Thanks to everyone who donated to Asthma UK last year.

Happy Christmas and many thanks to the following people who kindly donated to Asthma UK last year.

William Oddie OBE


Andrew Appleton

Avis Cropper

Caroline Dudley

Susan Wilkes

Sarah Jones

Harry Hopkins

Robert Phillips

Trevor Hawkins

Brian Stone

Tony and Beth Gerrard

Jane Outram

Karen Munro

Pauline and Paul Eppy

Bubo bubo

Mark Reeder

John White

Nathan and Jan

Gracefield School

Daphne and Mike

Honor and Ian

Rachel Maynard

Sarah

Tom

David Masser

many thanks to you all,
 
Gary Prescott
 
Bikingbirder2010
 
07988754090

A Wonderful Christmas - thanks to people!

It's started already.

A fabulous weekend with Mum and Dad, going to Arnhem in Holland for them to see Andre Rieu. Saturday.
Great flight over, superb hire car and smooth, empty motorways to get from Amsterdam Airport to Arnhem. [Birds seen on the way included geese and ducks, mostly gadwall, and a few buzzards]. Duiven Hotel, tall, comfortable booked in and tea. Then it was off to the concert for Mum and Dad in a taxi whilst I enjoyed a jacuzzi and Strictly Come Dancing.
Midnight, they arrived back after the taxi driver had shown them around Arnhem for no extra cost; the Christmas lights [yes Mum, I got it - trees covered in white lights!] and the World War 2 bridge; not from the film but the 'actual'.

Sunday. Off back to explore Amsterdam. Beautiful city and one that had never been on my 'must visit' list but it is now. The reputation and colleague's jokes and innuendos had always put me off the place but I was wrong. It was charming! A lovely city with millions of bikes. Anywhere that has a multistorey bike park has got to be doing something right.

Back to Warwick after a flight over London back to Birmingham for Mum and dad to watch Strictly!

Dad was 80 this year and the concert was a birthday present for him and the whole weekend was for me to say thank you to them both for being such fabulous parents.

Speaking of saying thank you for being fabulous. I've spent time writing Christmas cards and sending texts/emails to the people I met last year during my Biking Birder experience. I just wish I had the time to really individualise it and say to each and every one exactly how much they meant to me last year. Also to those people who kindly made a donation on my behalf to Asthma UK, the RSPB and the WWT I'd love to be able to write/email to say thank you. I can't see how to do that though. Thanks everyone for making it the best year of my life.

Next year?

Well building the best Design & Technology department is a priority but away from that there'll be the Green Birding Day competition in May to enjoy. [If you want details please email me at gprescott@rigbyhall.worcs.sch.uk], a year's birding with other members of The Clams [Clear Lunacy and Madness Society]; this being the latest incarnation of the T.I.T.S [terpsichorean inpried Twitcher society] from a Big Year back in 2005, birding holidays to Poland and Fair Isle and cycling to my patch, the fabulous Upton Warren.

Have a Great Christmas Everyone!

All my love to you all,

Gary

Long time No Write.... Green Birding and Norfolk.

Sorry about not being on the Blogger scene recently. Pressure of work, family, birding etc.

No excuse I thought I'd summarise recent birding days.

I went to see The Big Year at the multiplex cinema in Rubery last week. I enjoyed it. OK I'd liked to have seen more birds but generally I thought it was fun without the usual 'let's take the **** out of birders and birding' rubbish that we've all seen on TV in the past.
Now how many people do you think were in the cinema with me?
Answer - none. I had it all to myself which made a mockery of my centrally positioned ticket. As a friend texted, i could have moved seat every 5 minutes to change my view. Great, a private showing just for me. No mobiles going off, no hacking cough, no rustled crisp packets. Just me shouting 'go for it' at various times as the quarry was chased down.

Now speaking of Big Years, I went to Cley, Norfolk weekend before last to see the western sandpiper. Din't need it but useful to see another one in Britain. I met two Belgian birders who'd come over from Brussels to see the bird. During our chat they told me of a Belgian gentleman who is attempting to break my record from last year .i.e. the Green Birding Year List record. Seems that this gentleman thinks of it being a European record. In case you don't know what I'm on about, it's the British Green Year list record, previously held by Chris Mills of Norfolk that I broke last year with a final total of 253. So Laurent Raty, so I'm informed is hopefully breaking the 253 number of bird species in his native Belgium. It was fabulous to hear of him year listing in a Green way and I'd love to hear if anyone else is doing the same. Records are meant to be broken and I hope that my record is beaten soon. Get on your bike, walk but be GREEN.

OK, I went to Norfolk by car with 3 great friends; Jason Oliver [Scabby Clam], Steve Allcott [Wham bam Thank You Clam] and Tom [the quiet clam - clammed up for most f the journey there and back]. Brilliant days birding with green-winged teal and rough-legged buzzard seen too.

Went down to Chew valley three weeks ago. Now who would have thought that by swinging your tripod around you could see 4 American waders? Sharp-tailed sandpiper, turn scope rigth 30 degrees, two long-billed dowitchers and keep turning and a spotted sandpiper creeping along the concrete edge. Fabulous stuff. Bewick swans and a very obliging bittern to be seen from the same location added to the avian wonders and a phone call from Chris Craig, the father of the wonderful Mya-Rose Craig to say Hi. Down to Devon to look at the superb desert wheatear and a black redstart so more fabulous birds on a brilliant day.

Away from these pleasures its been amazing at Upton warren to see the Flashes almost without water due to the drought affecting our area. It's emant that work parties could get more islands built for next year's breeding birds but we could do with some persistent rain to get the water levels back to normal.



So, it's Christmas soon and may I take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

Thanks to everyone who helped me last year. This eyar has been very different, what with being back at work but there have been many birding highlights. Jason oliver being back on the scene afetr so many lapsed years being the main one but holidays to Turkey and Greece as well as going birding to Scotland with my recently joined the RSPB daughter Rebecca were other highs.

All the very best everyone,

Gary

gprescott@rigbyhall.worcs.sch.uk

07988754090

Environmental Concerns

Hi again,

Long time no blog but have been busy at work. Yes, work. After last year's sojourn it has been a huge shock to be back at the chalkface teaching a subject I've never tackled before - Design and technology to all ages 6 to 18!

Right, I'll be placing some highlights of birding this year on here soon. Holidays in Turkey at Easter and Greece in the summer, as well as a couple of twitching trips - dipped the 'robin' but saw the 'dove'; if you catch my drift.

Right, just a quickie before lunch.

Found this on the 'net - and bottled water is more environmentally unfriendly than I thought :-


Tap Water Is Cleaner Than Bottled Water (And Other Shocking Facts)


by Beth Buczynski


September 29, 2011


Today, as I stood in line at the grocery store, watching the woman in front of me haul a huge case of bottled water up to the conveyor belt, I felt that familiar twinge…a combination of frustration and confusion.






All I could think about was those 24 unnecessary bottles ending up in the landfill. And the unnecessary oil it took to make the bottles. And the unnecessary mess that was made while extracting the oil.






“Why, why, WHY?” I wondered. Why would you pay for bottled water every week when perfectly good water flows out of every faucet in your house?!






And then it dawned on me. The answer was right there on the packaging. “Purified water.” One of the biggest reasons people buy and drink bottled water is because they think it’s cleaner than tap water.






But 40 percent of all bottled water in the U.S. is actually taken from municipal water sources. Bottled water companies are literally bottling up the same water that comes out of your faucet, jacking up the price, and laughing all the way to the bank.






Also disturbing is the fact that far less testing is done on bottled water than on tap water. It turns out that unlike tap water, bottled water isn’t tested for e. coli. And it can be distributed even if it doesn’t meet the quality standards of tap water. Unlike tap water, bottled water isn’t required to produce quality reports or even provide it’s source.


Feeling that anger and confusion yet?

Have a look at this link for further details.

http://www.care2.com/causes/tap-water-is-cleaner-than-bottled-water-and-other-shocking-facts.html

All the best everyone, Have a great Autumn.

Gary












Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/tap-water-is-cleaner-than-bottled-water-and-other-shocking-facts.html#ixzz1ZQwMHDz5

Make Your Nature Count Week

Just a quick blog about a survey the RSPB are asking people to do this week.

Make Your Nature Count

I'm doing this at Mum and Dad's today before the Test Match starts.

More details on how to take part may be found at :-

http://www.rspb.org.uk/naturecount/index.aspx

As you can see Mum and Dad's garden is a small surburban one in Warwick. You can see their bird table and there a couple of feeders in the bushes and on the fence to the left. Already this morning song thrush, dunnock, goldfinch, house sparrows and starlings. Our swifts seem to be taking a break from parenting. They're proably at Draycote Reservoir abou twenty miles away, feeding up on the buzzers. They'll be back later.

Right now for the survey.

All the best everyone,

Gary

What a Fabulous Day. Thanks Sainsbury's and Thanks to the people of Warwick

RSPB LOVE NATURE WEEK

So arrived at the Sainsbury's store dressed as a siskin. Normal day I suppose. Great response from the people coming from off the car park to enter the store and boy, they didn't know what I had in store for them.

The all singing, dancing and welcoming 6 foot tall siskin.

In fact the good majoroty of people either smiled or laughed which was just the sort of wonderful reaction that keeps one going. The children in particular were brilliant. Well, honestly one did scream with fright and a couple of tiny tots were a little scared but the rest, dozens of them accepted a RSPB LOVE NATURE sticker and a small chocolate coin. I couldn't lay any chocolate eggs. I am a male siskin.

The things people ask when you're collecting for the RSPB. "Have you noticed the lack of willow warblers?" [No actually] "Did I make the costume for myself?" [no but the person who made it must have spent hours doing so. Beautifully made.] "Where can I get squirrel proof feeders?" [try the RSPB shop - http://www.rspb.org.uk/ online or the catalogue.] The perennial question - "when are the RSPB going to do something about magpies. They're eating all our small birds?" [As Bill Oddie says, "If in doubt, blame the cat!"]

Then there's the lovely pride people have in their garden birds and in how much they spend to attract them. I heard about the usual suspects; titmice, sparrows, starlings and blackbirds. I heard about great spotted woodpeckers, treecreepers and grey herons. Then there was the "I spent over £50 on bird food this week. [brilliant.]

Away from birds there was a distinguished older gentlemean who waned to tell me of his time in the RAF special forces. Over ten minutes of hearing of his exploits. He even tried to teach me Arabic. I had to repeat his phrases. Brilliant! Mike, the scout leader security man; Lucy, a Sainsbury's employee training to be a teacher and a display of another employee breaking 100 rook tiles [big thick ones] with his hands in some martial arts performance for Myton Hospice; all great people who helped the day along.

Joined at 11 o' clock in the morning by Alastair, together we stood and listened, said hello and goodbye and collected for the RSPB. Great bloke.

Alastair, Lucy and I

Then there were the donations counted carefully by Dad and I at the end of the day. Now not taking into account a one Euro coin, an American cent, 2 very old halfpennies; the total came to

Drum roll, Trumpet call, Open the curtain.........

£237.35

So many many thanks to the people I met, thanks to Sainsbury's and thanks to the staff at the RSPB MIDLANDS HQ at Banbury who made and sent such a fabulous costume.

Brilliant day!

All the best everyone,

Gary

A Couple of Cracking Finds and then ...... LOVE NATURE WEEK for the RSPB

I'll leave Mum and Dad's photo until last so don't scroll down just yet.

Had a great Sunday a couple of weeks ago with a couple of ex-pupils who are still birders after all these years. Jason Oliver and Steve Allcott were pupils of mine over twenty years ago when I was a secondary school science teacher in Wolverhampton. Imagine my thrill at seeing them both again and knowing that they are birders.

Well, I'd walked to junction 2 on the M42, which is about 5 miles from my little abode. We'd arranged to meet at 5.00am so I'd set off at 3.30. Along the country lanes towards Alvechurch, down Cobler's Hill and over the canal bridge when amongst the singing skylarks I heard a quail. 'Wet my lips'. Just a couple of times but unmistakable. I haven't heard many in Worcesershire so was really pleased with this one.

Norfolk. Red-necked phalarope gone from Burnham Norton and a gale force wind a-blowing. Visited Titchwell and saw a very few birds but the company was good, especially in the cafe where Flo was still working. Now Flo had been fabulous last eyar, heating up some milk for my Horlicks and for a couple of baguettes. Great to see her friendly face again.

Off to Lakenheath and still that wind. An RSPB group from Southend were looking for the singing golden oriole. Having seen on the notice board that 2 males and a female are there I looked for myself but had to do with the sound of that beautiful call. I did manage to see a couple of hairy dragonflies and a few variable damselflies.

A week at work. Don't want to talk about that!!

So to Upton Warren for a night in the Flashes hide. My reward came at ten to seven the following morning. A small wader came from the direction of the third flash being chased by the avocets. I thought it was a turnstone at first but then realised it was a smashing red-necked phalarope. The first one I've ever found myself and only the seventh for the new Fetlar, Upton Warren. Phoned and texted like mad and soon the first birding friend arrival, Andrew Pitt; soon followed by Dave Walker, John Belsey, Andy Warr and Mike Wakeman. Phil Andrews and Arthur Jacobs, eventually all the Upton regulars were either there or had been and seen this beautiful bird.

I stayed overnight again and couldn't believe it when just after six in the morning it turned up again on the second flash. Time for home I walked the six or so miles and started school work.

Monday, rain at last and a day of planning for school. Then news came in - two red-necked phalaropes at the Warren! Amazing and brilliant! Chuffed for the reserve and for all the dedicated people who watch the place. Add the fact that 2 people saw a scarlet rosefinch in the car park, just shows what a small reserve can have if regularly watched.

Now it's Friday night and I've gone over to my parent's house to prepare for LOVE NATURE - RSPB WEEK.

Prepare is so apt as a very large box had arrived there on Wednesday. Dad wasn't too pleased but all tension changed as we had a great day watching the Test match on TV, watching the scorecard as Warwickshire beat Yorkshire in the Twenty20 and then the large box was opened to hilarity.

Is there nothing I won't do for the RSPB? You want more?

Someone spent a very long time making this costume of a siskin and many thanks to them. So tomorrow I'll be dressed in this and will stand outside Sainsbury's in Warwick, starting at 9.30am. Here's hoping it's successful.

Finally another donation for Asthma UK. Thanks to Gary Birchill.

All the best everyone,

Gary

PS. anyone know of any available female siskins?