SimonC
Still listing - I'll capsize one day
First I ought to explain the rather vague title of this thread.
Some of you may have noticed I've been conspicuous by my absence of late? Well, I've been having a few "life moments" (as Darren might put it) recently. Nearly five weeks ago, on the 20th of February, my wife gave birth to a son, three months prematurely. This was, as you can probably guess, a huge shock to both of us but, in short, he is doing extremely well at the moment and it looks like he's going to be out of hospital fairly soon (a lot sooner than we prepared ourselves for originally!)
So, as our lives have started to recover and turn a corner again, Yesterday I thought I might allow myself an hour or two out of the schedule of hospital visits to get a spot of birding done on my local patch.
Not really expecting much this early in the season, but glad to be out in the fresh air again I set off round the site (an old disused landfill site alongside the A1M)
First thing that struck me was the sheer number of Skylarks exploding from the tussocks of grass and singing there heads off! That's one sound that has got to be high on even non-birders lists of things that signal spring has definitely begun?
With my spirits definitely lifted now I carried on along the path until a small bird flew across showing a huge white bum. Not a Wheatear inland this early surely? It was though, and he wasn't alone! I stood and watched these two splendid specimens, almost 'drinking' in the apricot of the throat and flanks, the smart black mask and the blue of their heads and backs (i don't think there's many more birds more handsome than a fresh spring male N. Wheatear are there?)
After tearing myself away from these two, the next group of birds was a remnant of the wintering flock of Meadow Pipits, still around 20 of them, creeping along like mice, almost invisible (in fact i only appreciated just how many were in front of me when a sparrowhawk spooked them and they all got up together!)
Time was getting on now and I needed to be back at work, so I started making my way back to the car, feeling glad that I forced myself to have some 'time out' as i felt a lot better for it. The last bird to make an appearance was my old friend, the wintering Male Stonechat that's been there since at least December, only he appears to have found a mate now! I shall be keeping an eye on these two as a record of breeding at this site would most likely be noteworthy.
All in all, a good day for me. Maybe not spectacular in a rarity chasing sense, but proof that simple things can lift the spirits and give you an inner strength with which to cope with whatever life throws your way.
(pass the sick bucket someone
)
Some of you may have noticed I've been conspicuous by my absence of late? Well, I've been having a few "life moments" (as Darren might put it) recently. Nearly five weeks ago, on the 20th of February, my wife gave birth to a son, three months prematurely. This was, as you can probably guess, a huge shock to both of us but, in short, he is doing extremely well at the moment and it looks like he's going to be out of hospital fairly soon (a lot sooner than we prepared ourselves for originally!)
So, as our lives have started to recover and turn a corner again, Yesterday I thought I might allow myself an hour or two out of the schedule of hospital visits to get a spot of birding done on my local patch.
Not really expecting much this early in the season, but glad to be out in the fresh air again I set off round the site (an old disused landfill site alongside the A1M)
First thing that struck me was the sheer number of Skylarks exploding from the tussocks of grass and singing there heads off! That's one sound that has got to be high on even non-birders lists of things that signal spring has definitely begun?
With my spirits definitely lifted now I carried on along the path until a small bird flew across showing a huge white bum. Not a Wheatear inland this early surely? It was though, and he wasn't alone! I stood and watched these two splendid specimens, almost 'drinking' in the apricot of the throat and flanks, the smart black mask and the blue of their heads and backs (i don't think there's many more birds more handsome than a fresh spring male N. Wheatear are there?)
After tearing myself away from these two, the next group of birds was a remnant of the wintering flock of Meadow Pipits, still around 20 of them, creeping along like mice, almost invisible (in fact i only appreciated just how many were in front of me when a sparrowhawk spooked them and they all got up together!)
Time was getting on now and I needed to be back at work, so I started making my way back to the car, feeling glad that I forced myself to have some 'time out' as i felt a lot better for it. The last bird to make an appearance was my old friend, the wintering Male Stonechat that's been there since at least December, only he appears to have found a mate now! I shall be keeping an eye on these two as a record of breeding at this site would most likely be noteworthy.
All in all, a good day for me. Maybe not spectacular in a rarity chasing sense, but proof that simple things can lift the spirits and give you an inner strength with which to cope with whatever life throws your way.
(pass the sick bucket someone
)
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