Life versus Birding - place your bets here (1 Viewer)

[Jos Stratford]

Where is Jos at the moment then?

Strangely enough in eastern Europe according to its exacting definitions.

 

[Peter C.]

Please send exact directions while I warm up my private jet.

You are in luck! (See attached).

Cheers.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

You are in luck! (See attached).

Cheers.

Thank you. How delighted Jos will be to see that there is an airport named specially for him. For his unprecedented support to the air industry, no doubt.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

I had a little wander round Ferry Meadows today in my lunch hour in the hope of an early Sand Martin or Chiffchaff but no luck. Spent 5 minutes watching a Chaffinch singing its little cotton socks off instead. Any summer birdies cropping up in your neck of the woods?

 

[halftwo]

Oh, yes HE2. See my latest.
Also (Jos) had my first butterflies of the year today (two Torts.)

 

[parttimer]

Small number's of Sand Martins turning up around the North Devon And North Cornwall coast over the past couple of weeks.
I did have a day out yesterday hoping for a migrant or two and turned up squat but it was a fantastic day to be out.
Doesn't really help you though.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Small number's of Sand Martins turning up around the North Devon And North Cornwall coast over the past couple of weeks.
I did have a day out yesterday hoping for a migrant or two and turned up squat but it was a fantastic day to be out.
Doesn't really help you though.

Hopefully they'll be headed this way.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Wish me luck

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Wish me luck

Hmm, I'm trying to figure out what 'Gone Hawking' means. Does it mean you now ride around in a wheelchair and speak through a computer?

 

[edenwatcher]

Hmm, I'm trying to figure out what 'Gone Hawking' means. Does it mean you now ride around in a wheelchair and speak through a computer?

ROFLMAO

Rob

 

[halftwo]

Obviously the economic crunch has meant HE2 has lost the job & now is doing door-to-door sales.

Tupperware anyone?

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Hmm, I'm trying to figure out what 'Gone Hawking' means. Does it mean you now ride around in a wheelchair and speak through a computer?

Yes. And can you imagine how hard it was getting down those rough tracks at Olly's farm in a wheelchair? It was a blooming struggle, I'll tell you.

But very, very worth it. Despite the misty cloud and the heavy artillery, I got gorgeous views of a big, fat Gos - flying and then landing in a tree on the horizon. First time I've seen one perched - big bruisers, ain't they?

125. Goshawk

And a pair of spritely larks - very close and giving great views perched and in flight.

126. Woodlark

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Obviously the economic crunch has meant HE2 has lost the job & now is doing door-to-door sales.

Tupperware anyone?

At least do me the credit of imagining me doing door-to-door Ann Summers. Tupperware, I ask you.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Life and birding had a pleasantly compatible weekend.

Saturday
Got the chores out of the way and went for a walk with the man around Ferry Meadows in the sunnershine. Oo, it were luvverly. It made me come over all cockney for some reason. But I'm over it now.

We were standing on a bridge looking upstream at the sparkling water when I said to him (the aforementioned man) - 'I bet there's a kingfisher here somewhere'. And lo and behold, like magic there one was. Flushed with my success I said 'And I bet there's a rare Eastern Thrush in one of those bushes'. But, sadly, twas not to be. No cage doors open in Kettering on Saturday.

We saw another Kingfisher though - skittering over the surface of Gunwade Lake, flashing fluorescent blue.

And then on the way back to the gym (for that was to be our next stop - oh how buff I am getting (not) ), we stopped again on the same bridge and saw not a Kingfisher but heard a:

127. Chiffchaff

Yay, my first warbler of summer. (Unless the little blighter was one of those overwinterers but let's pretend not.)

Sunday
I had considered an early jaunt before the kids were up but I've had a bit of a sore throat, your honour, and although I got up at 6 for a wee, the bed was so appealing that I just got back in again.

I got reawoken a couple of hours later by tea, croissants, smoothie, fresh fruit salad and even a cream cake for afters. Bless her big cotton socks (she's 3 inches taller than me these days). And I got 2 lovely cards - one homemade, some chocolate, a My Little Pony, a painting from my daughter's fair hands and a beautiful bracelet that Euan bought me from the school Bring and Buy sale (special use of the word 'beautiful' here ).

And then they both came happily to Norfolk with me for the day and accompanied me pleasantly round Titchwell, Brancaster and Thornham without complaining or even fighting much. Hard to believe, I know. But true. And gave me these 4:

128. Cetti's Warbler
129. Spotted Redshank
130. Gannet
131. Common Scoter

So as a special delighted mummy reward, I took them to the chip shop in Hunstanton and bought them not only a sausage supper but also a Deep-Fried Mars Bar. If there'd been 'sos' on the chips I'd have thought I was back in the old country.

Although it has to be said, that I have never actually encountered a Deep-Fried Mars Bar before. Either in the old country or the current one. Rather nice is my report. But best saved for special occasions - especially if you're prone to gather a few extra pounds on the hips.

 

[Peter C.]

Sounds like a blissful weekend, HE2 - well right up to the deep-fried Mars bar, anyway. :h?:

(Wish I'd been able to find a Cetti's when I was over there...)

Peter C.

(Deep-fried Snickers, well, now, that might be something worth sacrificing one's teeth/waist/health for...)

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Sounds like a blissful weekend, HE2 - well right up to the deep-fried Mars bar, anyway. :h?:

(Wish I'd been able to find a Cetti's when I was over there...)

Peter C.

(Deep-fried Snickers, well, now, that might be something worth sacrificing one's teeth/waist/health for...)

It was very lovely indeed. And the sun is still shining this morning. Surely it can't last much longer.

 

[halftwo]

(Not so) fresh on the heels of my Tupperware jibe (& yes, all-too easy to imagine you doing Ann Summers, HE2!), gotta say...

My Little Pony

?!?

Hope you don't come to regret the "Kettering Cage"-Gate remark!

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

(Not so) fresh on the heels of my Tupperware jibe (& yes, all-too easy to imagine you doing Ann Summers, HE2!), gotta say...

My Little Pony

?!?

Hope you don't come to regret the "Kettering Cage"-Gate remark!

It's pretty and cheaper than a handbag.

I was, of course, joking about cages in Kettering. Although I've stopped following that thread now I hadn't seen much in the way of evidence to support the escape theory.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Not a drop of birding this weekend. Not one single drop. I did however eat the best meal I've had in my life. Is there a haute cuisine thread somewhere?

p.s I say no birding but I did count not 1 but 7 Red Kites close to the A43 on Saturday afternoon. 2 dancing pairs. (And there was a pair displaying their little cotton socks off over the town centre of Peterborough last Thursday).

 

[dantheman]

Not a drop of birding this weekend. Not one single drop. I did however eat the best meal I've had in my life. Is there a haute cuisine thread somewhere?

p.s I say no birding but I did count not 1 but 7 Red Kites close to the A43 on Saturday afternoon. 2 dancing pairs. (And there was a pair displaying their little cotton socks off over the town centre of Peterborough last Thursday).

There's always 'The Restaurant' thread waiting somewhere in the wings to be resurrected..... :eek!:

And never knew Red Kites wore cotton socks.... Learn something new every day! Will have to look out for them next time... (Seen a couple of Booted and Short-toed Eagles recently, but everyone knows about their footwear of course.)