Well, long time no see.
I have struggled to get blog motivated in recent weeks, despite some lovely days and a few off work too. I'm not sure what the problem is, but please bear with me. Maybe its because I'm not seeing a great deal, enough to keep me happy, but not many photos or exciting migrants for readers.
Its great just pottering around looking at whatever appears. I'm enjoying it so much, milling about my patch in a zen like state, that I have taken a big step. The pager is on its way out. Contract terminated and after 13 years it will be returned at the end of May. I hope the new bird club info emails will keep me up to date with new county birds!
What have I been seeing? A few butterflies locally with Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks and my first Small White of the year in the garden on Monday. A Bee Fly evaded the camera as it patrolled our plant pots outside on the same day.
Its nesting time in the garden and locale. A Blackbird has eggs in the ivy on our wall, a Wren is building a 'cock-nest' in an old Swallow's in the outhouse while not three feet away a Robin is filling up a nook with leaves. A pair of Grey Partridges are prospecting along the edge of the field next to our drive too, but I dont suppose I'll find that one.
The moth trapping is coming along fine with last nights highlight being a Pale Pinion, only my fourth. While checking the moths in the morning, some migration has taken place overhead with 5 Lesser Redpolls, 8+ Meadow Pipits and 30+ Linnets this week. A Fieldfare was heard chakking in the fog the other day but remained unseen. I wondered if it was a Ring Ouzel briefly...
Brown Hares have been showing well with three in the back field the other night and, tonight, a bull Grey Seal was loafing offshore.
Further afield, on my way home from work last night a pair of Short eared Owls were squabbling over the road next to Boulmer radar base. they were only feet above the car so I stopped and watched for a while.
I'm sure a Wheatear is just around the corner...
5 comments:
Stewart, sometimes it's good to question what we do and then ring the changes. it can be quite liberating... I seem to do this more often than is healthy!
Haven't looked back since ditching my pager c10yrs ago - I've just missed loads of megas .... takes a while to comfortably tell yourself 'it's just a bird'!
Thats the same corner my Wheatear must be just around then Stewart!
Steve - Yes I think so...
Mark - I 'go' for about 2 birds a year and they are local. I would hear about them elsewhere, so...
Warren - you'll get one in the next week I'm sure...
Thanks for the comments chaps.
At last !!
I hope you feel free now you have been liberated from the clutches of that evil pager.... I certainly did, never looked back tbh....
But.... Imagine if a sibe blue robin turned up on Holy Island while you were out birding around Howick blissfully unaware !!
DON'T PANIC !! There are much cheaper alternatives to getting the news that really matters, so you don't feel completely cut off from it all.
I'm sure your mates would call you too, well if they weren't all in headless chicken mode driving to Holy Island !!
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