a small percentage but that's still a lot of gulls. So not only you can't see all of them, but there are still so many you can see, that it's like looking for a needle in a haystack, if you follow....
After doing the new pit and seeing nothing exciting, other than lots of ordinary gulls, our enthusiasm dropped somewhat. Within a few minutes I picked up a head of a Glaucous Gull. Helen went to look but it was gone- panic set in but thankfully the birds were flying towards us. Fortunately I picked it up again but Dad and Helen didn't! Gagggggggh! Quickly ran back to the new pit to find it had landed there- phew!
We watched it for half an hour before it decided to fly off. So we headed off to meet Kevin 'Pinky' Du Rose at Dogsthorpe Tip. I accidentally ended up holding Helen's new pink scope when we was climbing over a gate. I nearly had a panic attack when I realised I was demolishing my street cred ten fold. Thankfully, she took it off me just in time.
There was nothing to see on Dogsthorpe Tip so, off we went to Newborough Fen, where a Merlin was the highlight, actively hunting something (as that is the only way to hunt I would imagine) but no Grey Farts. Whilst watching the Merlin my day was spoilt somewhat by the news of a certain Sparrow in north Norfolk- don't know when on earth I'm going to get for that! Why on earth did I decide to do this local birding thing?!?!?
Anyways, cos we are kind, we then took Helen to Deeping Lakes to let her see the White-fronted Geese. Despite the despondent and crippled Doctor not being able to locate them, we found them hiding for him, much to his joy.
I suddenly realised I had been hungry all day so it was time for lunch, we dropped Helen off at her's and headed home.
The last half hour of the day was spent with Kev Du Rose looking for Barn and Short-eared Owls to photograph. Found a cracking spot but the Barn Owls seem to need to get used to us before we get the results....
Attached a couple of shots of the Glaucous Gull for your enjoyment.
The day started by stumbling out of some hall or other, after dancing with some nice Polish lass's and drinking lots of cheap booze. Don't you just love work's Crimbo parties? Okay, I know it's not Christmas now, but we were so flipping busy at Christmas that we didn't have the time nor the energy to have one then, so had one last night. Shall not say anymore, in case my boss ever finds this....
Went to sleep for a few hours or five and woke up. Woke my Dad up and told him we were going birding (at 6.15am) and that we were taking Helen. He swore at my appalling memory and the fact I hadn't told him until then, but got ready anyway.
Picked Helen up and then immigrated to Woodwalton Fen, managed to stay on the icy, bumpy roads. It was actually fairly quiet on the reserve but beautiful nevertheless. Ice covered nearly everywhere and as the sun rose, everywhere shone white, apart from the reeds which shone gold. Great colours!
The elite we were after was of course Bittern, which we failed on. Did manage to bag a few needed year ticks though, just common stuff mind.
With everything going numb, we headed back to the car and went off in search of the next elite- an Iceland Gull found by Kev Du Rose yesterday. Tanholt Gravel Pits over looks Eye Tip, so we called in there first and with no white wings gleaming on the new pit, we took on the mammoth task of searching the field next door.
This has lots of dips and ponds in it, where gulls just disappear, so you can only see a small percentage but that's still a lot of gulls. So not only you can't see all of them, but there are still so many you can see, that it's like looking for a needle in a haystack, if you follow....
After doing the new pit and seeing nothing exciting, other than lots of ordinary gulls, our enthusiasm dropped somewhat. Within a few minutes I picked up a head of a Glaucous Gull. Helen went to look but it was gone- panic set in but thankfully the birds were flying towards us. Fortunately I picked it up again but Dad and Helen didn't! Gagggggggh! Quickly ran back to the new pit to find it had landed there- phew!
We watched it for half an hour before it decided to fly off. So we headed off to meet Kevin 'Pinky' Du Rose at Dogsthorpe Tip. I accidentally ended up holding Helen's new pink scope when we was climbing over a gate. I nearly had a panic attack when I realised I was demolishing my street cred ten fold. Thankfully, she took it off me just in time.
There was nothing to see on Dogsthorpe Tip so, off we went to Newborough Fen, where a Merlin was the highlight, actively hunting something (as that is the only way to hunt I would imagine) but no Grey Farts. Whilst watching the Merlin my day was spoilt somewhat by the news of a certain Sparrow in north Norfolk- don't know when on earth I'm going to get for that! Why on earth did I decide to do this local birding thing?!?!?
Anyways, cos we are kind, we then took Helen to Deeping Lakes to let her see the White-fronted Geese. Despite the despondent and crippled Doctor not being able to locate them, we found them hiding for him, much to his joy.
I suddenly realised I had been hungry all day so it was time for lunch, we dropped Helen off at her's and headed home.
The last half hour of the day was spent with Kev Du Rose looking for Barn and Short-eared Owls to photograph. Found a cracking spot but the Barn Owls seem to need to get used to us before we get the results....
Attached a couple of shots of the Glaucous Gull for your enjoyment.
Attachments
will bowell
Will the wandering birder
Probably- as you can see from one of my photos, it got seen off by a weedy Herring Gull! Whimp!
Will
markgrubb
Leading a life of quiet desperation
Congratulations Will. I think you've just managed to get out of writing up the official Spain trip report
Congatulations, Andrew. I think you've just got out of being the official Spain trip photographer
Congatulations, Andrew. I think you've just got out of being the official Spain trip photographer
Didn't I get out of that ages ago? So is that your job (heaven help us)?
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
I see what is going on here. Between you, you men are going to disqualify yourself from doing any of the jobs and I will end up doing them all. If you want a slave, hire one.
I see what is going on here. Between you, you men are going to disqualify yourself from doing any of the jobs and I will end up doing them all. If you want a slave, hire one.
How much would it cost, just out of interest
?
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
How much would it cost, just out of interest
I cannot say as, not being bone idle, I have no particular experience of slave hire.
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