Wes Hobarth
Registered User
Woke up to a drab welcome through the window. Slate grey skies over the right Royal County of Berkshire (UK) on a gloomy Sunday. But there was BTO (Brit Trust for Ornithology) business to be done, so instead of slackening the sinews and quieting down the blood, I abluted and got on my way. Two tetrads to be surveyed for Woodcock, no sorry that was the year before at least. I meant Woodlark. Wake up Wes! Berks may not be as cold as Lithie, but neither is it as warm as old Jos’s heart. The dampness in the Thames Valley has a penetrating rawness that sucks the marrow from your bones, like nowhere else on Earth.
First square is some local woodland, scruffy and unkempt, with a bit farmland and heavy urbanisation. Apart from Woodlark we are also after a few other target species, such Whinchat, Tree Pipit and Redstart. Not a one. Best was a field full of Fieldfares. I gave up trying to count at 84. Dire was yet to not come to my assistance (has anyone else met him).
So back home to fill a flask with soup and off again. The wretched sky is lowering even further. I thought the bad weather from the States wasn’t supposed to be that close yet. A thirty mile drive and getting out of the Car it starts to drizzle with the wind is rising. Set off, this Tetrad is set in decent Woodland on a Private Estate. Then the Skies open. Carry on. Usually this place is full of decent woodland Birds, but today not even a Blue Tit. Bedraglled I sit in the Car and let it Steam up while supping the Tomato and Rosemary soup.
On the return journey, stop off at one of these overly vast Retail Parks, need an electrical connector. I notice while searching for a parking space people with Scopes blocking most of the empty ones. Finally park and ask what’s about. Kind Gent points out a Laughing Gull atop a Lampost. Fortunately Dire must have been speaking to mi inner ear as I had grabbed the Bins from the boot of the Car, before asking. Great Views in the rain. A County and County tick for me. Sheer Chance. Lots of Local Boys have been chasing this individual around for the past few weeks.
Didn’t get my connector though….
Just waiting for the fan oven to crackle my pork, off to make the Apple sauce.
The Roast spuds I do in Goose Fat with some Cloves of Garlic thrown in. Wonderful end to a mixed day.
Wes
First square is some local woodland, scruffy and unkempt, with a bit farmland and heavy urbanisation. Apart from Woodlark we are also after a few other target species, such Whinchat, Tree Pipit and Redstart. Not a one. Best was a field full of Fieldfares. I gave up trying to count at 84. Dire was yet to not come to my assistance (has anyone else met him).
So back home to fill a flask with soup and off again. The wretched sky is lowering even further. I thought the bad weather from the States wasn’t supposed to be that close yet. A thirty mile drive and getting out of the Car it starts to drizzle with the wind is rising. Set off, this Tetrad is set in decent Woodland on a Private Estate. Then the Skies open. Carry on. Usually this place is full of decent woodland Birds, but today not even a Blue Tit. Bedraglled I sit in the Car and let it Steam up while supping the Tomato and Rosemary soup.
On the return journey, stop off at one of these overly vast Retail Parks, need an electrical connector. I notice while searching for a parking space people with Scopes blocking most of the empty ones. Finally park and ask what’s about. Kind Gent points out a Laughing Gull atop a Lampost. Fortunately Dire must have been speaking to mi inner ear as I had grabbed the Bins from the boot of the Car, before asking. Great Views in the rain. A County and County tick for me. Sheer Chance. Lots of Local Boys have been chasing this individual around for the past few weeks.
Didn’t get my connector though….
Just waiting for the fan oven to crackle my pork, off to make the Apple sauce.
The Roast spuds I do in Goose Fat with some Cloves of Garlic thrown in. Wonderful end to a mixed day.
Wes
