Return of a Wet Birder! (2 Viewers)

[Gill Osborne]

I found a copy of that book *Biographies For birdwatchers* on Abe and....let's just say I'll keep looking :-O It'll turn up somewhere a LOT cheaper when I'm least expecting it :t:

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/S...rtby=3&sts=t&tn=Biographies+For+Bird+Watchers

 

[brianfm]

I found a copy of that book *Biographies For birdwatchers* on Abe and....let's just say I'll keep looking :-O It'll turn up somewhere a LOT cheaper when I'm least expecting it :t:

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/S...rtby=3&sts=t&tn=Biographies+For+Bird+Watchers

You can have mine for a fiver less Gill! Although perhaps not as I think it is one of those books that will go on gaining in value. I could be rich by the time I hit middle age! Tis a good book to read on a train journey!

 

[bill moss]

Hi Brian and Gill

I have to say that I'm astounded by the prices being asked for 'that' book, I'd never bothered to look of course.

Gill, there are some other places asking a lot more!

I'm now starting to wonder whether I've got any more hidden treasure in my collection. Shall have to spend a little while checking.

Bill

 

[Gill Osborne]

I've got a few treasures in my own book collection - my favourite being a first edition copy of Charles Tunnicliffe's 'Mereside Chronicles' which still has the original dust wrapper on. I picked it up in October 2007 from Oxfam in Newcastle for just £6.99 :eek!: When I first saw it I thought ''Oooh this is going to be expensive'' so when I saw what they were asking I just hugged it to me in glee :-O And then strolled all casual down to the checkout Neil knew I had something good because I was ''grinning like a Cheshire Cat!'' o

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/S...&bt.y=7&sortby=3&sts=t&tn=Mereside+Chronicles

 

[brianfm]

I have often been told books are not a good investment, often by people who don' like to read! lol I guess in a monetary sense they are on the whole correct, but there are some books out there where the value increases. Like most things the rarer they are, often the more money they can fetch. To be honest I go for books I enjoy and are informative. As we book lovers know there is more to a good book than cash value. Do you not want my book with a fiver off then Gill?!!!:-O

 

[Peewit]

Hi Brian

Just to say I love your reports on this thread, and I have not forgotten about you.

Will reply more fully shortly o

 

[brianfm]

Hi Brian

Just to say I love your reports on this thread, and I have not forgotten about you.

Will reply more fully shortly o

Cheers Kathy, much appreciated. I will have to get out birding or people will begin to think this is a book thread.

I went across to the city this evening for the group AGM and witnessed one of the most beautiful skies I have seen in a long time. Wish I could have cancelled the AGM and gone home for the camera, but I would have missed my tea in town! The colours were wonderful and the sky on fire.

 

[Peewit]

Cheers Kathy, much appreciated. I will have to get out birding or people will begin to think this is a book thread.

I went across to the city this evening for the group AGM and witnessed one of the most beautiful skies I have seen in a long time. Wish I could have cancelled the AGM and gone home for the camera, but I would have missed my tea in town! The colours were wonderful and the sky on fire.

Hi Brian

No worries about the new look book thread. Great to share all information that is around.

Would love to have seem your sunset, but there are lots of other sunsets to see yet! :-O
You cannot miss your tea! :-C :t:

 

[Peewit]

Hi Brian

Your reports are fabulous, and I felt myself getting lost in them like they are an interesting story in a good book.

First your Holy Island report. That trip sounds really popular indeed. To leave people behind. You know it would be a great disappointment to them, but people take risks and sometimes it pays off too, other time not.
To see Divers is fabulous in itself, and they are one of my favourite birds that I have had the joy of seeing once in Bedford for myself. The way they hold the posture of their head gives it away.
Love your rainbow(s) picture, and you never know a pot of gold might have been sitting on the end waiting as a good wish for future birding.
Glad that the person found her stick and the leak was fixed. A great listing of birds to behold too. I am looking forward to hearing more in the next 2 weeks or so.

Your trip to the Cumbrian Coast sounded another good one for birding. Your accompanying picture shows how beautiful the area is. The BoP's and the Bullfinch what a nice find for you. Was it a male or female Bullfinch?
Yes, childhood memories are all important to us all. Landmarks present and mean so much to many of us. There is always that lump in your throat as you ponder through your own thoughts of yesteryear. o
Lovely report once more.

A lovely trip to Potteric Carr by the way. Another superb listing of all manner of birds. The rarities are an extra treat and so many birders would love to have them as an addition to their listing too!
Wow to see a Velvet Scotor (let alone a Common Scotor) was a great find. You are lucky to bump into the crowd of twitchers as you did - and they had a rare bird in their sights at that moment too. That is what I call being in the right place at the right time. :t:
I know what you mean about dog Walkers. I think as you do and people just do not know how to manage their dogs at all. To have a set of Bins around your neck and a noisy dog just do not go together.
I have seen the bags of dog poop tied to branches of trees in my small local Reserve close to my home too. So disgusting, as there are containers for that kind of thing everywhere now.
For you to climb over a wall in connection with Cemeteries or a crematorium in semi darkness! Still it is not to everyones taste. Spooky!!!
60 species is not bad going at all. A good days listing for you!
Love your pictures too, the last one is very atmospheric. The walk in the wood looks so inviting.

Great reports and love to hear more about your trips anyday Brian. Look forward to reading the next one. :t:

 

[brianfm]

Holy Island is indeed a wonderful area Kathy, especially in good weather. Three years ago I was there and got drenched and than it is not quite to wonderful!

The Bullfinch was a male. One of our more beautiful birds and one that can match many from mor exotic places.

I would not want anyone to think I don't like dogs! I think they are great and I am on first name terms with one or two and you may remember Scott. He will confirm I occasionally txt his dog and my mate Maxi! Tis thoughtless owners I have no time for and sadly I come across them all of the time. Such as owners who allowed there dog to jump all over you in the street and smile and say oh don't worry he/she won't bite you. Those who leave there bags tied to trees are to my mind just inconsiderate filths.:-(

Never mind I'm in a good mood today. lol

 

[Peewit]

Holy Island is indeed a wonderful area Kathy, especially in good weather. Three years ago I was there and got drenched and than it is not quite to wonderful!

The Bullfinch was a male. One of our more beautiful birds and one that can match many from mor exotic places.

I would not want anyone to think I don't like dogs! I think they are great and I am on first name terms with one or two and you may remember Scott. He will confirm I occasionally txt his dog and my mate Maxi! Tis thoughtless owners I have no time for and sadly I come across them all of the time. Such as owners who allowed there dog to jump all over you in the street and smile and say oh don't worry he/she won't bite you. Those who leave there bags tied to trees are to my mind just inconsiderate filths.:-(

Never mind I'm in a good mood today. lol

hi Brian

Holy Island sounds a great place to visit and will be one of many on our list of 'to do's' and 'to visit'

My OH has seen a male Bullfinch and he is so lucky like yourself top have seen one. This was in Stirling , Scotland.

I am like you, and I love dogs, but I prefer ones who listen to their owners commands. Friendly dogs are adorable.
Over the past two days, i have visited my 'little' local patch (not been for ages until now) and it tells you on the 'placard' as you enter the wood itself - to keep your dogs on a lead, and under control.
Two times this week I have seen dogs going 'mental' running and barking through the woodland. (did not go out today as i had the Gas man coming to do a repair)

To me this area is there to be enjoyed by everyone, and not turned into a large dog toilet. Yes, and there bags dotted about on branches. Yuk!!
How can people be so 'gross'. If it was an empty tin of baked beans they would throw the tin away in the bin - why not put the dog poo in the special bins provided. Grumble over.

Anyway Brian, I guess it takes all sorts to make the world. Some people do not think that what they do is not always appreciated by others. :eek!:

More to the point you enjoyed your walks, and your bird watching and that is the main thing. :-O:t::t:

How is Scott these days?

 

[brianfm]

A short walk today actually brought some botanical interest of sorts with Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea Yarrow Achillea millefolium and the remains of some Ribwort Plantain Plantago lanceaolata. My interest had been enlivened by a very interesting presentation concerning botanical matter on Tuesday evening at the local group AGM. All about the local Country Park which had been an ancient wetland and more recently a coal mining area. In fact George Stephenson had tested out some of his locomotives there and the rails had led to the worldwide use of that same gauge system. Who says Country Parks aren’t interesting? It made me look forward to spring! I shall also now be on the look out for fungi and lichens. ;-) I am hoping Dave the ‘flower man’ as I tend to call him, he’s actually a very highly qualified ecologist, will be leading a walk at our group celebrations in June.

Anyway, the lake now has 19 Goosanders on it. I noticed the males have now joined the females. I could only spot 1 Goldeneye, a male bird. There are now 10 Canada Geese over wintering and unusually there was a flotilla of 10 Cormorants on the lake. I say unusual as I usually only see single birds or ay most 2 or 3. There were a few Common Gulls amongst the Black Headed Gulls. I didn’t find a single Pochard today! I’m not sure where these wintering birds have gone.

The excitement of the day was watching a small boy feeding the birds. It was like something out of the Hitchcock movie. The lad was terrified and it all ended in tears.

Grey threatening cloud soon covered what had been a blue sky when I started my walk. Never the less there was still a decent sunset, but not such an extensive one that I had missed photographing on the evening of the AGM.

Photos. I don't 'do' birds normally so don't anyone be thinking I have changed my style.

 

[Pam_m]

A lovely read of your short walk, Brian! I bet the Botanical presentation was good and good that it inspired you! I am also looking forward to Spring, always an exciting time with Flora and Fauna.
A nice selection of birds on the water. Interesting what you say about the Cormorant numbers, I know at Upton Warren these last few weeks it is not unusual to count at least 10+ Cormorants!

Now the photo's...you must 'do' birds more often, your photo's of them and the super sunset are brill!:t:

PS: I hope the young lad was ok after his upset. Was it the sudden flight of birds that scared him? Poor lad.

 

[Peewit]

I enjoyed reading your report Brian :t:

Your pictures are super to see, and the one of the sunset is stunning.

You enjoyed your birds and that is the main thing. Nature in all its glory goes together. If you like one thing you like all closely related things.

Poor young boy. Hope he got over his fright! :-C

 

[brianfm]

A lovely read of your short walk, Brian! I bet the Botanical presentation was good and good that it inspired you! I am also looking forward to Spring, always an exciting time with Flora and Fauna.
A nice selection of birds on the water. Interesting what you say about the Cormorant numbers, I know at Upton Warren these last few weeks it is not unusual to count at least 10+ Cormorants!

Now the photo's...you must 'do' birds more often, your photo's of them and the super sunset are brill!:t:

PS: I hope the young lad was ok after his upset. Was it the sudden flight of birds that scared him? Poor lad.

Yes. I suppose when you're 1 foot high, having a flock of gulls flying round your lugs and Swans eyeing you up must be pretty daunting! I though it best not to take a photo of the event.o Anyway lets hope it doesn't put him off birding.

It was amazing how quickly the weather changed this evening. A dog walker, a decent one, walked past as I was taking photo no 2 and said 'isn't it a wonderful day. I passed him again 10 minutes later and the sky was just a mass of dark cloud. The weather is taking a down hill path tonight I believe and snow is on the way.

 

[brianfm]

I enjoyed reading your report Brian :t:

Your pictures are super to see, and the one of the sunset is stunning.

You enjoyed your birds and that is the main thing. Nature in all its glory goes together. If you like one thing you like all closely related things.

Poor young boy. Hope he got over his fright! :-C

Yes I'm fine Kathy thanks!

Sorry I was typing at the same time.

btw Scott is fine.

 

[brianfm]

22nd Nov. I can confirm that there were no brass monkeys out on my patch today. There were bright skies, but it was bitter cold and a thin layer of snow lay in patches on the ground. The thick blanket of cloud which had lain along the east coast yesterday had brought snow as expected. I decided to have a walk before kick off at 3.00pm as this type of weather often brings winter thrushes onto the patch and it was I felt a good idea to clear the head before the goals against tally mounted at Chelsea later in the afternoon.

One of the first birds seen was a new one for the patch. A Common Buzzard was seen above the trees being noisily mobbed by gulls and corvids. It had been the noise that alerted me. I have seen Common Buzzards just a short distance from the patch but never on it, or more precisely in this case, over it. Another unusual sighting was a lone Chiffchaff on the area I watch them in spring and summer. This is the first I have seen in winter on the patch.

I’d had a good start but there was nothing else of notes about. I’d stayed clear of the lake and walked east of it because of the cold. Other birds seen were as follows; Cormorant, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Starling, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.

Another day of good skies and a few photos taken on the patch.

Disaster averted. Magpies drew 0-0 with Chelsea.

 

[Peewit]

hi Brian

Lovely report once more and I love your pictures too.

The last picture gives the feeling that there is a chill in the air. :eek!:

You have a great selection of birds too. Chiffchaff now that is saying something! :-O

 

[Kits]

Fantastic cloud formations, Brian.

 

[brianfm]

Fantastic cloud formations, Brian.

Thanks Kits. There have been some fantastic skies and cloud formations this month. I wasn't out and about with the camera yesterday, but had I been, photo one and two would have been very different with a thick wall of cloud stretching down the coast line.

Kathy...I will have to check out the signifigance of the Chiffchaff although at this time of year I reckon it to be quite a rarity on my patch although I am aware that some birds over winter in the UK.