Biking Birder 2010

Thanks to everyone who donated to Asthma UK last year.

2011-12-20T04:09:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-12-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-12-12T08:08:00.000-08:00

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

2011-09-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-05T01:45:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

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?

Take a look at Birdguides and see Green Birding Take Off

2011-05-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

A superb feat by two with superb feet.

Have a look at the webzine article on birdguides.

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2714

Now to be named between the two mighty Green Birding warriors, Chris Mills and Simon Woolley is a privilige but if you look at any photos of the three of us, you'll realise that I'm an old battered statue surrounded by two Greek Adoni. Now add to that list the name of Nick Moran and there are the three most wonderful Green Birders that I know of in Britain - unless you know different.

Speaking of records, Dave Walker is getting close to beating the year list record at Upton Warren in Worcestershire. This brilliant reserve has avocets and LRPs breeding. The record stands at 143 and I think dave has only 10 or so to get with six months to go.

Right time up at school. Must leave to get my fish and chip supper at Morrison's before heading down to the Warren for the night in the hide.

All the best everyone,

Gary

What a Strange Day! A Message perhaps.

2011-05-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

At Mum and Dad's today, visiting and enjoying watching the Wingy Wenger beaten by Brave Bent. Warwickshire won too! A perfect day.

So why strange?

Well everytime Mum and Dad put on the TV there was a programme reminding me of last year. I'd woken from a dream this morning where I was cycling in Turkey and was actually feeling tearful over things. Not depressed or unhappy just tearful thinking of certain days and places.

Then there was Mark Beaumont on TV. Film of him cycling, climbing the highest mountain in the USA and reaching Patagonia. Reduced to tears, he sat contemplating hsi massive and magnificent achievements.

Then there was an old Last of the Summer Wine programme with Compo, Cleggy and Foggy, with Nora Batty of course.

Well I went there last year; sat in the cafe and even went in Nora Batty's house!

Puffins on the Pembrokeshire Islands - been there. White-tailed sea eagle on North Uist - I might have even seen the same bird as I saw them there last year too. Lough Erne - was there last June.

The day went on with reference after reference to last year.

Then my youngest niece, Maya arrives with my brother, Paul. She's two years old, just and Dad said that when he was Maya's age there was no such thing as Tele. Paul joked that there were no cars as well!

What will our planet be like when Maya reaches 80 in 2089? Think on and the full effects of climate change will be felt in that year.

So is it a message? Do I need to get back on the bike. YOU BET I DO!

but

there's money to think about; family too.

I've got my health. I've got the dream - again and the passion is returning to do something again.

Roz Savage is back at sea again. http://www.rozsavage.com/2011/05/15/day-12-sunday-best/

Mark Beaumont will definitely be planning his next venture. http://www.markbeaumontonline.com/

Now to start planning mine.

How about - well let's keep it under wraps for the moment.

Back to school tomorrow and back to reality but tonight in bed it will be dreams of a reserve list approaching 100 over a two year span with a bird list of over 500.

Any ideas.

Dream on Prezza and hold on to those tears.

Love to all,

Gary

12th May 2011 - Donations Still Coming in

2011-05-12T08:04:00.000-07:00

And sincere thanks to those people who have made donations.

So thank you to :-

Andrew Appleton - for Asthma UK.

Avis Cropper - for Asthma UK

William Oddie OBE! - for Asthma UK. [recognise the name folks!?]

Terry Hinnett - for Asthma UK

Andrew Pitt - for Asthma UK

James Fiddock - RSPB

Phil Andrews - RSPB

Bubo Bubo - RSPB

Thank you - you wonderful people!

I'm now colelcting all of the information about the Green Big Day event to send off to Simon in Calfornia. To be honest I've been thrilled with everyone's efforts and lists. I know that next year we can make it an even bigger event but can I ask you to email me at gprescott@rigbyhall.worcs.sch.uk if you have any thoughts and comments about it? Thanks.

Personally I would like to see a designated weekend or day instead of the two weeks that Simon suggests. I feel that would give it more of a focus.

So my next blog will have details of that and I've still got to tell everyone about how I enjoyed a fabulous birding holiday in Turkey this Easter.

All the best everyone

Stay Green - or at least start being so!

Gary xx

Big Green Day - lastest news

2011-05-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

A fabulous email from Susan Rowe yesterday detailed how she'd taken on the mightly Lee Evans. Sue and her birding partner, Tina Perry spent their Green Big day birding around their patch - Tring, Hertfordshire. In fact they walked 12 miles birding at such locations as Tring Reservoirs, some nearby flooded chalk pits, the woods on the Chilterns and the tops of Ivinghoe Hills; all with their local nature reserves. Sue said that local birders were brilliant in helping her and Tina and to add spice to the day, the best known British twitcher, lee Evans was in friendly competition with them both, he using a car - carbon twitching.
Now neither of the girls would call themselves listers or twitchers but they ended up giving Lee a good run for his money. Lee, the gentleman that he is, gave the girls lots of advice prior to their event, with suggestions for their route and where to find those tricky extra birds. Good on him!
Now the girls I hear celebrated the day with a good bottle of wine [is there any other sort?] and toasted both their success and the Royal Wedding.
How did they get on?
Well both Lee and the Sue-Tina combination finished the day with 84 bird species each; a tie! Brilliant and full marks to both teams for their efforts.
It's great to see that Sue and Tina are the only UK reprentatives [at the moment] on the official Big Green Day website :

http://greenbigday.org/

Have a look and see.

Now please with only days to go before the end date of may the 8th, consider doing a Green Big day this weekend.

We're going to be doing ours on Saturday at the fabulous Upton Warren nature reserve in Worcestershire. Black terns are there today so here's hoping they stay around for the big day.

It's going to be a great day. John, Phil, Dave, Mike, Des, Paul will be there very early to get things going. Gert will be walking the 4 or so miles to get there and I'll be sleeping in the hide the night before to be there to get things going at midnight Friday.

Bacon sarnies and birding in great company. Brilliant.

As usual we're going to be in competition with Belvide reservoir in Staffs, where Steve Nuttall will also be doing a Green Big day.

So please, if you can, register on the Green Big day website and get another UK flag on their map of the world!

All the very best and well done Sue and Tina!

Gary

A Green Birding Day Competition

2011-04-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

A comment sent to the last blog entry, yes I know it's been a long time since I last blogged, was about a GREEN BIRDING DAY competition. Well I know I'm up for it and I hope you will be too. After another successful Earth Day organised by the WWF it would be fabulous to see that birders are doing their bit to stop catastrophic climate change. Every little helps.
So, on May 7th I'll be walking the 8 or so miles to my patch, Upton Warren RSPB Worcestershire Nature Reserve, birding the day; then spending the night in the hide and birding then next day too. I wonder which day will record the highest number of species?

Please consider having a GREEN BIRDING DAY.

Have a look at

http://greenbigday.org/?p=1#comments

for further details.

Speaking of, I've texted a few friends, some of them met whilst cycling last year and have already heard that some of them are going to do it. Brilliant! Also heard back from Gert; the man who gave me the bike I rode last eyar, and he's going to do the GREEN BIRDING DAY with me at the Warren. I can't wait, a birding day at the Warren with friends, chat and birds.

In my mind I see this becoming like the RSPB's Garden & School Watch. That started small and look at it now. Hundreds of thousands of people spend that hour in January listing their garden birds, sending in their data and the RSPB gets fantastic coverage in the media for it.

Look at Earth Hour. Another small local Eco event that started a few years ago in Sidney, Australia and look at it now. A massive Global message that people want to do something about the threat of climate change.

Now let every birder, just for one day, go GREEN BIRDING. You never know, you may enjoy it so much that it may become a way of life. I know that now it is for me. Yes I still want to see every bird in the World but doing that doesn't diminish the sheer delight of seeing the first swallow back at the farm where I reside last night.

PLEASE, give the GREEN BIRDING DAY a go.

atb

Gary

RSPB - Stepping Up For Nature

2011-03-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

The more isee of the RSPB the more I am impressed. They really are a fabulous conservation organisation with the best people throughout.

On Wednesday of this week I was priviliged to attend the reception being held in london for the start of their biggest campaign ever - Stepping Up For nature.

For more details go to the RSPB's home page at http://www.rspb.org.uk/ and click on the amazing picture of a tiger. The picture is made up of thousnads of the names collected during last year's Letter for the Future campaign. 355,773 signatures were collected and delivered to 10 Downing Street by two wonderful children, Dominik Reynolds and Charlotte Handing.

Please have a look at the RSPB blogs about the day at :-

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/specialplaces/archive/2011/03.aspx

Dominik was later the absolute star of the shop with a breathtakingly good speach delivered to a room full of people. Now remember that Dominik is only ten [Yes Dominik I have remembered that it is your birthday on Monday and you'll be 11. Happy birthday Superstar!!!] Dominik was there with his Mum, Kerry, a really lovely lady and she must be so proud of him He was GREAT!

Two lovely ladies, Joan and Gill also gave a talk about their role in the Cliffe campaign in North kent. A brilliant pair these two. I really enjoyed meeting them and talking with them over my experiences of the North kent reserves last year. They live in a great birding area and it's worthy of protection. There are talks of Cliffe airport being looked at again. We've got to get together and fight that.

I had my turn and I tried without the aid of a written speech. I had written down lots of notes and had 6 main things i wanted to say. I probably got a little excited but I do hope that what i said about the RSPb hit a cord with the people who are going to campaign on all of our behalves.

In the evneing we all met the amazing Kate Humble. A energetic, articulate celebrity and an honour to chat with. Her talk was eloquent and well received; as was that of the Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman.

There's so much I could add but I'll let the professionals say it all on the blogs on the RSPB website.

PLEASE have a good look at the campaign. Everyone can do there bit to

STEP UP FOR NATURE

and with the challenges ahead we need everyone to do so.

One last thing . . . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOMINIK

A Tribute to Gordon Barnes

2011-02-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

It was five years ago last week that my dear friend, Gordon Barnes, died a few days after returning from a birding holiday to Luxor.

Gordon was the most wonderful friend. A fellow Brummie, he escaped city life by setting up home on Fair Isle in 1960 ; initially as an assistant warden at the Bird Obs and then as a crofter. There he met his wife Perry and together they lived there for fifteen years.

One thing that Gordon may be remembered for is the finding, and the subsequent looking after of a great bustard on Fair Isle in 1980. He looked after the female bird by feeding it mice and cabbages. The bird became part of the first great bustard release on Salisbury Plain. Unfortunately the project didn't succeed and the bird was put into a zoo where it crashed into a fence and died. Here are a couple of items from that time :

I met him in Swanage in 2000. By then they both had set up home there. I met him one day when going seawatching at Peveril Point. A more fabulous friend one couldn't wish for and I miss him still. I just know he's been watching over me throughout all of last year.

When I get the chance I'll write about him in more detail for his is a story that deserves to be told. A magnificent man.

all the best everyone,

Gary

A Fabulous Sunday Birding - Radipole RSPB Reserve with an Unsung Birding Celebtrity

2011-02-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Back home from Saturday's successful twitch for the love dove, a text and up at 4.30am the following day. The text was from an ex-pupil of mine from over 20 years ago. Jason Oliver had been one of the best teenage birders back in the 80s but had lapsed because I flushed a red breasted goose. Well, that's how I'll say it but other things probaby caused his birding passion to demise; girls probably and the fact that his best friend had the same goose tattoed onto his forearm! Maybe it was also becuase I didn't just flush it once that fateful dipping day but twice. I, Alex 'the Bear' and Richard saw the bird. Jason didn't. I popped my head up and off they went. Refound but flushed again as we came around a sea wall too close to the flock we hadn't known were there. Long time ago.

Alex, Jason and Richard were pupils at Coppice High School in Wolverhampton and very keen members of the YOC [Young Ornithologists Club]. So keen were they as birders that local experts used to take them birding all over the country and the adventures they had deserve a book. Hurricanes on Scilly, sleeping in the Coastguards Hotel at Cley and birds that many are blocked by now - little whimbrel anyone? They had it on their lists. These were the schoolboys who pointed out a strange duck to John 'Black Country' Holian, who noticed that although scaup like it wasn't quite right and so the first lesser scaup for Europe was found.

Jason had asked whether I wanted to see the long-billed dowitcher that seems to be a permanent fixture at Lodmoor RSPB reserve in Dorset. I'm back!!! And so we were off; me accepting another carbon twitch.

Lodmoor but no sign of the dowitcher on a walk and search around the whole reserve. A small flock of 13 dunlin, a couple of blackwits, a few cettis calling and a number of year ticks all seen and listed.

Off to Radipole and the easily seen mediterranean gulls on the car park and on the water outside the superb RSPB visitor's Centre. Met Gwynne and Michael, Dan and Tony, RSPB staff whose friendliness was appreciated. Remembered how fabulous everyone had been last year at Radipole and so very helpful. Wonderful people at a wonderful RSPB reserve. One of my favourites last year and improving all the time.

Jason and I decided to go to Portland Bill, stopping at Ferrybridge on the way. 14 Med' gulls, a black brant and a couple of hybrid Brant/brents amongst the brent flock but no waders here. Very high tide, where were they all?

Portland Bill, usual welcome from Martin Cade and then a few books bought from the Portland Bill bookshop, my favourite bookshop as it makes money for the obs. 2 black redstarts down by the lighthouse, the usual irds off the Bill, gannets, shags, guillemot, razorbills but where were the fulmars?

Back to Lodmoor after lunch in the cafe and a meeting with Nick Quintrell, the brilliant assistant at Lodmoor and Radipole and a superb RSPB volunteer, Will Scott.

Will Scott, me, Jason Oliver and Nick Quintrell

Chatting and looking at the dunlin I tapped Jason on the shoulder, not wanting to interrupt Nick's conversation with the news that the dowitcher had just come out from behind a bush and was probing mud not 30 yards in front of us. Great views of a Yankee and a lifer for Jason. Perfect.

Goodbyes and a quick trip to Middlebeare gave we two a flock of around 700 black-tailed godwits, a couple of little egrets but little else. Very quiet with the tide receeding.

To Arne and a short walk into the woods to see a tawny owl roosting above us in a pine tree. Always good to see a tawny in daylight hours. Down to the shore going past the large field sown with finch attracting crops, past a herd of maybe one hundred very close sika nd then views over Poole Harbour with the most mud exposed tha i can remember seeing. Waders aplenty including godwits, knot, redshank, oystercatcher and dunlins; red-breasted meragnsers on the water.

So, with darkness falling back to the car and back home. A fabulous birding day with fabulous company and superb RSPB reserves visited.

All the very best everyone,

Gary

Saturday 19th February 2011 Happy Birthday Son!

2011-02-21T10:15:00.000-08:00

A massive HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful son, Josh. Happy Birthday Son!

On the 19th day of February my true love gave to me . . . .

Early morning dash down to Chipping Norton with Steve Allcott, an ex-pupil birder from Wolverhampton, to join the queue in the rain. Enjoyable chat about birding queues from the past and same housing estate birds; golden-winged warbler, black-throated thrushes, rose-coloured starlings, Baltimore orioles.

An hour or so of the same and then a rush of wet waxed jackets. I slightly touched a closing umbrella as I tried to join on to a watching crowd from the side and was greeted by profanity from the umbrella owner. I gently asked him to grow up [subtle] and moved around the birders to kneel down at the front, next to someone with a 'scope trained on the bird - crafty! Rufous turtle dove on the list and no £5 paid to the RSPB via the bedroom entry fee.

The bird was good and a lifer too yet better than that was seeing friends who I hadn't seen for years; 'Black Country' John Holian and his lovely wife, Sharon were greeted with hugs and excitement. A fabulous couple, John was instrumental in the identification of a small duck found by two schoolboys on Chasewater back in 1986. That was Europe's first lesser scaup and more about the schoolboys later on. John was on fine form, happy and chatty as was Sharon and news of them now having four grandchildren reminded me of how old we're all getting. Eric Phillips, another cycling birder was there too and Dave Walker from Upton Warren, my beloved patch. From last year's epic there was one of the talented Essex lads met on Fair Isle and Mya and Chris, the Chew Valley birding celebrities, famous from their TV appearance in a programme shown last year called 'Twitchers'. Other people recognised me and chatted and congratulated. John Fortey, a dear ex-Midland birder who died last year was talked about with respect and generally the atmosphere amongst the 200 or so was happy. All excepting two idiots who squared up to each other over getting a clear view. Sense prevailed as their stupid actions were shown up for being just that - stupid.

The bird? Well it sat near the top of a tall ash tree, occasionally preening which showed neck pattern, silvery grey tail and darker primaries and secondaries below the warm brown edged coverts. Well seen and appreciated despite the weather; the rain having not stopped despite the BBC's promise of it doing so.

On the way back to the metal box came across three enterprising young girls with a canopy, a table and a wide selection of home made cakes, coffee and tea. These brilliant young maids were selling their wares for the RSPB! £7.00 spent from my pocket and the RSPB got their fiver after all. A photo with Mya and the girls was taken and heaps of praise for their endeavours given in this poor weather. More chatting before heading off for Rainham RSPB reserve. The slaty-backed gull had been seen again and Ste decided that we should go for it.

Now some of you might think that a biking birder should be saying "Nay" to such activities but the chance to see Rainham again was the real lure. Love the place and the two visits from last year had been wonderful. Arrived in good time, the M25 car park being relatively empty and after a quick snack walked around the reserve. Had met Dave and the cafe ladies who I remembered so well before going out. No views of the penduline tits seen the previous day and then news that the gull was at Pitsea refuse tip. Oh the romance, a gull on a tip! A dash in the car but only lesser blacks and hundreds of black-heahed gulls seen. A group of disgruntled twitchers spoke of a group of birders who'd had the special one in front of them but hadn't put it out on the grapevine because they couldn't identify it. Oh well, next time.

Darkness and home. A smashing day in so many ways and it didn't end there. A text from a very special friend asked whether I'd like to go for the RSPB Lodmoor dowitcher on Sunday? What could I say?

all the best everyone,

Gary

Off to see a Turtle Dove - hopefully!

2011-02-18T15:54:00.000-08:00

Haven't been birding for a bit but tomorrow will change that as Ste' and I will be joining the early morning Chipping Norton queue to try to pay our fivers to see the Rufous turtle dove. Fingers crossed.

Busy at school and have a really enjoyable time. despite that I've been working on a few cycling dreams. Well it keeps me motivated. See what you think. Pie in the sky at the moment but so was last year at first.

1. Cycle to Sumatra where the RSPB have their only foreign reserve. Now what way to go? Overland via the Ukraine and the Himalayas or over the sea? Fun planning and oh what birds on the way.

2. Audubon Centres in the US. Around 100 of them. Would it be possible to cycle to them all?

As I said, dreams but we have to have them.

Speaking of dreams . . ..

Have just watched the Susan Boyle 'Dream' song again on youtube [59,000,000 views!!!]. From it found a lnk to a beautifully sad piece of artwork. Have a look at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo

and see what you think.

Seems to be a theme this week as I also spent an evening watching the dvd of Days of Glory.

Have also finished reading both the romantic and sensitive book by Rory Mcgrath - Bearded Tit, thank goodness it ends happily, and Alan and Ruth Davies' Biggest Twitch. In fact this book was so good I got to the end and started reading it again. Wonderful. What a fabulous couple they must be. Such love for each other is inspiring.

Earth Hour is coming up soon. I love it, watching the images of cities having their one hour of Green concern, turning off those lights and going dark.

http://www.earthhour.org/

One last thing - sorry to everyone for the spelling errors on the blog last year. I've been going through it to add to my notes for a book I'm writing about last year and I'm disappointed by how many errors my text contains.

Right time for dreams.

Love to all,

Save the planet.

Gary x

RSPB Garden Birdwatch Weekend

2011-01-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

A weekend to relax and see Mum and Dad. Also it's the RSPB Garden Birdwatch weekend so an hour will be spent watching and recording. Nice to see Emily Sanders name on the School Birdwatch page's blog links. Met her at Sandy last year and she had organised the people who met me that day and contributed to it being so memorable.

Hope you're all having a go, well if you live in the UK that is. If you don't then why don't you have a go in your garden. I'll post what species we have and compare notes if you want. Hope you do and will.

Mum and Dad's garden is small but does have a couple of bird tables and a few feeders, half apples and the like dotted around it. Satrlings are the most common, with goldfinches not far behind them. Also house sparrows, collared doves, song thrush, blackbird, great and blue tits, dunnock, wood pigeon, wren and occasional lesser redpoll. Can I count what flies over?

On http://www.flickr.com/ there's now over 300 of my photos from last year. Sorry for the lack of birds but some of the views are stunning. Having a great time going through them all; so many memories.

Seeing these photos has made me realise how many cathedrals, castles, stone circles, famous sites and places I visited. How many birds, moths, butterflies, orchids, mammals, flowers, ferns and other wildlife I saw. How strange I didn't see a live snake!

I migth have to do a list of them all someday.

All the best everyone.

Gary

Back to Work and a New Book - The Biggest Twitch

2011-01-17T04:50:00.000-08:00

Busy at work after such a lovely welcome back from pupils and staff. Don't feel bad about the 'daily grind' [nowhere need a grind] as it's the next step on the way to the next project.

Last night sat going through my notebooks and found yet another bird that I'd had last year - great reed warbler near Ilkeston. Must be old age! How could I forget that bird. Had brilliant views of it as it sat out on a reed, bending it down almost to water level. So the year list last year was 253. I don't think there'll be any more gems that I've forgotten.

Have spent some of the weekend enjoying the cricket, England v. Australia 50 overs. Despite the loss, really enjoyed the game despite the 3.30am start. Also have placed a lot of photos onto http://www.flickr.com/. If you want to see them then please use this link:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58382143@N06/

Now please remember that I didn't have a super camera with long, phallic lens; only a small but indestructible digital camera. I can remember it bouncing along the road just before Anglesey last year. It still worked fine. So there won't be stunning close up of birds. Insects yes, some orchids to but mainly it will be the places and the poeple met, once permission has been granted. Now I took around 10,000 photos last year so I'll be putting a few on at a time. lot of sorting to do.

Also have sorted out the total raised for charities last year and here I must say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who did make a donation. I haven't yet figured out how i can thank you personally via the names on the JUST GIVING website but I will do so once I've figured that out. In the meantime please accept my most sincere thanks. The total as of today is £3,600.

Right, it's lunchtime and the pupils are about to come back in from their dinner so must be off.

Thanks everyone,

all the very best,

Gary

PS. shame the slaty-backed gull was a weekend lifter. Would have been great to go back to Rainham RSPB reserve again. As if it was long time since I was last there. [Yes, I intend to do a few 'carbon twitching' trips this year.

Biking Birder 2010 Year List

2011-01-10T00:55:00.000-08:00

A great day's work party at Upton Warren Worcs Nature reserve yesterday. 17 people working on shrub removal and coppicing. A pink-footed goose was our reward.

Thanks for the donations from:-
Dave, Gordon, John and Ray.

Well here it is - the complete list of birds seen by me last year :-

1. Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata

2. Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica

3. Great Northern Diver Gavia immer

4. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

5. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

6. Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena

7. Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus

8. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis

9. Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis

10. Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus

11. Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus

12. Northern Gannet Morus bassanus

13. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

14. European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis

15. Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris

16. Little Egret Egretta garzetta

17. Great Egret* Ardea alba

18. Cattle egret

19. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

20. Glossy Ibis* Plegadis falcinellus

21. Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

22. Mute Swan Cygnus olor

23. Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus

24. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus

25. Bean Goose Anser fabalis

26. Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus

27. Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons

28. Red-breasted goose

29. Greylag Goose Anser anser

30. Canada Goose Branta canadensis

31. Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis

32. Brent Goose Branta bernicla

33. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus

34. Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

35. Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

36. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope

37. American Wigeon* Anas americana

38. Gadwall Anas strepera

39. Eurasian Teal Anas crecca

40. Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis

41. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

42. Northern Pintail Anas acuta

43. Garganey Anas querquedula

44. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata

45. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina

46. Common Pochard Aythya ferina

47. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

48. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

49. Greater Scaup Aythya marila

50. Lesser Scaup* Aythya affinis

51. Common Eider Somateria mollissima

52. Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis

53. Common Scoter Melanitta nigra

54. Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca

55. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula

56. Smew Mergellus albellus

57. Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

58. Goosander Mergus merganser

59. Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

60. Red Kite Milvus milvus

61. White-tailed Eagle* Haliaeetus albicilla

62. Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

63. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus

64. Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis

65. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

66. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo

67. Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus

68. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos

69. Osprey Pandion haliaetus

70. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

71. Merlin Falco columbarius

72. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

73. Willow Ptarmigan (Red Grouse) Lagopus lagopus

74. Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix

75. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa

76. Grey Partridge Perdix perdix

77. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

78. Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus

79. Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

80. Corn Crake Crex crex

81. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

82. Common Coot Fulica atra

83. Common Crane Grus grus

84. Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

85. Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta

86. Little Plover Charadrius dubius

87. Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula

88. Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus

89. European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria

90. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola

91. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

92. Red Knot Calidris canutus

93. Sanderling Calidris alba

94. Little Stint Calidris minuta

95. Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos

96. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea

97. Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima

98. Dunlin Calidris alpina

99. Ruff Philomachus pugnax

100. Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus

101. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago

102. Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola

103. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

104. Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica

105. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

106. Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata

107. Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus

108. Common Redshank Tringa totanus

109. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia

110. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus

111. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola

112. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

113. Buff-breasted sandpiper

114. Pacific golden plover

115. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

116. Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius

117. Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus

118. Great Skua Catharacta skua

119. Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus

120. Little Gull Larus minutus

121. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus

122. Bonaparte’s gull

123. Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis

124. Mew Gull Larus canus

125. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus

126. Herring Gull Larus argentatus

127. Yellow-legged gull

128. Caspian gull

129. Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus

130. Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

131. Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla

132. Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis

133. Common Tern Sterna hirundo

134. Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea

135. Little Tern Sterna albifrons

136. Black Tern Chlidonias niger

137. Common Guillemot Uria aalge

138. Razorbill Alca torda

139. Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle

140. Little Auk Alle alle

141. Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica

142. Rock Pigeon Columba livia

143. Stock Pigeon Columba oenas

144. Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus

145. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

146. Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri

147. Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus

148. Barn Owl Tyto alba

149. Little Owl Athene noctua

150. Tawny Owl Strix aluco

151. Long-eared Owl Asio otus

152. Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

153. Common Swift Apus apus

154. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

155. Green Woodpecker Picus viridis

156. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major

157. Wood Lark Lullula arborea

158. Sky Lark Alauda arvensis

159. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris

160. Sand Martin Riparia riparia

161. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

162. House Martin Delichon urbica

163. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis

164. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis

165. Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus

166. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta

167. Buff-bellied pipit

168. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava

169. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea

170. White / Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba

171. Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

172. White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus

173. Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes

174. Hedge Accentor Prunella modularis

175. European Robin Erithacus rubecula

176. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica

177. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

178. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus

179. Whinchat Saxicola rubetra

180. Stonechat Saxicola torquata

181. Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

182. Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus

183. Common Blackbird Turdus merula

184. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris

185. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos

186. Redwing Turdus iliacus

187. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus

188. Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti

189. Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia

190. Pallas’ grasshopper warbler

191. Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

192. Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus

193. Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata

194. Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria

195. Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca

196. Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis

197. Garden Warbler Sylvia borin

198. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla

199. Syke’s warbler

200. Arctic warbler

201. Subalpine warbler

202. Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus

203. Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix

204. Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

205. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus

206. Goldcrest Regulus regulus

207. Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla

208. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata

209. Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva

210. Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca

211. Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus

212. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

213. Marsh Tit Parus palustris

214. Willow Tit Parus montanus

215. Crested Tit Parus cristatus

216. Coal Tit Parus ater

217. Blue Tit Parus caeruleus

218. Great Tit Parus major

219. Wood Nuthatch Sitta europaea

220. Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris

221. Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor

222. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius

223. Black-billed Magpie Pica pica

224. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

225. Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula

226. Rook Corvus frugilegus

227. Carrion Crow Corvus corone

228. Hooded Crow Corvus cornix

229. Common Raven Corvus corax

230. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris

231. House Sparrow Passer domesticus

232. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

233. Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

234. Brambling Fringilla montifringilla

235. European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

236. European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

237. Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus

238. Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina

239. Twite Carduelis flavirostris

240. Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret

241. Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea

242. Arctic redpoll [Hornemann’s] Carduelis

243. Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

244. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus

245. Common Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

246. Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes

247. Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus

248. Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

249. Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella

250. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

251. Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus

252. Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra

Now all I need to do is write up all of my notebooks and check where I missed out a bird from the list I kept in the back of them.

Ooops! Also missed out the Great Reed Warbler that I saw at a country park, near Ilkeston.

So the Non-motorised Year List stands at 253.

Also seen but from boats so not counted was Storm petrel. [dozens of the little blighters but none from land!]

Sub-species – not counted

Black brant

Greenland whitefront

There you have it. Sorry the italics on the latin names didn't transfer over.

All the very best everyone,

Gary

I have broken the Non motorized Record!

2011-01-08T20:52:00.001-08:00

It's 4.40am and I'm awake! Couldn't sleep so I'd decided to transfer birding notes onto my computer. Came across my original possible bird list, created before last year. On it was 287 bird species from divers to buntings. Well I started deleting birds I missed and added the ones I'd not expected, for instance hobby was removed; didn't see one and syke's warbler was added. Finished it and the total was 252. A new British record. I've read it through again and again; can't see any mistakes. Now I've got to go through all my notebooks and find out which bird wasn't listed. I'll put the whole list out on Monday for you to see. If only I'd realized this on the last day.

Upton Warren work party today. Will be good to be back on my patch. At the moment my year list, non motorized of course, is on 41.

Thanks everyone.

Gary

The Last Day - Sandwell Valley and destiny?

2011-01-01T04:16:00.000-08:00

After enjoying the previous day with the long-eared owl at Park Hall Country Park, near Stoke on Trent and then cycling to my old patch, Belvide reservoir; where chatting with the main Belvide man Steve Nuttall was fabulous and the 23 Bewick's swans that flew in at dusk gave me a Belvide tick, the last day of the year was going to be exciting.

Would the non-motorised year list record be broken by the iceland gull that had been seen at Bartley Reservoir for the last three evenings be there in the afternoon? Who'd be at Sandwell Valley RSPB Reserve to celebrate my journey?

So, set off from Steve Allcott's house on Ashmore Park, Wolverhampton early morning. Steve was a pupil of mine when I was a secondary teacher at the school his house overlooks 21 years ago. Steve became a very keen birder back then and has been a close friend, together with another ex-pupil Ian Crutchley who lives around the corner. Nattering with both had only stopped at 1.00am; shared memories and talk of birds and birding.

Got to Sandwell Valley at around 10.30am and cycled along the path beside the river to enter the reserve down by the lake. Willow tits, goosanders and bullfinches but then the devastated visitor's centre, burnt down earlier in the year greeted me. Gutted out by fire and gutting to see; what local vandals do to so many reserves has been depressing over the year. So many times the actions of so few has affected the pleasures of many.

Alan, the local Express & Star newpaper photographer arrived for the last media photographs of me for the year. Nice bloke with an interest in classic British motorbikes, Alan took a few photos near t the Sandwell Valley RSPB display board.

Lee, the reserve warden, Fen, the RSPB media officer for the Midlands, my daughter, Rebecca, my brother Paul with my little niece, Maya and some friends - Dave, John, Phil, Steve and Tim all arrived to celebrate the end of the biking birder 2010 year. A pressie from Fen was much appreciated as were the sandwiches, cookies and coffee, eaten as we stood in the hopefully secure and unburnable offices near to the entrance to the reserve.

Off at 1.00pm to try for the iceland gull, cycled through West Bromwich and Blackheath before coming across a gentleman walking down the middle of a very busy main road, wearing only shorts and a t-shirt, screamimg "help me, for God's sake someone help me." Not one car stopped to do so; everyone of them slowing down to avoid him before carrying on. I got him to come to the roadside verge and on asking what I could do, he just kept apologising and saying nothing else. He had large, bleeding sores on his legs and arms but I couldn't get any sense out of him and he limped off into a housing estate. I phoned 999 and an ambulance was sent out for him.

Got to Bartley Res' at 2.30-ish and met up with Tim and Steve who'd gone on ahead with their 'carbon transport' to look for the iceland gull. Steve Whitehouse came a bit later and Phil Andrews and together the five of us searched, watching every gull come into roost o the water. Time went quickly and at around 4.30 I had to acknowledge that the iceland gull wasn't going to be seen and that therefore the record was to be equalled but not beaten. C'est la vie!!! Actually it feels good to have equalled the record. I just hope that my efforts, and Chris Mills' exploits in setting up the record in the first place, inspires someone to go for it next year. If you do please get in touch with me. I'd be thrilled to know how you get on.

Hand shakes all round and New Year wishes; then a not uneventful cycle ride to my sister, Donna's house about 5 miles away. Cycling down a steep, narrow country lane in the dark suddenly came across an area of icy slush and the back end of the bike skidded one way, then the other with me clinging to the handlebars. In the split second of the whole event I thought on the second skid that at least I'd fall onto the grassy verge but actually managed to stay upright and the slush stopped and I skidded to a halt, shaking like a leaf. The bike was damaged in some way but I couldn't see how with my torch. My left leg was also hurt so I walked the rest of the way. Amazing. A whole year and so very nearly a bad crash. Very lucky! My leg has luckily turned out to be nothing more than nastily bruised and an ice pack eased the large lump.

A wonderful evening with Mum and Dad, Donna and her fabulous husband, Charlie and my little neice Emily. A great meal, a few games and then the most brilliant fireworks over the Milleneum Eye, London on the tv to see the New Year in and bring closure to a most wonderful year.

Wonderful people met, beautiful birds seen, brilliant reserves, amazing weather [!] and inspiring scenery and landscapes. What a superb year! Thank you everyone for being there for me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE,

Gary

Long-eared Owl - bird number 251 Equals The Record

2010-12-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

So got to Park Hall Country Park, near Stoke on Trent today and, thanks to the assistant warden, Patrick, saw a superb LEO. I even got a photo.

The non motorized record is now equalled with one day to go?

Destiny? Wait and see. Here's hoping.

All the best everyone.

Gary

Tuesday 28th - More problems!!

2010-12-28T12:03:00.000-08:00

The day started so well. Stayed up for another overnight sitting watching the destruction of the Aussies in the 4th Test [cricket - the World's best sport, away from non Carbon Birding that is].

Got the bike packed up for the final assault on the record with an Iceland Gull at Bartley Reservoir yesterday. The route from my parent's home in Warwick would take me past both my Grandparents' houses from when they were alive as well as the house where I was born. Seemingly fate as a bit of nostalgia on the way pushed me towards destiny [how pomous!] {Actually listening to Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D minor - Sydney - on youtube as I type so excuse the pretensions}

Bike greased up, tryes pumped up and Sid the frog and Barnaby Bear aboard. Set off.

Seven miles later a puncture. Fixed. The tyre went straight down again. Walked the seven miles back home and spent the afternoon trying to find out why the punctures. tyre off and inner tube checked by me and Dad. No hole. Can't explain why it keeps going down. It still hasn't gone down and I'll try again tomorrow. I WILL GET THESE LAST TWO BIRDS!

Ashes to be retained tonight then back on the road - hopefully tomorrow. Even if I have to walk to the next bird I will.

All the best everyone,

Thanks to all who've Facebooked me. Appreciated.

Gary

Modest - Occasionally

2010-12-27T13:16:00.000-08:00

Just been told that there's an article about my getting to Sandy, the RSPB's HQ reserve, on Birdguides website.

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2481#comments

for the link.

Also I've started a new Facebook link. If you want to get in touch this way then please feel free. It'll be great to hear from you all. Just put Gary Prescott in the search box and find the photo of me in a flourescent jacket with the Leighton Moss RSPB girls behind me.

All the very best everyone,

Come on England [cricket!]

Gary

Could this be the bird to equal the record?

2010-12-27T10:54:00.000-08:00

Been waiting at home for a few days now, waiting for news of a bird that I need to turn up near-ish home.

Watching Invictus with Mum and Dad when a vibration in the pocket told of a message on my mobile.

Iceland gull at Bartley Reservoir! Need it and will hopefully see it tomorrow.

It feels like fate. Bill Oddie's teenage patch; Bartley Reservoir to the west of Birmingham, a concrete basin with a gull roost.

From there the intention is to go to the Wyre Forest to try for lesser spotted wodpecker before heading north to get to Park Hall, near Stoke for Long-eared owl.

Will I get all three? Wait and see.

At least the weather's changed and there's a chance.

Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-12-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't have been right for the final 50 miles to go smoothy.

Off from an empty Bedford at 8.30am, roads very snowy and the air freezing with misty patches. Actually found that the safest way to make progress was to cycle on the other side of the road so that any traffic would be coming towards me, giving me a chance to get off the road. Very snowy roads for 10 miles or so then . . . .

The first puncture! Great!

Eventually got that one fixed. Cycled on. Northampton - puncture number 2, or so I thought. Same tyre flat but coudn't find a hole once the inner tube was out. Onward.

4 miles before Daventry, tyre flat again. Out with a kinked inner tube and inflation. Thinking that this would be a regular requirement for the rest of the way, set off expecting another deflation. By now the journey had taken 5 hours. Guess what? No more problems, well not from the tyre anyway. Only problem now was the slushy, frozen snow on the roads but at least traffic was sparse.

Never so happy to see a county sign but the blue bear of Warwickshire came up as did a huge cheer and a few tears. Home.

Actually had another ten miles to go and the impacted snow on the road bewtween Leamington and Warwick almost had me falling off. Incredible how my balance has improved over the year. Can I call myself a cyclist now?

Time for reflection. Time for thanks and time for recuperation but not just yet. Iceland gull and Long-eared owl to find.

Back now clean, fed and sitting listening to Pink Floyd's Money live from the Pulse tour on Youtube. With my wonderful parents again. Done it!

Love to everyone,

Gary

Sandy, a Garganey and Snow

2010-12-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

What a totally unbelievable day!

Twelve Rspb cyclists cycled with me to Sandy. Fabulous people - Richard, Mark, Chris, Matt, Charlie, Fiona, Paul, Finn, Olly, Ralph and Harry.

Unbelievably I had a front tyre puncture 30 yards before Sandy's entrance. Took a long time to fix as the tyre had contracted because of the cold. Thanks Grahame and Mark. Also many thanks to the people who were there to greet me at the gateway, especially Laura who despite being very I'll with flu had come in to welcome me. Thanks everyone.

Great to be shown around the reserve by the site manager, Peter. A lovely, intersting man, Peter had a beautiful neolithic flint tool to show me, found at Sandy.

Bike eventually fixed, video interview completed and final phots taken. Time to see a new bird for the year, a nearby male garganey. Bird seen well through Mark's scope. Bird 250!!!

Goodbye to Mark and the start of what I had hoped to be a long cycle back home to Warwick. No chance! Very heavy snow started to fall - unbelievably the worst weather of the year saved for my last reserve day.

Now in Bedford from where I hope I'll be able to walk home from tomorrow. Nothing is easy that's worth doing.

So 50 miles to walk and push the bike. Great!

All the best everyone,

Gary

Sandy ...... The Final Reserve!

2010-12-18T01:11:00.000-08:00

So here goes.

The last RSPB reserve. Feel very excited about the day and I know I've got a great number of people to thank.

I've seen wonderful things this year and the fantastic people who work for the RSPB have been a privilige to meet. Wardens, assistent wardens, site managers, volunteers, etc, etc, all talented, dedicated and enthusiastic people. My thanks to them all.

In less than an hour the Cycle to Sandy begins from the market place in Potton.

Thanks everyone,

Gary

The Biking Birder!!!

Captain Beefheart

2010-12-17T15:16:00.001-08:00

Rest in peace Don.

Thanks for the music and memories.

Rye Meads and Fowlmere RSPB Reserves

2010-12-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

In another lovely, warm library at Potton, near to sandy, Beds, with two lovely ladies : Lesley and Debbie.

15th December 2010

Early morning breakfast at Chesunt Youth Hostel; a lovely hostel with large log cabins and the 'all you can eat' breakfast appreciated. early morning cycle along the Lee Valley to the well signposted RSPB reserve. Well, well signposted once you realise that the white duck denotes the reserve.

Met by many super staff in the superb visitor's centre and then out to 'bird'. Now Rye Meads was a big surpirse; a great reserve with super hides overlooking a wide variety of habitats. I like 'urban' reserves and this is one of the best with excellent hides and lots of birds. Water rail from three different hides, ducks a-plenty and a nice flock of lesser redpolls all seen. An afternoon walk with a wonderful volunteer and a brilliant view of a close, walking bittern.

Time to go and slept in a hide on the other side of Rye Meads. Very comfortable and warm.

16th December 2010

Cycled to Fowlmere via Ware. Not without problems though as a puncture whilst cycling along the A10. No pump becuase of another theft and lovely people at a nearby garage helped out.

THANKS Gill - HC Motoros, High Cross, north of Ware!

Lovely ride to Fowlmere actually despite persistent rain. Enjoyed it without a thought for how far places were.

Arrived at the reserve office and met Doug, the site manager. A brilliant man, helpful and friendly; he invited me to join a great group of people, nest monitors, for a meal that evening. So thanks - Alli, Louise, Alan, Carl and Vince for a smashing evening and for allowing me to gate crash and pontificate.

17th December 2010

What happened to England. Everything going well in the Ashes 2nd Test and then - crash. Come on lads!

Early morning attempt at seeing long-eared owls but the snow and well below freezing temperatures didn't help. Birds not on view so back to the reserve for a couple of hours walking around, guided by Doug. Water rails, cettis warblers and winter thrushes on a very frozen reserve; beautiful with snow a hoar frost.

Right time up at the library. Special day tomorrow. The arrival at Sandy, the HQ for the RSPB and the final RSPB reserve to visit. Meet various people at Potton for a cycling cavalcade to Sandy at 10.00am tomorrow - Saturday the 18th of December and that will be that. Every RSPB reserve visited in one year by cycling only.

Don't know how I'll feel when it's all over. I'll find out tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone who's donated to the charities. Really appreciate your kindness.

Love to everyone,

Gary

Two Days In London

2010-12-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

A rest, from the bike anyway, as I walked the capital's streets and went to the Science museum on Monday and the British Museum on Tuesday.

Now one of the reasons for my eleven months sojourn around the British Isles has been to highlight what we can all do to prevent climate change. So I looked forward to seeing the latest exhibit at the Science Museum on just that. Enjoyed it too; with interesting artefacts and great graphics on the interactive programmes. Well worth the visit and I've taken away with me even more determination to do my 'bit'.

Also had to look in on the Apollo material on view. Always was a favourite of mine, I just wish that I could climb aboard the Apollo 10 command capsule; you know just sit in one of the three seats. How about letting me climb down the LEM ladder? One small step for Gary.

Artefacts of a different kind and age were on my mind when visiting the British Museum. I wanted to see the Olduv[p]ai hand axes. After having been diverted by the Sutton Hoo helmet etc, the Rosetta Stone and all things Egyptian, Roman and Greek, I arrived in the appropriate room to find a lovely lady with three such axes available for one to hold. Beyond my dreams I held each in turn. Aged at around 1.5 to 1.25 million years old, these three were not made by Homo sapiens but by H. erectus or habilis. Each one beautifully crafted and each made of differing stone; the lemon quartz one was exquisite.

Now at Cheshunt awaiting tomorrow's visit to Rye Meads RSPB reserve. Going to be great.

Almost there - well, almost every RSPB reserve visited. I will be at Sandy on Saturday at 10.00am. Before that Fowlmere on Friday.

Then the cycle home and the quest to find three new for the year birds to break Chris Mills' record. I just hope I get a couple of days off for Christmas.

All the best everyone,

Gary

Southend to Rainham - the long way!

2010-12-13T02:17:00.000-08:00

So early in the morning - just as the sun was rising .....

I laid down a carpet of stale teacakes, old toast and crumbled old scones on the beach across the road from a famous ice cream stand; Rossi's at Westcliffe on sea.

Down came a collection of gulls and waders; mostly black-headed but also three mediterranean gulls, a few common and herring gulls and . . . .

Rossi, the ring-billed gull. Bird number 249 for the year and only 3 to go to beat the NMYLR.

Waders such as sanderling and turnstone came very close to feed on the crumbs.

The important business done it was time to head back towards Harwich to visit the omitted RSPB reserve, Stour Estuary. Also needed to visit Wallasea Island RSPB reserve as I hadn't been able to get to this one back in January due to the snow back then. Got there and explored the huge expanse that, from the artist impressions in the portacabin, will be a major reserve in a few years time. At the moment there are some interesting creeks with waders such as avocets, grey plovers, godwits etc on them. Otherwise the area is an immense area of flat grassland just waiting to be landscaped.

More cycling filled up the rest of the day and I reached Old Hall Marshes much to the surprise of the staff there who hadn't expected me to be back. Slept there and in the morning, bright and early, I set off for the Stour estuary reserve. Through Colchester and along the main Harwich road, reached the reserve car park in a large oak and sweet chestnut wood, reputedly planted by the Romans. Explored this but very few birds then went to the estuary itself eventually finding the hides and viewpoint. Brents, pintail, shelduck and the common waders seen with goldcrest and bullfinch the better birds in the woods along the way.

Back to Maldon via Colchester, B & B in Langford nearby.

Cycled to Rainham RSPB reserve for the promised return visit and was met by Howard Vaughan by the shop. By now absolutely shattered so accepted the proffered hot chocoalate before heading out along the reserve pathways to 'bird'. Cetti's seen, stonechat and water rail also.

Now Howard had suggested asking for a room at the Premier inn nearby but there was no room there so I ended up sleeping in a 'proverbial' stable near to the reserve [!]. Very comfy too but the heavy frost in the morning was a shock.

Early morning birding at Rainham, lots of birds including sparrowhawk, marsh harrier, many waders and gulls seen. In fact over 50 species by lunch.

Goodbye to Howard, Brenda and everyone, cycled along the Thames cycle path, meeting some people on a West Midlands Bird Club outing from Solihull. Thanks to Mr Boyle for the donation for the RSPB. The cycle along the old A13 with a cycling equivalent of a motorway was great; much better than the sleet and slush negotiated back in January.

Good news and some bad, well for me anyway!

2010-12-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

Well now at Old Hall RSPB reserve with a feeling of Deja vu. I've been here before - yesterday in fact. Today is the 9th of December and I've already seen Rossi, the ring-billed gull (bird 249 for the year)and visited Wallasea Island RSPB reserve. Yet I'm back at Old Hall Marshes.

Why?

I missed out a reserve!!!

Stour Estuary RSPB reserve should have been visited after Wolves Wood and before Old Hall Marshes. I forgot so this afternoon was spent cycling back in the direction thereof. Southend to Wallasea Island. Then onto Maldon and a rest at Old Hall Marshes. Still 30 miles to cycle to get to the Stour Estuary reserve.

Blame it on the cold, my age or the fact that I am cream crackered.

Anyway I will be there tomorrow and from there it's a jaunt of 50 miles or so to Rainham to keep a promise made last January.

Thank you to Clare, Christine and Trevor (and family) for their donations.

Also thanks to the hotel Gleneagles in Southend for a great B and B last night. Lovely people.

All the best everyone

Gary

Now At Wolves Wood RSPB Reserve and on 248 for the year - 4 to go!

2010-12-07T03:31:00.000-08:00

Now what could be finer than to sleep in a church porch with the temperature way below zero, to awake at 1.10am and find that the 2nd Test against Oz is all over?

Well it could be going into a library and finding the friendliest librarians for months. No talk of health and safety here; just two lovely, friendly ladies, Charmain and Sarah and a cup of hot tea to unfreeze me. Thanks girls! [Hadleigh, Suffolk - top of the library Christmas card list].

Now the title tells you where I am now and also how many bird species I've now seen this year; with 4 more to go to beat the Non-motorised Year List Record. Here's the details from when I left Norwich.

1st December 2010

A very cold day with a strong, bitterly cold east wind. Metcheck states minus 9 C with wind chill and chill me it did. Found Surlingham Church Marsh RSPB reserve easily enough but not many birds as the marsh and small pools here were completely frozen. Wigeon and little grebes on the river; a few titmice, fieldfares and redwings seen. Spent the day searching for the RSPB reserves in the area, finding them and the few birds available. Five reserves in a small area, the final one was Rockland and here met a local birder, dave who gave me a light for the back of the bike. Another quick theft in Norwich had removed the last one whilst I looked for a book in an Oxfam shop. Birds here were as expected for a lake; gadwall, tufeted duck, good number of wigeon and 4 little grebes. Two redshank actually landed on the water and swam around for a while, strange! A marsh harrier soon got everything flying though.

The cycle to Olton was the coldest I'd experienced this year. Well my memory of last winter doesn't have the wind as bad as this despite that freeze. Got to Oulton and once again many, many thanks to a fabulous family who suffered my company for the night. Marjorie, Kevin, Kerry and Dad couldn't have been nicer and the warm bed and bath, not in that order was great.

2nd December 2010

Cycled to Minsmere along a busy, icy main road and enjoyed the last section of country lane into the reserve; sheer ice and a super slid with wellies to the ground. Light snow falling with heavier snow showers later in the day; still a very cold easterly but not as strong as yesterday, was met by Kathy and given a warming hot chocolate. Off onto this most famous RSPB reserve, trudging through snow a few inches deep, only to be called back to the centre to be photographed by Jon Evans, the local photographer whose fantastic photos adorn the visitor centre's cafe. [Mind you it hurt to see the king eider photos that had been at Minsmere for weeks before I arrived whereupon it had disappeared]

Actually saw some good birds despite the weather : a jack snipe landed on the ice for a nano-second before heading off over the scrape; an adult little gull circled over the small area of unfrozen water on the scrape for a couple of minutes before heading out to sea and 5 avocet came in.

Back at the centre met more people and the site manager, Tim took some details for the Minsmere newsletter. I had intended to get to Dunwich and sleep in the church there but with the snow getting heavier, as light fell and evening turned to night, I set the tent up inside a hide and curled up for the night.

3rd December 2010

Early morning birding at Minsmere but not a lot really. It had been an extremely cold night but the 2nd test kept me warm. That first over had me screaming with delight, which was probably by the couple of tawny owls nearby stopped hooting. Come On England!

In the centre met John Gibbs who told me of nearby woodlarks. Off to an area just south of Eastbridge but the stubble fields he'd mentioned were totally frozen out and covered with snow, with nothing on them. Spent a couple of hours searching nearby fields and came across an area with old sweetcorn crops on either side. Here there were lots of birds but mainly chaffinches and skylarks, red-legged partridges and starlings. Walked down the edge of a very thick hawthorn bush and there were 4 little beauties - woodlarks! Brilliant and another bird added to the NMYL. 247, 5 to go.

Back at Minsmere I attempted to find Caspian gull but to no avail. A superb female hen harrier did come very close though, both when I crossed the North Marsh causeway and again when I was inside the east hide.

4th December 2010

Was disturbed from my latest place of night-time rest by the cleaners arriving, Dave and Lizzie. They gave me a warming coffee and were very embarassed that I couldn't stay in the visitor's centre before it opened.

Actually it was slightly warmer than the previous days and I sea-watched for an hour seeing very little but enjoying the comfort of the shingle bank.

Walked to Dingle Marshes about three miles north and met three lovely young birders from Warwick, Clare, Anna and Dave. Walked and chatted with them whilst birding the sea and adjacent marshes. Red-throated divers and scoter on the sea, avocet, little egrets, a spotted redshank, marsh harriers etc on the marshes. No sign of any snow buntings, twite or shore larks.

On returning to Minsmere saw Jon Evans pointing his extremely large lens at a nearby silver birch. Delighted to see the 30 waxwings on it, the tree that is. Did joke with Jon that if he hadn't been there I would have found them myself. Lovely birds.

Back to Minsmere and a chat with John Gibbs about him and other Minsmere birders doing a BIGBY year list in 2011. John hopes that others will join him, particularly Joh Grant and Bob Card. I really do hope that that gets off the ground and that other reserves will have a go as well. See your birds by cycling or walking, or from your bed, as one Minsmere birder does.

Down to the east hide, chatting to Keith and Christine on the way, saw John running towards me. He'd found an adult Caspian gull and the telescope, commondeered from Ernie and Dave from Felixstowe, ensured that another one was on the year list. Bird number 248 - 4 to go.

Another night sleeping in the hide.

5th December 2010

Watched a marsh harrier feeding on a dead duck first thing. She spent maybe twenty minutes or so doing so. Also watched as hundereds of barnacle geese and greylags left heading north. Muntjac by the hide and 12 waxwings closer to the centre as I went for a warm up and a Horlicks.

Had seen 76 bird species over the time I'd been at Minsmere but it was now time to get going. Just before Snape a male sparrowhawk grabbed a blackbird and landed not twenty yards from me. He sat there with the blackbird initially noisy but soon quiet for quite a while before heading over a nearby hedge, no doubt but to enjoy his meal. Got to Snape RSPB reserve and met Matt, the warden, in the visitor's centre there. Great to listen to him getting a young lady to become a RSPB memebr. Walked the reed bed - estuary area for a while; seeing bearded tits, c.300 avocets, c.1,000 dunlin and others. then was shown the other areas of this reserve and a female black redstart. Snape will have an immense reed bed in a few years time and is another example of the RSPB's Futurescape programme.

Invited to spend the night At Matt's house and met Keiran, the warden of Havergate Island. Brilliant to meet him as he also is passionate about cricket and as England had been demolishing both cricket records and the Aussies over the last few days, the conversation was a little triumphalist. [England win by an innings and a half - and 71 runs!]

6th December 2010

Thick fog and 4 reserves to find, two of them unlisted on the internet RSPB website. Eventually found them all, including Boyton Marshes and Havergate Island. The latter I didn't land on but did see from the opposite bank. Birds very few and far between as everywhere was still frozen and the fog was very thick. A close barn owl was seen hunting and then catching a vole which it soon swallowed whole.

Cycled to Sutton Hoo but the ship barn was closed, apparently only open at weekends in the winter. Instead went to the burial mound area.

To Ipswich to get brake pads front and back at another superb cycling shop - ELMY CYCLES.

http://www.elmycycles.co.uk/

Coffee and sweets provide whilst Harry worked on the bike. Many thanks to Harry and Neil - great people; friendly and helpful.

Supermarket for food and after braving a very busy A road, walked along an icy country lane to Chattisham; finding a country church there with a porch. Soon asleep and woke at 1.10am as previously stated to find the 2nd Test match all over - bar the shouting. Shame about the Villa.

Less than two weeks to go now before reaching Sandy. Will then be cycling home from there.

All the best everyone,

Gary

Yare Valley RSPB Reserves - Cantley, Buckenham and Strumpshaw

2010-11-30T13:14:00.000-08:00

bikingbirder2010@hotmail.com 07988754090

Early in the morning, just as the sun was rising I saw a - thousands of corvids leaving their roost. Surrounded by leaving birds swirling in the pink-grey misty sky. 30,000 birds leaving for the day. Such noise, a great start to the day.

Hid the bike and stuff, better than when my stuff was stolen and spent the morning walking the whole of the Cantley-Buckenham Marsh perimetr walkway. 24 barnacle geese, c.100 pink-feet, a lone Canada goose, a number of Egyptian geese and a few greylags seen and the best views of bearded tits that I've had this year.

No sign of bean geese on the main marshes, searched around the back of the railway line, that is north of it, came across a group of over 60 of them almost tucked away out of sight next to some woodland habitat. Great! Bird number 246 for the year. Only 6 to go to get the record but what's available? Going to be tough.

The weather had made my quest a lonely one. Didn't see another soul until I got to Strumpshaw late morning. Heavy snow showers and heavy snow to trudge through; at least my 8 [!] layers kept me warm.

Strumpshaw was superb, both with meeting RSPB staff, Lotti, Ken and Tim, and birding too. 53 species by the end of the day from the three reserves mentioned, with woodcock and bittern seen, marsh harriers and 6 species of geese the highlights.

Met a lovely lady at the starling roost - Janet, a keen photographer. Flickr - Norfolk Rambler.

Slept in the volunteers house and was fed by Lee. Now he doesn't buy food but gets it from supermarket skips. If only more people made the point of telling these food emporia to stop food waste. Last year I photographed workers at a shop that 'Mums like to shop at' putting masses of food into the skips. They seemed to enjoyed smashing it as they threw it into the skip. Bags of potatoes, loaves of bread etc. A group of smokers at the top of a fire escape stairway told me that the skips here, and remember that this is just one shop, are filled three times a week. I showed the photographs to the children at school, not saying which shop it was but having them shout out the name as they recognised the labels. Something must be done about this waste. You wait until I get home! Anyway, off my soap box and thanks to Lee for the superb meal.

Tuesday 30th November

Cycled to Norwich and met Guy Kirwan. This was after having problems entering both Norwich Anglican Cathedral and Norwich library because of my reticence to leave my box and remaining equipment at cycle racks where there's no security. No such problem at the Catholic Cathedral. Another soap box moment. I'll spare you.

All the very best everyone.

Gary

North-East Norfolk - with 2 great birders

2010-11-30T12:48:00.000-08:00

Tim Allwood, his wife Holly and their lovely 2 toddler, Eleanor put me up [and put up with me] for two nights at Sea Palling and very grateful I was too. Lovely people and Tim's knowledge and attitude was so impressive.

26th November 2010

Early out to sea watch with Andy Kane. Andy proved to be a person of forthright views and fabulous skills. A privilege to sit with both on the sand dunes in very cold, wild sea conditions. Red-throated divers passing and various duck species in varying numbers too. Snow buntings closer in, flying past heading south.

After this I cycled to Stalham to search for the mythical Sutton Fen RSPB reserve. Now this place is reputed to have had less people visit it in the past than climbers atop Everest. Down various dirt tracks to get views of the edges of the huge expanse of reed and alder carr; sheltering when necessary from the frequent snow showers. Not many birds; marsh harriers being the best and a superb close by female sparrowhawk.

Back to Tim's for an evening's birdy natter.

27th November 2010

Another early morning seawatch but this time I walked alone to the rendezvous along the beach. Really wild, very windy easterly this morning and the sea was covered with froth from the crashing waves.

A group of 5 purple sandpipers were very approachable and snow buntings were present in small numbers. On getting to Andy and Tim's prefered viewpoint, found them both sheltering from the wind as best as they could and was told a pomarine skua had been reasonably close in. Now I need one for the year so a tad disappointed with the news. Fewer birds moving today and a very distant skua sp. was uncountable. Consolation prize was a close in little auk on the sea.

Said goodbye to the Allwoods and cycled to meat up with a group of people celebrating the 50th birthday of one of their friends. Now I knew none of these lovely people but had been invited to stay because one of their number, Vaughan Evans is a birder and had seen my blog. His suggestion that I stay with them at a superb converted barn complex, was very welcome indeed; as was the food and bath. The party revellers seemed very genuine in their interest on who I was, what I was doing and what my mental state was! Thanks to them all. Special thanks to the birthday girl and Bernie and Lewis, as well as Vaughan. [Ta for the Jaffa cakes]

28th November 2010

Up early and off in very cold icy conditions to Great Yarmouth. Raided the Harry Ramsden rubbish bins to find bags of cold chips, disguarded from the previous evening. Armed with these and in the company of a young campervaner, Tim [how many Tims I've met in the last few days], chips were chucked onto the beach for a good number of Mediterranean gulls. Fabulous to see all plumages amongst these beautiful gulls. Thanks Tim for the donation too.

Cycled to Breydon Water RSPB reserve and walked the sea wall. Very low tide and most birds, particularly duck were out on the mud some way off. The early morning sun had by now disappeared and mist was descending. Phoned my Dad to discuss the England turnaround in the First Test - Come on England!

Found a way to get to Bernay Marshes without having to walk the four miles from Breydon along the sea wall via a brilliant medieval church at Wickhampton. Sheltered in here and was delighted to see amazing large medieval paintings on the walls of the church.

www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/wickhampton/wickhampton.

All alone I explored the edge of Bernay Marshes with marsh harriers, various waders and a good number of pink-footed geese seen; the snow and mist adding to the 'Snow Goose' atmosphere. Now I say this as this must be the sort of place that Paul Gallico thought about when writing his wonderful novel, The Snow Goose. I could almost imagine Frith running along the bridleway holding the injured goose.

Got to Buckenham and then Strumpshaw RSPB reserve to see the starling roost; the best one I'd seen this year. Around 10,000 starlings wheeling tightly because of the attentions of two sparrowhawks and a marsh harrier.

Back to Buckenham in the dark to find a place to sleep.

All the very best to everyone,

Gary

Cley - 3 days but no new birds

2010-11-25T06:49:00.000-08:00

Arrived at Cley in drizzly rain and found a reasonably comfortable place for the night.

Met Colin Miller, a local stone mason, who showed me the inside of Cley's church and told me something about the churches inhabitants - bats; three varieties. He also showed me Richard millington's stained glass window of the white-crowned sparrow.

Tuesday 23rd November

Photographed nancy's on the way to 'Coastguards', meeting Gary Haddon there. gary and his group are from the Isle of Wight and together we chatted and seawatched. Nothing new but good numbers of common scoter on the sea, with pintail, teal, wigeon and brents passing. Further out were a few auks and gannets and a couple of divers.

Retreated from the appalling weather to the lovely and warm Norfolk Ornithological Trust Centre nearby. News of a Hume's yellow-browed trapped at Holme. Should I go back. I decided to wait and see if it was seen again.

Instead cycled to Blakeney Quay and found the golden plover flock facing away from me some way out over the mud. No chance of seeing an American golden plover in this lot. Need a 'scope not bins. Heavy showers passed over during a three hour wait and from these I sheltered beneath an upturned boat nearby, lying down on the grass and almost falling asleep here. Did see a female hen harrier though.

At around 2.30pm the golden plover flock flew even further out and my chance of a new bird for the year disappeared with them.

Wednesday 24th November

Well my spine problem from last March has reoccurred and painfully I repeated the routine from yesterday, searching for the American golden plover whilst also searching for a possible pomarine skua on the sea.

Weather colder but less wind with heavy showers scooting through.

Once again no luck with either of the target birds but a couple of bearded tits were seen.

A big thank you to Sandra in the Centre for the painkillers. Should get me moving a bit better.

Met Richard and Hazel Millington in the church and jokingly blamed Richard for my [imaginary] woes. It was his book, A Twitcher's Diary' that inspires one to try to get 300 birds in a year. Brilliant book and hard to believe it was written 30 years ago.

Thursday 25th November

After a night watching[!] the First Ashes Test on the phone's internet, up and at them but missed a pomarine at Coastguards by 15 minutes.

Sheltered from a heavy snow and than hail storm but felt warm with my multi-layering. Cycled to Sheringham where I found that the youth hostel is closed to individuals. Most annoying as it doesn't state this on the internet. It just says that 'internet booking is not available'. Oh well, carry on Pres!

Right 24 days to go before I reach Sandy and it's going to be fun with the weather forecast for the next two weeks. Must stay positive.

Think I'll learn the 'Learning to Fly' song by Pink Floyd.

There's no sensation to compare with this. Suspended animation in a state of bliss.

can't keep my eyes from the circular skies. Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth bound misfit I.

Titchwell RSPB Reserve

2010-11-22T06:50:00.000-08:00

Many, many thanks to Steve and Ann of Hunstanton for the bed and food. Also for the company at Ticthwell.

Whilst saying thank you, many thanks to ANTON HUNKA, friend of my brother Paul who has helped my cause. Very much appreciated Anton. Thanks!

Saturday 20th November

Arrived at Titchwell early in the morning with thick fog and limited views. Met Steve and Ann and walked to the Fen Hide. A chiff was amongst the bushes here.

A coffee break and the fog had lifted when we came out of the cafe. 74 species seen during a whole day visit; excepting a look for a reported Tundra bean goose. That wasn't seen but the pink-footed geese flock had 2 whitefronts. Highlights of the visit included a number of marsh harriers and two hen harriers.

Work on the brand new hide along the new sea wall looks to be almost completed and one must admire the fortitude of the workers. It was very cold and there they were atop the roof in the cold north-easterly wind.

Sunday 21st November

A lovely, bubbly, friendly lady; Flo heated my milk for a strong mug of Horlicks to warm me after my cool night sleeping out. She was fabulous and if you want to meet her and say hello, just go in the cafe at Titchwell. She's easily recognisable as her blond hair has many purple highlights. If you do see her, please thanks to her from me.

If one need thawing out in the coming weeks, then go into the cafe and see how many bird species are on the diarama there. Ross' gull and spotted crake are just two to be seen.

Off to Burnham Overy and a long walk along the sea wall looking for the reported rough-legged buzzards. Now I've had some bad luck with this species this year so I was thrilled and grateful to David Bradnum for pointing one out to me. This was after saying that we'd met on Fair Isle a few weeks ago. Also saw John from Lakenheath here. So RL Buzzard on the list, at last and now on 245 for the year. 7 to go.

Cycled around to Holkham Gap, searched for the shore larks to no avail and then went to the Tower Hide. Two barn owls, marsh harriers etc seen. Then whilst on the phone to dad, bemoaning the latest Villa defeat, an adult rough-legged buzzard flew past the hide and landed on a nearby bush. Great bird, a zebra crossing of white/black/white/black - head to belly, belly, tail, terminal band. Superb view of a super bird.

17 little egrets came into roost in an area of trees adjacent to a pool where dozens of cormorants were doing likewise. A small bat flew around the hide too. Must have had his thermals on because I needed mine.

Monday 22nd November

Cycled to Holkham Hall after watching the thousands of pink-feet leave. Barn owl, sparrowhawks, marsh harriers and kestrel seen before doing so.

Walked around the Hall's grounds but no sign of a lesser-spotted woodpecker. Hundreds of fallow deer though and Egyptian geese, including some perched on the branches of a dead tree.

Next to Wells to find two Black Brant on the football pitch there.

Will be cycling to Cley this afternoon and getting nervous because of the weatehr forecast of the next ten days; colder with possible snow showers. Great

27 days to go before I reach Sandy. I wonder if the RSPB will greet me there?

All the best everyone

Why not have a BIGBY New Year?

Gary

xx

Firecrest at Lynford Arboretum - bird 243 for the year

2010-11-19T05:15:00.000-08:00

And a male golden pheasant at Wolferton Triangle yesterday evening, 18th November 2010. Now are these true golden pheasant or is there some doubt over their purity. This male walked out in front of me, then flew over the road before disappearing under the rhododendrons. First time I've seen one fly; tail streamers streaming in the air. Can anyone say whether I can count it on the year list please?

The day had started at Santon Downham looking for lesser spotted woodpeckers and then looking for woodlark. Neither seen and if anyone can point me in the direction of either I'd be grateful. Only thing of note on tyhe Brecks was a very close muntjac.

Lynford Arboretum and 2 hours spent looking for the firecrest that had been reported a couple of days previously. Had stopped for some lunch, sitting at a picnic bench next to the archways when the treecreeper and the goldcrest I'd seen a few times whilst searching came onto a tree in the dell nearby. Went over and pished the evergreen shrubs there and out came the firecrest. Brilliant. One of my favourite birds and this one was a bright one. well appreciated and another for the year list. 8 to go to beat the record.

Cycled from here to Snettisham; after buying a cable for the iphone charger and saw the pink-footed geese flocks arriving for their roost; thousands of them.

Met two birders at this time, one of whom, Paul Searle has a great blog

http://www.chatterbirds.com/

Slept in the hide here. Actually had a very long sleep, 12 hours.

Friday 19th November

Woke around 6.00am and looking out of the hide window saw a 'half-moon Venus' if you get what I mean. It soon clouded over but not before seeing thousands of pink-footed geese leave their roost on the Wash.

Now I'm pleased to say that I now check every bird and it paid off this time with a close by black brant with a small group of brents.

2 peregrines were seen hunting over the mud and a white-fronted goose was with the greylags on the lagoon, as were around a thousand wigeon, small numbers of goldeneye, gadwall and mallard. 58 egyptian geese were here to and single great-crested grebe, little grebe and kingfisher.

Now I'd lost my last wooly hat somewhere yesterday and cycled back to Wolferton Triangle to search for same. Luckily for my slaphead, there it was, just along the road near the first triangle turning.

In the library at Hunstanton now and will be arriving at Titchwell a couple of days early. Hope they don't mind.

Sorry about the lack of photos but the thieves got the cable to my camera too.

Right, North Norfolk for the next week. Here's hoping.

All the best everyone.

Gary

I've been Robbed!

2010-11-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

Now, who in their right mind would steal one panner but not both? Who would take all the cycling tools but leave the expensive cycling helmet? Who wouldn't steal the lads - Barnaby, Sidney, Albert and Alberta? [the cuddly toys on the bike. Who indeed? The collection box on the front of the bike; well I understand the motive there. Now if anyone can give any information on who took these items whilst I stupidly looked over Ouse Fen RSPB reserve then please get in touch. How naive can I be? Maybe Shetland and it's no crime outlook had lulled me into a false sense of security but I wasetty stupid having locked the bike near-ish to the main road.

The panneir stolen contained some clothes, food, maps and the mobile phone charger. The cycling tools stolen from both panniers outside pockets.

Now am I downhearted over this. Not really. Frustrated that I will never meat the perpetrator[s] I can't be too down because people; friends and RSPB staff at Ouse washes, have been so fantastically wonderful. A tent was found for me as half of the one bought for me by my dear daughter Rebecca had gone with the pannier. A few tools were also given and some gloves too. Thanks Jon and Liam. Nicola brought me a sandwich box and, bless her, she even wanted to cycle home, cook me some pizza and chips, cycle back to the reserve and then cycle home again. I couldn't accept such kindness but was very grateful for the thought. Super people. Friends from home volunteered to buy what had been stolen and bring it to me from Wolverhampton and Worcestershire! Thanks Ian and Phil. Another very dear friend, Diane phoned to insist that I stay in a B & B on her. I didn't but once again was grateful and appreciative.

Now if I put a positive light on the experience, I've only had three such negatives in a whole year. The collection box being stolen in Kenilworth, my MP3 player stolen whilst in the library in Fort William and now this. Also my bike is now a lot lighter!

OK, let's talk birds.

Have been to Nene Washes, Fen Drayton, Ouse Fen [!] and Ouse Washes RSPB Reserves and Welney WWT reserve. The latter was the final one of the WWT's nine reserves to be visited so my first target for the year has been achieved.

Highlights bird-wise include stonechats, peregrine, hundreds of whoopers and bewicks, marsh harriers and thousands of ducks.

Joined in with the WEBS count at Ouse Washes; getting up at 5.15am to be out in my alloted hide for first light. The eventual co-ordinated count was around 7,000 whoopers and 1,200 Bewicks.

Now at Lakenheath RSPB reserve after a comfy night in another church porch. This one had a motion sensitive light!

Saw 5 cranes, 6 marsh harriers, a barn owl, some beardies and water rail and an adult yellow-legged gull amongst the 40 species on the day list. Superb people here met too. Dave White and Steve, Liz [thanks for the pork pie] and John. Great people!

Next on the itinerary is to search the Brecks for woodlark, lesser-spotted woodpeckers and firecrest. Wish me luck as I need all three to get near to the non-motorised year list record.

Right time to go.

All the best,

Gary

North Norfolk for the next 10 days. If anyone can spare a bed please phone 07988754090 or email bikingbirder2010@hotmail.com Thanks everyone.

Frampton RSPB Reserve to Rutland

2010-11-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

Friday 12th November

Early morning start, birding at Frampton with Tony. What a difference to my previous visit. Now a superb maturing reserve with scrapes, hides and a growing reedbed. Then, four years ago, a pile of manure and a field with pipits, linnets and finches.

I explored the whole reserve for the whole of the day and ended up with 60 species including kingfisher, little egrets, good numbers of ducks and waders, four different sparrowhawks and only my second view of grey partridge this year. Ten of them right outside the fabulous visitor's centre windows.

Loved chatting with the folk of Barnet & Potters Bar RSPB group and other birders including

Saturday 13th November

Cycled from Framton to Fineshade Wood/Top Lodge RSPB reserve via Spalding [!] and Stamford. Arriving there met by a good friend's brother Chris Andrews then spent the late afternoon birding. 26 species seen in this massive forested area, with brambling and marsh tits, goldcrest, nuthatch and woodpeckers.

The evening was spent cycling to Rutland to try for long-eared owl.

Sunday 14th November

Up and at 'em early but no long-eared owls in the roost there. Now I must be honest. First rule of birding - CHECK EVERY BIRD! I hadn't and was embarassed when Matthew Berriman, Tim McKrill and Tim Appleton arrived to say that one of the teal I'd scanned over was in fact an american green-winged teal; my second of the year.

Paid my entry fee of £5 and birded the fabulous Rutland Bird Reserve. Mind you a reported grey phalarope had me cycling to Hambleton to search it out and I was pleased to find it just as another birder, Barry came over to say he couldn't see it and that it would be a new bird for him. Had very close views of this smashing bird.

Saw a large flock of Egyptian geese [bird 242 for the year] and a flock of carefully checked golden plover, around the thousand mark.

Back to the centre and 64 species seen and 3 very large rats under the feeders near the centre. Now I like rats and think that they are fascinating creatures. These three were particularly large and confident.

The evening this time was spent cycling to Brian, Karen and Alex Stone's house near Peterborough and many many thanks for the fabulous meal, bath and bed. A wonderful evening with this very kind family talking birds over the dinner table, watching Attenborough's latest programme and listening to the men play piano and guitar. Brilliant. Thanks again.

Right, now a bit nervous because Brian, who is doing a cycling only year list around Peterborough, is going to cycle with me to the Nene Washes. Now I only hope that this mega fit cyclist wont be too harsh over my cycling speed!

Thanks to Martin for the donation to the RSPB. Much appreciated.

Will be cycling to the Nene washes, Fen Drayton, Ouse Fen and Ouse washes over the next two days. I'm still behind my itinerary because of the weather and the day at Rutland but have a window of free days coming up where I'll be able to hopefully add to the year list and catch up with the reserve list.

All the very best everyone. 47 days to go!

Gary

Hasn't the weather been exciting?!

2010-11-12T16:16:00.000-08:00

So I set off from my visit to my son, Josh, and with an easterly blowing strong and the rain falling got to Donna Nook - eventually. Hail fell and heavy rain and dispite sheltering a kind motorist decided that soak the cyclist by going through a large puddle was the fun thing to do. Thanks.

The cattle egret had gone to roost so after a chat with John and Mel, the local farmers whose cows were the egrets main attraction, I camped in the car park, sheltering from the strong wind against the sea buckthorn hedge. A comfy night and an early start. No cattle egret first thing so spent time looking at the large colony of grey seals that this place is famous for. Lots of very newly born pups too, some with umbilical cords still attached.

9.00am and back to the cows. My cheers could be heard for miles. Bird number 241 for the year. 11 to go to beat the record, unless someone is also going for the record. Maybe I'm just becoming [more] paranoid.

Cycled to Langford lowfields, near Newark. Met Paul, the RSPB warden and together we went around what will be the reserve in 2017. Merlin, sparrowhawks, a water rail and some bearded tits heard. At the moment the reserve has gravel pits being excavated by Tarmac but watch this space because this is going to be a fabulous huge reserve. Paul was fabulously kind, with soup and coffee whilst chatting and then off again to find a place to sleep. Dark by now I found a beautiful church, St at Brant Broughton. I'd just got into my sleeping bag with my silver paper wrapping, intending to sleep in the porch, when five bellringers arrived for a practice. What a fabulous, totally unexpected evening up in the belfry of this beautiful church. Many thanks to Katharine, Karen, Lindsey, Trevor and especially to John who showed me certain things about the church before the others arrived. They even had me ringing a bell! Great fun.

Up early and the overnight frost had turned to gales and rain once more. Now I haven't had too many terrifying moments but cycling the A17 towards Sleaford in the very strong wind, the rain and the spray was just that. [sorry Mum!] I got pushed over onto the grassy verges a few times by the buffetting by the passing lorries. Not their fault but the wind was so strong and the road so narrow in parts. The rain fell heavier as I got to Boston and I went into the 'Stump', the large parish church.

The afternoon, now a bit sunny but still windy was spent cycling the RSPB reserve at Freiston. One problem, I'd left my wet binoculars in the church. Met Graham and Jenny, both RSPB staff and they took my panniers etc on to Frampton whilst I peddled as fast as the wind in my face would let me to retrieve my bins. Luckily still there so I cycled to Frampton. Met at the door of a brand new visitor's centre by Wendy Morris, a volunteer reserve assistant, then Tony, Jenny, Graham and Simon. A photo was taken outside the centre, which hadn't been here on my previous visit to the reserve four years ago. On that occasion Ian Crutchley and myself sheltered against a huge manure pile from a very cold east wind whilst looking and eventually finding a buff-bellied pipit found by the previous warden, Paul French.

Right time to go.

Thanks to Wendy and her dear Mum June for putting me up for the night. Really appreciate it.

Love to everybody,

Gary

Old Moor RSPB Reserve

2010-11-08T15:02:00.000-08:00

Need to catch up again on blog news but just to say that I am now sheltering from the stormy weather in Hull, visiting my son, Joshua who's at Uni there. [November 8th]

Meanwhile going back a few days:

Arrived at Old Moor RSPB reserve after a lovely cycle from Castleford and was greeted by a group of around 10 or so RSPB people who were having a meeting in the visitor's centre. A round of applause from them as I lent my bike against the wall. Lovely.

Liane took me around to the office to meet people and I really appreciated her welcome. Next as darkness fell, a ew RSPB vols and staff and myself went for a bat search around the perimeter of the reserve. Only one daubenton's heard but a ghostly barn owl was seen quite close.

Thursday 4th November

Up early the next day to go birding. The aim was to beat the 66 bird species seen at Fairburn Ings. Rain first thing, brightening later, birds of the day included spotted redshanks, 5 green sandpipers, a ruff, a superb peregrine that drifted in causing panic amongst the duck and waders and good numbers of duck and waders such as golden plover and lapwing. The set up of the reserve is superb with fabulously situated hides giving great views over scrapes, lakes and reedbeds.

Mid morning and a ride around three nearby reserves with a number of RSPB people, Craig, Liane, Nicola, Katie and Pete. A really enjoyable ride and great to share the experience with others. They hire out bikes here for people to do likewise; a wonderful initiative.

Katie, the assistant warden, showed me the oldest hide in Yorkshire in the afternoon; a great hide with historic birding moments written on the inside walls; details of rarities etc. above the windows. Great idea.

Down to the wader hides to try to get to 66 but alas the light went and rain started to fall and I ended the day on 61. A fabulous day with great people on a fabulous reserve.

Friday 5th November

An early morning cycle along the Trans Pennine Trail to Doncaster and then to Beckingham Marshes, a very new RSPB reserve near Gainsborough, meeting Paul Bennet and the warden with two volunteers Dave and Graham. A couple of hours birding and chatting before setting off to try for the rough legged buzzard at Hatfield Moor. Now I'd had a couple of days in rain dipping on this species and this day was no exception as rain feel and the immensity of the area defeated me. Mind you I'd enjoyed the day's cycle of around 40 odd miles in very warm weather.

Saturday 6th November

Cycled to Blacktoft Sands from Wroot, arriving at around 10.00am. Met Mike and Bill in the visitor's centre before heading off birding. Beautiful sunny day with great bird views including a very close fly by by a male hen harrier. Other birds seen included 11 marsh harriers; some having been seen during the day but 11 counted going in to roost; also 3 barn owls, 2 ruff, over 70 snipe, a water rail, 3 bearded tits, 16 black-tailed godwits, 2 peregrines, 3 sparrowhawks - the day's list ending at 52 species. Brilliant. Also saw a very close fallow deer, close enough for a reasonable photo.

A very cold night with intermittent sleep; camping at this time of the year is going to be tough and if anyone who can help me by offering a warm bed would be greatly appreciated. [07988754090 or email bikingbirder2010@hotmail.com] Really I'm getting very nervous about this. 41 nights to go before I get to Sandy, it's only going to get tougher but I'm not giving up now when I'm so close. Please look at the itinerary for the approximate route. [Tetney, Langfield Lowfields, Frampton/Freiston, Top Lodge/Fineshades, Nene Washes, Fen Drayton/Ouse Fen, Ouse Washes, Welney, Lakenheath, Snettisham, Titchwell, Sutton Fen, Berney Marsh/Breydon, Buckingham, Strumpshaw, Surlingham, Rockland, Dingle Marshes, Minsmere, Halvergate, Wolves Wood, Stour Estuary, Old Hall Marshes, Wallasea Island, Rainham, Rye Meads, Fowlmere and Sandy.] Please if you can help get in touch.

Sunday 7th November

A very old frosty start but very sunny also. Two close roe deer seen and a large skane of over 600 pink-footed geese flew overhead. In fact lots of birds seen in large flocks; gulls going inland along the river, thousands of golden plover and lapwings, starlings and geese.

Same waders as yesterday but more of them due to a high tide and 13 dunlin and 9 spotted redshanks as extras.

Two lovely volunteers in the visitor's centre; Myrra and Trevor. {Thanks for the jokes and Yorkshire sayings, Trev'. Example?

yy ur yy ub ic ur yy 4 me.

Also met Pete, a very knowledgeable birder and site manager for Blacktoft, Reades Island and Tetney. Brilliant bloke.

Now if you meet me please don't ask how many punctures have I had. I always have one straight after someone asks me. No exception here but inner tube repairs were no use as the wall of the tyre was abraded and this was what was causing the punctures. Eventually managed to get to A1 Motors - CYCLE LIFE SCUNTHORPE in Scunthorpe by pumping the flat tyre up every couple of miles or so. Stuart and Richard helped by changing the tyre for me and they gave me a couple of brand new inner tubes. So many thanks to you lads. I'd also managed to drop my binoculars some where along the road. OK so they should have been around my neck but with all the pumping I put them in one of the panniers. Now I need to say thanks to Mal Shipley who helped me find them, thank goodness. Now Mal is famous for being in the Guiness book of Records for having pushed a wheelbarrow from Land's End to John O'Groats for Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

The day ended with me cycling over the Humber Bridge and negotiating the maze of Hull's streets to find my Son, Josh.

Right time to go.

Please if you can help please get in touch.

Meanwhile all the best evryone,

Love

Gary

Hello to the Rigby Children xxxxxxxxxxxxx See You All Soon - ish

2010-11-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

Hello children - and staff.

Especially a very big hello to :-

Anees Danielle Grace Louisa Richard Sadie Sam Sian Tom and Tyrone [Shoelaces]. . . hello to Sara and Jean too xx

Here's a picture for you Tom :

It's a photo of that osprey that was sadly dead in the Lake District Tom.

Here's a photo that will make you feel happier :

It's Barnaby Bear on top of Scarfell Pike.

Can you guess where I have been sleeping most nights?

And my bike has been fantastic :

And so have been the people I have met :

How are these faces feeling ?

This was a very windy day on a boat :

Now is the time to say goodbye ........

Love to you all

Mr Prescott

OK everyone. That's just me saying hello to the children and staff at the school where I am a teacher - Rigby Hall Shool, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. England.

http://www.rigbyhallschool.com/

Fairburn Ings 28th - 29th October 2010

2010-10-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

Another brilliant RSPB reserve! I hadn't been here for 20 years and how those years have been kind to the area; thanks to the RSPB. A superb visitor's centre, miles of walks with fabulous autumn colours, lots of birds and a special group of great RSPB people.

Met by young Joe, who was exited over having just found a common waxbill. Ah sweet youth and naivity. Me, old cycnic that I am. I wasn't too upset at not seeing it.

Now Joe [Joseph!!!] was fabulous. In fact he has been the first person that I've met on an RSPB reserve who has actually asked whether I was a member! I showed him my membership card and gave him my complimentary one - signed. You should have seen him blush. Brilliant.

A great welcome. Met Zoe, a keen roseate tern fan with a tattoo to show her love and Duncan, a peat bog man.

A quickish walk around part of the reserve with Graham [Thanks!] with kingfisher coming close and lots of tree sparrows, goldfinch and itimice, including willow all seen.

An evening spent in the company of three smashing lads in the RSPB house. Condition of my staying there for the night was that I watched Kate Humble on Autumnwatch. No hardship there.

Friday 29th October

A day of fun with the photo session on an Halloween Theme. The reserve is having a Ghostly evening and from all of the preparations going on in the centre's office I know the children who attend, and their parents are in for a spooky time. I'll put some photos on when Joe sends some that he took to me.

A superb drystone wall is being built and thought you might like to see the progress:-

Thanks to Darren Starkey and everyone who I met there.

Off around the reserve, both in the morning and again until sunset, with a long walk after viewing from the hide near the centre. A beautiful walk surrounded by the golden leaves of silver birch. Goosander, pintail, shelduck, goldeneye and six black swans [bred here this year - future British Bird?] on the water with 100s of coot and other more common species; kingfisher, green woodpecker, willow tits, tree sparrows, siskins, lesser redpoll amongst other titmice, finches etc. Birds of prey also seen, peregrine, sparrowhawk a few times, buzzards and kestrels.Great day's birding with it ending at sunrise with snipe tazzing about and dozens of cormorants coming in to roost. 66 species over the day - the best day's birding numbers -wise in Yorkshire - so far. Will Old Moor RSPB reserve give a better total?

So now for a short rest before the final stretch from Fairburn to Sandy via Lincolnshire, Notts, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, etc. Just a short jaunt really!!!

Thanks to everyone who's donated and thanks for all the messages of support.

All the best everyone,

Love,

Gary

Now on the way to Fairburn Ings - Thursday 28th October

2010-10-28T04:13:00.000-07:00

Arrived at Wheldrake Ings yesterday at around 11.30am and had a relaxing day. Thrilled to meet an Upton Warren birder Tim Jones who's moved up to York University. [Thanks for the donation Tim and good luck at Uni'] We were both here to see an american wigeon and after a few hours of enjoying peregrines and common ducks and geese, the am wig was found and three great lads let me have goodish views through their scopes. Bird 240 for the year. 12 to go for the record.

Had had a seawatch Tuesday early on but not a lot seen. A woodcock off the sea, a couple of unid'd skuas and a few fieldfare coming in. Rain was falling so an invite back to Richard Bains house with Ben Green [artist and Villa fan- good lad!] and Duncan Poyser, for a warming cup of tea was welcome. It's great to be in the company of birders for a couple of hours. Guess what the conversation was about?

Over to Phil Cunningham's house to collect the bike and stuff that had been left there during the seawatch. Thanks to his Mum in Law and her brother, Brenda and Jack, for the donation.

Early morning rise to get to Fairburn Ings today. Lovely to meet Paul Doherty and his directions were perfect. Great bloke.

http://www.birdvideodvd.com/

Right time up at the library.

All the best to everyone. 2 months to go.

Gary

Post Saltholme and on to Bempton RSPB Reserve

2010-10-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Well say my beautiful, funny, exhilerating daughter Rebecca for the evening. An evening of new culinary delights; namely a 'Parmo' - cheese on chicken and a DVD of Terry Gilliam's film Dr Parnassus.

Now I love Gilliam's other films; Baron Munchausen, Time Bandits etc but my favourite is Brazil. The scenes when Sam flies amongst the clouds with those wonderful silver wings. [OK I like the bit with the ribbon too but my Mum might be reading this!]

Great to see 'Rebs' again and I'm very proud of her. Love you Angel.

Next day, Friday, got to Commondale to try to see a rough-legged buzzard. Just missed it when I arrived and then the whole of Saturday was spent doing the same. Well, not quite the same as most of the day was heavy rain. So by dodging the rain sheltering in the village pub, a little birding gave a sprog but no Rough-legged. Oh well. Should see one sometime this winter.

Moved on a good distance on Sunday. In fact cycled 56 miles through hail, rain but with a northerly pushing me first to Whitby [lovely], then Scarborough [likewise] and eventually to Bempton. Now Bempton is one of my favourite reserves. When I was first with my wife so many years ago, we all, that's Karen, the children and myself, used to stay at a caravan near to here so I got to know the area quite well. Now Bempton has a huge chalk cliff for its main habitat and although the nesting birds might have all left, it's still a very impressive sight. Met Jonathan, the information assistant; Nick, the retail manager and Sue, a local volunteer. Nice people one and all. After I'd apologised for being early - three days early! I went out to have the first look from the cliffs. The cold north wind was still blowing but gannets were passing and a good number fo kittiwakes too. Arriving as I did at around 4.00pm I only had an hour or so.

Monday 25th October

Up with the lark and straight down to the cliffs. Keep it short, saw 41 species of bird including my first sooty shearwater of the year [year list 236] and a lapland bunting. Also met a non-typical local birder. Here's the conversation I had when i approached him and I quote :-

"Good morning" [silence] "Anything about?" "Who said you could come in here?" Sorry I didn't know" "You knew you couldn't!" "I didn't. I'm not from around here. Listen to my accent" "Read the notices, ...Private."

At this he turned his back and walked off. Now I'm a friendly chap and all I'd seen was a birder, and according to people I met later they all say that this 'gentleman' is a brilliant birder, and I'd gone up to ask what he'd seen. There were no signs to say that I was indeed out of the RSPB area. Indeed the gate had a notice saying what common hedgerow birds might be seen here. Nothing else. So ended a meeting with the most ignorant and bad mannered birder of the year - allegedly. So I say this to you Terry Nolan. Lighten up and join the human race. Good manners cost nothing and I feel sorry that you feel the need to be so disgusting towards other people. You sad, lonely, little man.

Right I've got that off my chest. there's no need to be like that. I wonder what makes Terry behave so.

Back to the birding.

Enjoyed the walk around the whole of the reserve. Corn buntings and stonechats; a goldcrest in the Dell. Red-throated divers on the sea and dozens of tree sparrows [good fun gently pishing them] at the feeding station.

Met Ian Kendall, the site manager and Allan Dawson who I'd met earlier by a watchpoint. Smashing people.

Off to Flamborough with 4 target birds for the year list. Met Phil Cunningham and Andrew Malley along the Lighthouse road and immeadiately saw a target bird on a telegraph wire. Waxwing! [237]. Lunch in the cafe, thought I deserved a treat, and then seawatched with Phil by the foghorn. Now there weren't many birds but I did find a little gull [238] and a couple of little auks [239], as well as a passing possible glaucous gull. Looked good to me with my Opticron bins but Phil said he could see a small greyish smudge on an inner primary. A number of red-throated divers were on the sea and a couple of great northerns flew past; as did a sandwich tern. Great 3 of the 4 target birds and a growing year list 3 closer to the record.

Phil left as the sun went in and it grew immeadiately much cooler. He was replaced by three birders who went further down the cliff to the famous seawatch ledge, Richard Baines and two Cambridge birders. Richard Baines gave a donation to the RSPB on the behalf of the Flamborough Bird Observatory [Many thanks for that]. Not a lot of birds moving now but a snow bunting landed on the grass just behind us. Nice.

Sundown and a shortish ride back to Bempton.

Now you may remember Roz savage; she of rowing the Atlantic and Pacific fame, well she has put some words of advice on her latest email message. Check them out -

http://www.rozsavage.com/2010/10/19/goal-setting/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rozsavage%2Fblog+%28Roz+Savage%2C+Ocean+Rower%29

Reading her emails is always a pleasure and her fortitude has been an inspiration for me over the year.

Thanks to everyone who has been looking at my blog. Seeing who is following me on Twitter and the like is a real motivation and I am very grateful to you all.

Right, time for bed for tomorrow will be another very early seawatch at Flamborough day.

All the best,

Gary

The Most Amazing and Wonderful RSPB Reserve - Saltholme

2010-10-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

After a quick visit to Saltholme in the afternoon after leaving Washington WWT Reserve and after having cycled down the busy A19, slept nearby with a view of the opening Bladerunner scene. The lights of a nearby oil refinery shone brightly as an almost full moon rose with Venus at its side. How romantic.

21st October 2010

Got to Saltholme RSPB reserve early and met a lovely volunteer, Barbara, who was doing some birding herself on the way in. A little egret was in Bottom Pool, along with shovelor, teal, a good number of gadwall and a few teal. Nice start to the day.

Met the warden next and then was taken in over the swingbridge into the reserve centre. Now I've seen a few impressive visitor centres before but the one at Saltholme takes some beating. A large modern centre with awards for its 'green' credentials.

http://www.greenbuildingpress.co.uk/article.php?article_id=572

The reserve centre was busy with dignitaries from English Nature and the higher echelons of the North East RSPB but dave Braithewaite gave some of his time to show myself and the English nature photographer around the reserve. Dave was brilliant! A hugely charismatic enthusiast, Dave told me of breeding success for this year and their future plans. All these were discussed with much mirth and I enjoyed his company tremendously.

He left me in the Pool Hide where I met up with hide wardens, Dennis and Adam as well as meeting up with the delightful Barbara again. Sat there for a couple of hours watching the birds; black-tailed godwit, a few dunlin, a few hundred golden plover and a variety of duck including pintail and goldeneye. Also met people here from York; part of the 'University of the third Age' [U3A] group. Lovely people who certainly knew how to enjoy their birds.

http://www.u3a.org.uk/home.html is the link for their home website.

By now 37 species and a male sparrowhawk hunting in front of the cafe made it 38. Speaking of the cafe!!! Many, many thanks to Dave Braithewaite and to the wonderful Anne, Dawn and Angela for the fabulous dinner. After a few days of pitta breads with jam and peanut butter, it was great to have soup, then dinner of such a superb quality and quantity. Thanks so much. Very much appreciated.

Whilst enjoying these culinary delights, met a fabulous young girl, Lyndsay, who was working with local school children from Yalm Primary School on an art/bird project. She showed me the children's creative work on her laptop and we chatted fro half an hour or so about such projects. One of their projects is viewable on you tube :-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8NQ6xzkrT8

Eventually off and onto the Transporter Bridge. Well over the river and back. Then along the cycle path and onward. Another fabulous RSPB reserve visited.

Washington Wildfowl & Wetland Trust Centre - Wednesday 20th October 2010

2010-10-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

19th October 2010

What a brilliant place! OK call me a dude [my friends do] but I enjoy having red-breasted geese waddle up to me whilst I sit enjoying the autumn sunshine. I like hearing the sexy call of eiders close to and I love watching people, who may not be super birders, enjoy birds.

This is my first visit to Washington WWT Reserve and the people here couldn't have made me more welcome. I arrived three days early because the migrants on the Northumerland coast had disappeared with the westerly winds. Also the RSPB have, thank goodness, got 2 more reserves that need visiting and therefore I need to push ahead of schedule for a bit. So a surprised staff greeted me very warmly and so my visit began.

Now the centre was just a few empty looking farm fields back in 1975 and now? Well it looks a fabulous place for children with many features of fun for them. There's the usual collection birds but not too many and there's woodland to explore, a brilliant feeding centre with hide for close views of woodpeckers and willow tits and a wader scrape down by the river, where recently over 750 curlew have roosted. After a lovely chat with Jane the Centre manager and Leanne, the marketing manager, and after having enjoyed watching the cranes chasing off a grey heron that had wandered into their enclosure, I went for a late afternoon walk around the grounds. I ended up at the wader scrape and checked all of the teal there and generally just enjoyed the peace after a day of hair-raising cycling down the A1, the A189 and the A19.

Once the centre was closed I was lucky to have a fabulous evening in the company of three great ladies: Gill, Leanne and Giselle {whose surname is Eagle and who will be working as an ornithologist on Bardsey with her boyfriend. Well, she will be once she gets a ride over to the wonderful isle.}. A million thanks for the evening girls.

20th October 2010

No cloud, a cold northerly and lots of late autumn sunshine. A quick look around the collection part of Washington and then a series of ridiculous looking photos of me with a toy flamingo for the Sunderland Echo and an interview with a reporter from the same. All great fun and my embarassment over doing such things lessening - slightly.

Have just returned from exploring the wilder areas of the reserve having seen 28 species in an hour and a half. Siskins, great spotted woodpeckers, willow tits, goldcrests and bullfinches were the highlights of a very enjoyable time. Wonderful light and lots of birds close to. Might not be the rarities that so many crave but I like it.

It's incredible what they've done with this place. For the local people it must be great to have all of this on the doorstep and tucked down in a tree surrounded valley, one can't see the large offices just up the road. What one can see is a green roof covered centre, pools and trees both large and small with autumn colours and lots of birds. A brilliant place - or have I said that before. I'll be back.

Now to get back to the A19!!!

Vane Farm RSPB reserve.

2010-10-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

What a great reception from everyone at Vane Farm. Thanks for it. Much appreciated.

What a great reserve too. Brilliant facilities with a cafe overlooking the Loch, a lovely pond dipping area with classroom sized hide and a combination of habitats that gave me 50 bird species in the morning. What with the arrival of a few thousand pink-footed geese, a good number of whoopers and a female hen harrier amongst the commoner birds, it was a great visit.

The early morning up gave views of the leaving pink feet from the hides and then I walked to the top of the hills behind the excellent visitor's centre. The view atop was wonderful; Bass Rock on view as well as Largo Bay and a few smaller islands. To the north a line of autumn coloured hills looked resplendent in the early sunshine. A very close by roe deer stood uncertain whether to depart but did so just as the camera focussed.

The staff at Vane Farm are of the usual standard for the RSPB i.e. the best!!! So what better place could their be for a relaxed day's birding? Great birds, superb views, great cafe with superb, friendly people to meet.

Was thrilled when a local cyclist [I hope I'm right when I say Linda] came in to say that she's come to the reserve to meet me. I was honoured.

An afternoon ride down to Largo Bay unencumbered by panniers didn't give any views of the scoter species I'd wanted but the 30 miles covered were actually fun.

Leaving was fun too. The ladies came out to push me off 'Conga' style! Brilliant.

Fowlsleugh and loch Of Kinnordy RSPB Reserves - and J.M.Barrie!

2010-10-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

A quick summary of the last two reserves visited. Inbetween each enjoyed strenous cycling in order to cover the miles so I wont bore you with the details.

Fowlsleugh RSPB reserve

Early morning seawatch - 1 great northern diver, a number of small flocks of eider, a few gannets, 1 kittiwake and a number of gulls.

Along the cliffs - 7 tree sparrows, c.40 yellowhammer, a few chaffinches and meadow pipits and a number of song thrushes and robins.

Interesting cliffs made of a large-boulder filled conglomerate. I wonder why the stream hasn't eroded its way down to the sea? Nice waterfall instead into a large crevice in the rocks with a large cave by its side.

Next onto Loch of Kinnordy via Montrose to have a look in the basin. Wanted to go to the Scottish Wildlife Centre but the £4 admission charge would be a day's food so cycled on.

Arrived at Kirriemuir and met Heidi, a local member of the Kirriemuir Heritage Centre. She told me of J.M. Barrie's birthplace and 150th anniversary celebrations.
By now it was almost dark but found the birthplace and a house named 'Window of Thrums', made famous in one of his books.

http://guide.visitscotland.com/vs/guide/5,en,SCH1/objectId,SIG49357Svs,curr,GBP,season,at1,selectedEntry,home/home.html

http://www.barrie2010.org.uk/

13th October 2010 Loch of Kinnordy RSPB Reserve

Early morning birds included sceins of pink-footed geese going over in their hundreds heading east. A flock of 143 landed on a recently harvested cereal crop nearby.

At 7.15am a few hundred jackdaws left their roost in conifers on the far bank of the loch.

On the water - lots of mallards, a few teal, 2 pochard and a few mute swans. Greylags and canada geese as well.

Now in Glenrothes library having a rest after a 40 mile cycle, which included riding over the Tay Bridge.

Just a few miles to get to Vane Farm RSPB Reserve. have been here before and looking forward to seeing it again. One of my favourites.

All the best everyone,

Gary

Aberdeenshire - Loch Of Strathbeg RSPB Reserve

2010-10-11T03:36:00.000-07:00

Can't be a better antedote to having come off Shetland than visiting Loch of Strathbeg RSPB reserve. 3 pectoral sandpipers [year list bird], and around 10,,000 pink-footed geese, as well as over 70 other species.

Had got off the ferry from Lerwick Thursday am and cycled to Rifigi farm to look for the pec sand there. Couldn't see it, did see 2 ruff and 87 curlew, so cycled 40 miles north to get to Strathbeg. Stopped at the Ythan Estuary to revive memories of my last time there 20 years ago when I twitched a king eider. Beautiful place.

Donughts [how do you spell it?] from Morrisons at Peterhead and an early arrival to the Loch. Was due on the Friday but wanted to see the geese arriving for the night.

Met Mark, Dave and Dominic and relaxed in the superb visitor's centre and the tower hide. Fabulous views of thousands of pink feets coming in for the night.

Up early next morning to join the Goose Watch. A strip of orange sky brightened as the geese took off and Dave told jokes and statistics to the members of the public who'd likewise wanted to see the spectacle - and hear it.

To the plantation next and a couple of yellow-brows with a few other migrants. ( lapland bunting were seen next adjacent to the sand dunes. {!}

About to have breakfast/lunch when the news of a black tern at the south end of the loch got me back on the bike. The RSPB people took the car but when I arrived the bird had gone to the other end. Oh well, more peddling and eventually views of a black tern [year list bird] through a telescope.

Now I have decided that the Scottish crossbill that I'd counted is no longer valid. Aberdeenshire/North east Scotland only count them if proof of a sonograph is available. Not having one on the bike I've decided to remove that so with the pectoral sandpiper and black tern the year list now stands at 234.

Stayed at the Fen Hide after the rest of the people had gone and whiulst looking at the tern saw a hen harrier land in the distant reed bed.

Exactly 70 bird species seen during the day.

Saturday 9th October 2010

Cyled to Troup Head but first saw the Goose Watch again, with larger numbers of geese taking off at one time than the previous morn. Also stopped at Crimond Church to see the 61 minute clock and the beautifully engraved windows celebrating the writer of the music to the hymn of the 23rd psalm. Was invited into the local church hall by Ann, after being shown around the church by Marlene [many thanks to both] where a Macmillan's coffee morning was taking place. Had a great time chatting with local people, drinking coffee and eating 'Rowie's'. Thanks to George for the information about the area.

Also many thanks to Marlene, Ann, Elma, Olive, Rachel and Eileen for their donations to Asthma UK.

Also thanks for the donation from 2 citizen wardens in Aberdeen - thanks.

Got to Troup Head and had an early night.

Sunday 10/10/10 - I like that. Troup Head RSPB Reserve

Had a morning off and read Bill Bryson for a bit. Eventually got up and explored the valley by the RSPB car park, finding lots of song thrushes, a few chiffs, a blackcap, a willow warbler and a reed bunting. Nothing special but I love finding migrants.

To the cliffs and sat watching the gannets on the cliffs. wrote down some specific behaviours observed - love and marriage.

5 wheatears on the way back to where I'd left the bike.

Cycled to Pennan, the location for the film Local Hero and had my phograph taken to the red phone box there.

http://www.scotlandthemovie.com/movies/pennan.html http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/scotland/tales/hero.html

Next stop was for a huge burial cairn at Memsie.

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=109

Then back to Fen Hide at Strathbeg but surpirsed to come across a Stock Car racing meeting. Enjoyed watching tha last three races; a ladies go-cart race, a 4 car saloon race and finally a demolition derby where the last car going out of around 30 was the winner. Chaos and mayhem, smashes and bashes. A winner and everyone homeward bound.

Now at Petehead cycling towards Fowlsheugh RSPB reserve, my next port of call.

Fair Isle photos

2010-10-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

Thursday 6th October - Goodbye Shetland

2010-10-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

5.30 ferry and then off to Aberdeen for the morning.

Last morning at Sumburgh but nothing new bird wise. was thrilled to see four friends from Worcestershire - the Upton Birders. They've been mopping up with every rare bird available and had seen a few that I'd missed. Oh well. Great to see them.

After having seen the Upton birders I met Dennis Coutts this morning with his friend Ian Cumming. Had wanted to meet Dennis because not only of his fame as a birder but also he knew well my late friend Gordon Barnes. We talked and laughed for about half an hour before time pressed on and it was time for me to start the journey north to Lerwick.

Thanks to Neil Alford, Mel Billington, Dennis Coutts, Ian Cumming and Jim [Sumburgh farm] for their donations.

Thanks to Roger, Paul, Graham, Gary, Steve and Dennis for their birding chat and help.

Thanks to Helen and Newton at Sumburgh RSPB Reserve.

Thanks to everyone at the Shetland Community Bike Project.

Thanks to Jim at Sumburgh Farm.

Thanks to Jim and Florrie, Darren and Angela, , Stewart and Trinona, all the children and staff at Fair isle School, Dave at South Lighthouse, the people of Fair Isle bird obs - especially Jack and Deryk, and many many thanks to Neil and Pat, together with the lads of the Good Shepherd.

Thanks to the girls [and boy] of Scatness Archaeological site - Theresa, Teresa, Jane and John.

Thanks to Farhead at Lloyds bank, Lerwick and many thanks also to Ann and Hugh.

You've all made my time on Shetland and fair Isle so very special.

They may regret me saying this but I've got to come back here.

I love Shetland!

2010-10-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

Fabulous people. Exciting weather and brilliant birds.

Now on 233 for the year with arctic and sykes warblers and red breasted flycatcher since last blog. Fetlar was wild with storm force ten winds with rain to match . Found rosefinch there but couldn't get enough on a possible american golden plover to count it. It was ducked down in the grass avoiding the gale. Oh well!

At sandgarth met a fabulous couple, Tony and Beth. What they have created with their garden is one of the best birdy habitat creation areas I've seen. A yellow browed warbler proved how good it could be. Lovely couple. Speaking of great couples, thanks again to Hugh and Ann Arthur for putting me up for the night. Married for over 40 years, they're the couple I'd always wanted to be with my wife.

Today back towards sumburgh despite a strong wind in the face. Saw not only a mega rare sykes warbler but also four great friends from my patch in worcestershire, upton Warren. Brilliant to see them.

So 19 to go to beat the record and although I don't want to leave shetland, I must be at aberdeen soon; Thursday in fact!

Thanks to Graham from chorleywood for his kind donation to the WWT. Nice to meet you.

Love to all.

Gary

Fair Isle !!!

2010-09-29T03:35:00.000-07:00

Now sheltering from the wind and the rain just north of Lerwick, on my way to Yell but still full of memories of a fabulous time on Fair Isle.

Setter, the home of my dear late friend Gordon Barnes. I sat, after a seasick ferry ride, on Gordon's bench and looked over to the croft where he and Perry, his wife, lived in when he was a crofter on the Fair Isle. Met Ian and Ruth the present owners and marvelled at the life of my friend.

A 3 night stay in the South Lighthouse where Dave runs a B & B. Dave's an eccentric with a lovely personality. Food given in large quantities and accomodation very comfortable.

No ferry to get back to Shetland due to weather, so a quick visit to Neil Thomson, the captain of the boat, and a real shock. I mentioned that I'd been singing Pink Floyd music recently whilst riding my bike. 2 hours later I came out of their beautiful home with a new friend. Neil had played Pink Floyd's comfortably numb, run like hell and a number of other of my favourite rock classics superbly on his 1965 telecastor. Brilliant fun and he's such a brilliant musician. Thanks Neil. [This was repeated later in the week with more music played including a perfect Hawkwind Silver Machine moment.]

Wednesday, a visit to the superb Fair Isle School and a lovely half hour with the children. Now can I remember all of their names? Hello . . . Henry, Raven, Lowri, Ythan, Sebastian, Orla, Amber, Robyn, Fynton, Oisin and .... oh dear that's all the names I can remember. Hey, I think that's all of them! Thanks to
Lisa the headteacher for her welcome too. A truly fabulous Eco School.
http://www.fairisle.shetland.sch.uk/

Other crofters met, Stewart and Trinona, Florrie and Jimmy, Darren and Angela; all lovely people and so friendly. Wonderful, wonderful people.

Also a visit to the superb Waterson Museum with Stewart Thomson. Brilliant displays on all aspects of the island from ancient neolithic history, crofting and many old photographs and artefacts.

The birds? Well 10 year ticks over the week including buff-bellied pipit, rosefinches, bluethroat and a number of warblers with a new bird for me, pallas' grasshopper warbler as well as subalpine, many barred and a few yellow-browed. Yet it was Fair Isle as a whole that I loved. The scenery, the fact that I could get up and bird watch the early hours and not see another birder until after 9.00am; well I was based down the south end and a fabulous new bird observatory is in the north; and the people.

Eventually a calm, flat sea and a long ride on the Good Shepherd to Lerwick. No seasickness this time just a great time with beautiful views of the South Shetland mainland. The a goodbye to Neil with a promise that I'd be returning.

Must say a million thanks to the Shetland Community Bike Project for the superb help they gave in repairing a few problems with the bike. Fabulous people there too and many thanks for their donation too.

Also many thanks to Hugh and Ann for their hospitality and friendly chat.

Now the year list stands at 232 having seen an arctic warbler and a red-breasted flycatcher at Sumburgh Head. So 20 more bird species to break the NON MOTORISED YEAR LIST RECORD, until someone else is trying to break it too this year. I wonder?

6 days waiting to get to fair isle .............. So

2010-09-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hello mudder, hello farder,
here I am at grutness harbour
I'm on Shetland life's so brimmin
if the tide bursts in
i'M sure to drown while swimming

north wind gale force
hail is stinging
rain is pouring
to bike clinging
it's so cold here
mid September
how many days I've Been stuck here
I can't remember!

If the wind here would stop blowing
there'd be be new birds I'd be knowing
in the gardens and the stingers
I'd be counting them on more than just 5 fingers

take me home oh mudder farder
I'll not roam won't go no farther
can't you see this weather frightens me
there's only rabbit for my tea

take me home oh mudder farder
let me phone you know I'd rather
be back home from there I would not stray
at least until a sunny day

There's been no birds worth recording
just surviving life's not boring
all the people so delightful
and the sheep here make the Welsh ones look so frightful

take me home oh mudder farder
I'll be blown from here no longer
peat won't burn
it took me time to learn
soon home is where I'll be
and all my family I will see

take me home oh mudder farder
I'll not moan won't raid the larder
here I freeze they say it's just a breeze
it's just I can't see any trees

Wait a minute there's an east wind
bits of drizzle it's now bringing
lots of warblers, chat with blue tail
and with these great bins I'm sure that I will not fail

sun is shining list is growing
now on Fair Isle life is glowing
lots of rare birds gee that's better
mudder farder kindly disregard this letter!

South Shetland Birding - Sumburgh Head RSPB Reserve 14th September 2010

2010-09-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Julian Branscombe for his very kind donation for the RSPB.

Early views out of the house window with snipe and redshank beside a near small pool, wheatear and rock pipits sheltering against the garden's dry stone walls as a SW wind blew and sharp showers passed. Many, many thanks to Roger Riddington for giving me a bed for the night and for helping me with my travels, giving advice and even fixing the previous day's gear/chain problem.

Roger is the editor of the famous British Birds magazine and I feel somewhat daunted to be with such an intelligent and talented birder with such a career profile; warden of Fair Isle etc. Yet Roger has been brilliant and I have really enjoyed being with him.

Still, after porridge for breakfast I got out into the field and started searching the area. First stop was Loch Virkie, finding then counting the waders; knot, turnstone, dunlin and ringed plover with a single shelduck and a few common terns seen also.

Met a great couple whilst sheltering from a shower behind their shed, Pete and Gail who kindly invited me in for coffee and a chat. Recently having moved to Shetland from the Scottish mainland but originally from Cornwall, they've renovated a croft overlooking the Loch and have a perfect position for watching the birds there. They've got the books, the bins, now they'll have the thrill of the new birds to find and see.

The famous Virkie willows were searched but only a single blackbird was found. Then to Scatness to have a look at the BOD, a type of bothy where a group of 12 siskin were flying around the archaelogical site. Must go back tomorrow and this time take some money for the entrance fee! Both the actual remains and the reconstructions of the iron age - Pictish buildings look brilliant and the three ladies met there were delightful and friendly also.

Past the airport and to the Sumburgh Hotel garden. 3 spotted flycatchers and a single willow warblers represented the migrants here.

Met a birder, Gary Bell and walked with him alongside a potato crop and then around the bunker field. I'm trying on my trip to improve my own birding skills and here on Shetland the more aggressive pishing is interesting. Twite were evident here, indeed 2 allowed me to sit beside them from about a meter away whilst I photographed them.

I searched the two quarries whilst Gary left to seawatch; only wheatear and blackbirds seen in these. I seawatched from behind a large dry stone wall as heavy showers quickly past in the strong wind. Joined gary again after being invited into the warm shelter of his car. Gannets and fulmars in the area in numbers with the occasional bonxie and shag and a group of grey geese in off the sea. Then we both saw the highlight of the watch simultaneously, a close in basking shark; Gary's first for Sumburgh and only his third in many years on Shetland. He phoned it out and soon others arrived to hopefully see it but unfortunately it didn't surface again.

Up to the RSPB offices atop the magnificent Sumburgh Head with it's large Stevenson lighthouse. Here met with Helen Moncrieff, the South Shetland reserves warden, Newton the assistant warden and I think Jim, the Sumburgh Farm owner. Jim had a dead short-eared owl that he'd found on the road. Surprising how small it looked. Helen showed me around and with Newton in the office, with coffee and Orkney oatcake we three chatted and talked about . . . birds. Helen knew Mark and Joanne who I'd met whilst seeing dotterel so many months ago and phoned Mark up. Great to hear him again and remember Mark's superb blog [Of Pies and Birds] and his fair treatment of 'The Mouth From The South'. Now who put that cuddly penguin on my bike - a stowaway! [Thanks Helen and Newton]

A letter waiting for me too, a real surprise. It contained a postcard from a very dear friend and her husband, Pauline and Paul. Brilliant.

I've seen fair Isle at last. I could see it from Sumburgh and immediately thought of Gordon Barnes, who is the main reason I want to go there so very much. Gordon was a crofter and birder on Fair Isle in the 60's and early 70's, living there with Perry his wife and their two boys, Alan and John. I was very lucky to meet Gordon and we were very close friends.

Back to Roger's house, seeing a flying grey plover showing it's diagnostic black axillaries on the way, for a meal before enjoying the United - Rangers match at Paul and Liz's house. Liz was from Alvechurch originally, a small village about a mile or so from where I live when I'm not galavanting around the RSPB and WWT reserves. Paul was the warden of Fair Isle before Roger and he was from Dorset. A fabulous couple and once more I know that I am being so lucky to meet such people on my trip.

So a full day. Great people met, superb scenery, wild weather with birds and a basking shark. Brilliant.

The Gales Back - 10th Septemenber 2010

2010-09-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Well not first thing this morning. I would describe it as fresh.

Goodbye to Julian and his daughters, then to a footpath beside a stream near to the airport the name of which |I know not.

Still a couple of migrants knocking about but nothing like yesterday :

1 garden warbler, 3 spotted flycatchers, 1 willow warbler and 1 chiff chaff, 2 reed buntings as well as many swallows tazzing about.

Then over to Shapinsay and a visit to the MILLDAM RSPB Reserve. By now very windy and a sharp shower didn't hit me because I was tucked up in the RSPB hide. Great view of the loch from in there which had c.600 teal, c.500 wigeon and gadwall, shovelor, mallard, c.250 greylag and a superb ringtail hen harrier.

Back to the quay where the largest woodland in Orkney may be found beside a large castle. Nothing noted in there of the bird variety, a few wood pigeons, a couple of wrens and blackbirds but three red admirals were seen.

Now about to get the ferry to Westray. I had thought of going over to North Ronaldsay but that ferry is cancelled.

Speaking of cancelling ferries; if metcheck is right for what they are predicting at the moment then it could be record wind speeds for Lerwick on Tuesday to Thursday next week. They predict speeds from 254 to 301 mph! I think they may be a bit off, well I certainly hope so.

Thanks to Dollina of Toab Post office for her donation to Asthma UK this morning.

All the best everyone.

Thursday 9th September - Orkney Migrants

2010-09-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

So after a long goodbye and a cycle to Kirkwall to sort out some finances; got to Grindigar Quarry near to Deerness. Actually this had the feeling of being someone's back garden and I initially rode straight past it. Backtracking I found the gate lichen covered with the friendly sign on it reading - "Weeds for sale, pick your own." Once through the gate a spotted flycatcher was seen on the nearby bush and soon 2 wood warblers, one wearing a shiny ring, a redstart, another spotted flycatcher, 1 reed warbler and about 6 willow warblers. Met a local birder, Maurice Rindall and it was lovely to have a chat about migrants.

Rode down to the Point of Ayre, atmospherically moody with low cloud, mist and a heavy sea with huge breakers. Waders on a smashed shoreline littered with mounds of laminaria sp. ripped by the last few days gales and sea surges, with a rock pipit picking at the sand flies. Views over to the inaccessible RSPB reserve - Copinsay were superb with gannets and fulmar passing. I had been offered a possible boat ride but the weather had prevented this from happening.

Two cracking long willow hedges lined fields nearby and many migrants were in them. The first to be searched had a whitethroat, a garden warbler and a male blackcap in it. The hedge further up the hill had far more with 3 spotted flycatcher, 1 pied flycatcher, a fabulous lesser whitethroat - one of my favourite birds, a reed warbler, a garden warbler, 2 redstarts and a male blackcap with about 10 willow warblers. A wheatear was on a barbed wire fence nearby. Twite in good numbers flew around, a rather tatty kestrel flew over, as did a couple of raven. Great stuff! Enjoyed this session with a super couple from near Stromness, Ian and Maureen and a very large rainbow framing the scene.

Finally cycled back towards the quarry only to meet another birder, Julian Branscombe, a really interesting man with a great knowledge who has put me up for the night. So that's where I am now, midnight and still talking. Julian is identifying a ground beetle using a microscope and I'm about to read about a nearby iron age site, Mine Howe..

Time for bed.

Thanks to my Uncle Harold for his very kind donation for the RSPB.

All the best everone,

Gary

Tuesday 7th September - Trumland and Onziebust RSPB Reserves continued

2010-09-09T01:16:00.000-07:00

Down to the harbour and then the boat over to Egilsay to walk around part of the large RSPB reserve - Onziebust.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/o/onziebust/index.aspx

This meadow has been planted by the RSPB for bumblebees of which the great yellow is one that can be expected here.

Next to a large ruined church, the church of St Magnus. Now I am curious over why St Magnus was made a saint. The information board tell of the treachery that cost his life and say that this was martyrdom. Seemingly there were two earls, Magnus and Hakon, contesting the Orkneys and a peace conference was arranged on Egilsay. Magnus arrived with the agreed upon two boats; Hakom arrived with eight! Hakon captured Magnus and eventually had him killed by his cook. This was after Magnus had given Hakon three ways to save his soul. The axe blow that did the dead was confirmed when the skeleton of St Magnus was found in the cathedral that bears his name in Kirkwall.

I've found more detail of this interesting tale on the following :-

http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/stmagnus/

From here I went down a track and over some fields, disturbing a few snipe and lapwind, down to a headland on the very north-west corner of the island. Over a narrow puece of water there was another very small island and on here I saw around thirty of the famous seaweed eating sheep. Now from what I've read, these sheep are to be found on North Ronalgsay but here were quite a few clambering over the seaweed munching away happily.

Seawatching from this point gave me more views of bonxies, feeding gannets and lots of kittiwakes and fulmars; turnstne and redshank on the shore and a small group of eider nearby. Also small parties of twite were tazzing about.

Back to the harbour in time for the boat and whilst waiting in the RSPB information room I met a lady from Lickey End, which is all of three miles from where I live near Brmsgrove, Worcestershire. To make it even more of a coincidence, Michele Mellor, was born at the school were I teach, namely Rigby Hall; albeit when it was a maternity hospital a few years ago. Here I am, possibly closer to Iceland than Bromsgrove [I'll check that out] and meeting people from my home town.

Back on the ferry with even more violent rocking than in the morning and a cycle ride back to the home of Alistair and Louise with the gale mostly blowing me there and with heavy rain; singing a Frank Zappa song about wind on the way . . . .

Good God, I hope the wind don't blow.

It takes the paint off your car and wrecks your windshield too.

I don't know how the people stand but I guess they do.

[Village of the Sun - Roxy and Elsewhere]

Now I must close this morning's blog with a huge thank you to the Forsyth family. Alistair and Louise, with fabulous children, Molly and Elana, have let me into their famiy life for a few days whilst i have been on Orkney and I can't say thank you enough to the all. Alistair is a headteacher of Dounby Community School; the school is a credit to him and to the island. I visited the school on wednesday 8th and the chidren were so wel behaved, so polite and welcoming. The staff were friendly and the school had a superb atmosphere. An assembly for the younger children, followed by sessions wth the two nursery classes was a privilige for me and great fun. [Come on Angus, give us all one of those fabulous smiles!]. Louise is great. A birding wife for Alistair the birder, who has seen and identified pomarine skua from their hom window. She has a very keen interest in the healing properties of crystals and indeed she has given me the most beautiful heart shaped crystal for me to place into the sea at a place I feel appropriate. More details of her work is available at :-

http://www.crystalearthworks.net/ from which I quote .......

Our Mother Earth as we know her is dying. Her energy sullied by our materialistic ways, for our want for ‘more’ and selfish gain, at great cost to all the potential beauty that surrounds us.

Her energy and light are fading fast and yet it is not too late. We can still make a difference. We can turn the tide, stem the flow of negativity and begin to take responsibility for the mess we have created.

Mother Earth has all that we require to sustain our lives at this time, yet, only if we learn the error of our ways and begin to use her bountiful resources with respect for all.

She requires help. Help to channel and release all of the rubbish we have accumulated. Help to start afresh, to rebalance and realign her energy.

The aim of The Crystal Earthworks is simple – to provide the tools and education to help turn the tide, to empower those who would wish to be responsible custodians for our beautiful planet, to empower those who wish to make a difference.

Crystals are that tool for the imbalance we have created is so great that we cannot turn the tide alone. Yet, we have much help to draw upon, it is our choice to use that help or not.

Anyone can plant crystals and with clear training, to powerful effect. It is a simple act, with enormous positive potential. If you have accessed this website perhaps you have been prompted to play your part, to take responsibility, to make a difference.

I give heartfelt thanks for your connection and hope you feel drawn to explore the work of The Crystal Earthworks further.

Louise Forsyth

For The Crystal Earthworks

If only we would all do more to save our 'dying' planet.

Tuesday 7th September - Trumland and Onziebust RSPB Reserves

2010-09-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

A lovely sunrise seen after being woken up by a milkman. First time that's happened this year. Soon time to catch the ferry to Rousay yet enough time to first seawatch, bonxies and quite a few kittiwakes as well as a dark phase arctic skua; then a thorough search through a flock of about 250 golden plovers but nothing unusual.
There's been quite a few ferries this year, the only 'carbon' transport I've taken on the trip route, but this one was the most interesting from the point of view of the boat rocking rather violently on the large waves. The other people on the ferry weren't overly concerned though.

Once on Rousay walked up towads trumland House and heard a goldcrest in some small sykamore trees. Pished it out and was well chuffed to have found a migrant in the gale. Next it was down to a dug out pool which had a good number of teal and wigeon on it. A few twite and rock/feral doves were here too. looks like a likely spot for a rarer wader to drop in but not today.

Next I was up beside a cairn, Taversoe Tuick and what a wonderful cairn too. A double decker which has a small ladder that allows one to descend down into the lower chamber. 5,000 years old and a neolithic architect was showing off creating this one. Superbly looked after, I spent some time sitting in here, imaging the people who'd lived nearby.

From here a walk along the short, 2 kilometer trail around the RSPB reserve, Trumland. Very few birds, a couple of bonxies, meadow pipits and a raven but quite a few sluggish bumblebees, like the one below.

Can anyone help over this bumblebee's identification please?

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/bombus/_key_colour_british/ck_local_n.html

Soaked and cold, Tent collapsed overnight at Forsinard.

2010-09-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

29th August 2010 - Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Don't know what time the weather changed in the night but I do know that the strong gale and heavy rain caused the tent pole to snap and that I was soaked when it all woke me.

Got up around 5.00am and found a sort of waiting room shed on the railway station platform nearby. Sat in there wrapped in a silver survival blanket and with everything spread out to try and dry things.

Colin, the RSPB information officer, opened up the visitor's centre at 9.00am and I then spent the morning squeezing the water from my clothes, sleeping bag and Sid, Albert and Barnaby, my three cuddly toys. Colin and his wife Sue, were fabulously helpful in putting various items in their tumble drier. Many thanks for that.

Still blowing a gale outside and occasional showers rushed past. Did manage to have a walk around the trail in the afternoon and saw emerald damselfly and a number of interesting plants and caterpillars. It's great how the trail is set up with benches and slabs to keep one from sinking into the peat.

Away at 5.00pm, off down the road to eventually camp at its far end sheltering from the strong NW breeze behind a small conifer plantation.

What a day!

A Long Ride to Forsinard - 28th August 2010

2010-09-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

Awoke to a strange whinig note like that one gets occasionally in your ears. Well I do anyway. I la in my bag wondering what it was and images of Emma Peel investigating the sound came to me, luckily. I always fancied her as a teenager. The Avengers. Couldn't see myself as Steed mind you. Remember her close fitting black leather suit?

Back to the point. The sound turned out to be eminating from the nearby wires on the fence here, vibrating as the strong wind hit them. Such a pure note.

So strong westerly winds and a few heavy showers to start the day. Now some of you will realise that I am now extremely paranoid about wind. Which way would I be going today? - west! Case proved. Not paranoid - God wants me to struggle.

Bettyhill reached and lunch taken in the sunshine, the shower clouds giving me a break. Then a superb museum visited : Strathnaver. Spent a couple of hours in this fabulous converted church finding out about the Highland Clearances and photographing the many artefacts here; neolithic implements, grave slabs and even a St Kildan post boat!

Eventually searched the nearby bumblebee meadow whilst eating some fresh picked puffballs.

Superb views over Dunnet Head to the Orkneys seen from various viewpoints along the road.

Carried on and eventually got to Forsinard RSPB reserve, put my tent up nearby and enjoyed the kitchen facilities with one of the wardens, Danni.

Settled down for the night comfortably in my sleeping bag.

Durness at Last - Eilean Hoan RSPB Reserve - 27th July 2010

2010-09-03T23:46:00.000-07:00

Bus back to near the spot where it picked me up; actually about a mile before it and a lovely cycle to Durness.

Explored Smoo Cave, even taking the boat ride under the arch and got to a historic area where a village had been part of the Highland Clearances, the Ceannabienne Village Trail . Now this excellent area had great information boards as I walked from one part to he next and I was surprised to see mountain avens flowers still in beautiful bloom.
Now out at sea from this point there's the RSPB reserve - Eilean Hoan and another reserve to view. Gannets, shag, fulmar, great black backed gulls over the island with a few twite nearby.

Along to the headland at the start of of Loch Eriboll and a beautiful double rainbow. A car stopped whilst I photographed it and a lovely Dutch lady came out for a chat, Marianne from Heel, Holland.

Camped beside the Loch - another day, more wonderful people met and another RSPB reserve seen.

Thanks Steve, Caldy and Angus!

Thanks aso to Barry and Lynn for their donation and also Brian from Newport for the same.

To Durness? Well, should have been - July 26th 2010

2010-09-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

A very cold night so wrapped the sleeping bag in a survival blanket. Awoke to find very thick fog, very still conditions and the usual attendant insect life. Avon Skin So Soft -ed up and set off along Loch Shin. Fog soon went and what a glorious day; blue sky and almost no wind, beautiful views and a very flat road.

Stopped for a very close summer plumaged black-throated diver and enjoyed the views of the moorland, hills and eventually mountains along this superb road.

Stopped to ask for some water and this, as usual, turned into a long chat. So thanks Billy and Dee for that and the Jaffa Cakes!

Got to Laxford Bridge, turned up towards Durness, cycled a further 6 miles or so and then - plunk! Back wheel rim split and couldn't move the bike. A passing couple of German cyclists stopped and offered assistance but nothing could be done. Stared to think of how far it was going to be to push the bike to the nearest cycle shop. Thurso? 100 miles. Better get moving. Actually had pushed it around another 6 miles when a bus going the opposite way stopped to ask whether I needed help. "There's a bike shop in Ullapool" the driver said so onboard I got. Now this bus goes from Inverness to Durness and is called the 'Bike us' and as strange as it felt to be taking carbon transport again after all this time, the views along the way were spectacular. Sea lochs, moorlands and mountains and a stop to view a ruined castle whilst the bus went on a circular route before returning to the same drop off point.

No cycle shop in Ullapool so on to Strathpeffer where SQUARE WHEELS, the most wonderful cycle shop in the World is located. I say this becuase Steve, the owner, came out to rescue my situaltion, repkaced the errant wheel, put me up for the night and chatted about cycling and a rock group I'd really forgotten about named Little Feat. I remembered having seen them in 1976 at Carlton Athletic Football Club when The Who headlined in the rain. Widowmakers, Streetwalkers, The Outlaws, Little Feat, SAHB and The Who; not a bad line up and the pouring rain saved for The Who's set added to the fun.
Steve and The Wife, according to his Facebook page, Carly, together with their son, Angus were lovely and I am so very grateful for their help.

http://squarewheels.cubecycles.co.uk/

To Lairg. 25th August 2010.

2010-09-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

Lot of catching u to do yet again and so much has happen6de since last wrote.

Set off from Nigg Bay RSPB reserve and was absolutley thrilled to see a small family waving to me as I approached Tain. Back in July I'd met Colin and Sophie with their two fabulously delightful children, Dougal and Rowan, at Gelnmuir. Here were the children with Dad waving at me! Brilliant and so lovely to see them again. How did they know I'd be passing?

Britain's best toilet? Well this one at Tain was amazingly comfortable and the attendant was very helpful. Flowers in the men's - whatever next?

Next stop was at a Pictish cross in a churchyard at Edderton, just after the RSPB reserve at Edderton Bay. Excellent 700AD slab depicting crosses and horsemen.

To Lairg and another lip-swelling moment. This time caused by a friendly wasp who stung my top lip.

Found a superb hide on the shoreline of Loch Shin, Dalchork Hide, and stayed there for a few hours. Excellent raptor list seen during that time: 1 osprey, 1 goshawk, 1 female hen harrier, at least 12 buzzards, a very close female peregrine chasing 3 dunlin, female kestrel and a sparrowhawk. Also here were curlew, redshank, 12 greylags, 5 teal, a family of Great black backed gulls and 25 common gulls. 2 black-throated divers came quite close too.

Lovely sunset from the tent that evening ended the day.

Udale Bay RSPB Reserve

2010-08-26T23:53:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 24th August

Heavy rain overnight but got to the reserve early to find the tide practically at its lowest ebb. Only a lesser black-backed gull, a few oystercatchers and mallard around so settled down to watch the tide rise.

High tide 12.15pm - Bird list:-

redshank c.250, curlew c.50, dunlin c.250, snipe 1, bar-tailed godwit c.200, greenshank 1, knot c.100, black-tailed godwit 1,

wigeon c.200, teal c.100

plus gulls, etc.

Met a Villa fan, Bob Wilson, who, although originally from Tamworth, Staffs, is now living up here. [How we Villa fans are suffering at the moment. Seems like Martin left just in time] Now that name brings back a certain goalkeeper into mind. Now I know that to Gunners fans he's probably a hero but to any Villans who were at Highbury way back in the 70's Bob Wilson the goallie is known as a cheat who managed to pretend that the Villa centre forward of the day, Sammy Morgan, had kicked him. As this was at the clock end where all the Villa fans were on that FA Cup match day, we all saw that Sammy had jumped over Bob. Remember Clive Thomas, the referee? Well it was he who sent our Sammy off and Arsenal immeadiately went up the other end and equalised. The match finished 1 - 1 and the replay at Villa Park saw both miscreants in this sage; namely Bob Wilson and Clive Thomas, receieve the reception their actions deserved. Oh yes, Villa won 2 - 0. Happy days.

Sorry I digress.

Can anyone tell me what the ruins are away to the north west from the north facing Udale bay hide? They look like a distant Greek temple.

Right, no ferry at Cromarty so a long cycle around to get to Nigg Bay. Stopped on the north side of the A9 bridge and saw a couple of ringed plover here and 8 common seals. Great spot to see them close here with an information board at a layby. Shame some children thought that it was a good idea to throw stones at them much to the amusement of their Mum and Dad. I couldn't help but ask them to stop and their Dad wasn't too happy with my request!

Got to Nigg Bay RSPB reserve and once again the tide was by now very far out. Superb hide here with great information boards and fabulous views. Not many birds; a couple of sitting buzzards, a grey heron yet hundreds of common and herring gulls along a waterway out over the sands. So yet another RSPB reserve visited and another fascinating Biking Birder day.

Thanks to Margaret for the donation on Just Giving. Lovely meeting you on the Mull of Galloway too.

Dolphins!

2010-08-25T03:27:00.000-07:00

23rd August 2010

Awoke beside the Moray Firth after listening to the birds nearby. Whitethroat in the gorse; curlew and oystercatcher on the shoreline. Raining 'til 7.00am then a cycle into Inverness, stocking up on food, 15 minutes in the library then off to the Dolphin Centre just over the A9 bridge at North Kessock.

http://www.wdcs.org/connect/wildlife_centre/index.php

5 dolphins were just in front of the centre and the excellent centre manager, Christina told me their names. 16 year old Kesslet was with her calf, Charlie who is 3 years old. Zephyr was with her calf, Breeze and Trailscoop ID748, a 16 year old male was hanging around too.

Christina started working for the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association whilst out in Taiwan and has come back to near her home to work with the dolphins here. Superb person.

Met a fabulous family from Witley in Surrey; John and Liz, with their daughter Fiona. Lovely chat and an invitation to visit next year.

Carried on and saw 4 red kites along a minor road. Next was a rather embarassing attempt to have lunch in a road side bird hide. At Munlochy Nature reserve opened the door to the hide to see a bottle of half-finished red wine and a broken wine glass on the hide shelf and an embarassed lady trying to pull her jeans over her backside. "Oh hello", and "I'll leave you to it," were all I managed to stutter as I closed the door and left quickly.

Rain for the afternoon and a visit to Fortrose Cathedral. Mind you I spent a comfortable hour in the adjacent Catholic Church, reading about Pope John Paul II and having a hot cup ogf milkless Nesquik. Not feeling too good, with a streaming nose and a bit of a temperature. Been lucky though because if a cold this be then it's the first one for months.

http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertydetail.htm?PropID=PL_137&PropName=Fortrose%20Cathedral

An afternoon walk along Fairy Glen RSPB Reserve didn't have many birds and even the predicted robin didn't show. Most interesting thing was a flying hawker dragonfly which didn't mind the rain. Any dragonfly in England would be roosting up if any dampness was in the air. they breed them tough up here. mind you I could have done with it landing so that I could have id'd it properly.

Right - back on the road!

Culbin Forest

2010-08-23T02:19:00.000-07:00

So up early in the morning, very early in order to try to see capercaillies. Beautiful day, sunny and calm but no capercaillies in 4 hours of searching. Did pish out crested tits, even had one down to 6 feet as the photo will show when I've charged the batteries on my digital up. Problem with camping, no electric points!

Also pished a male redstart and a female siskin. Great when pishing works.

Out of the forest and a long cycle in the gale that wasn't felt in the forest. The wind was from the west so was at 10 o'clock, if you get my meaning i.e. in the face from the left. Over the moors with beautiful views in the sunshine and eventually after 24 miles, down to Nairn.

Soon found the RSPB reserve at Culbin Sands and felt very daunted by its size. Cycled along the coastline path but that soon disintigrated to mud so went into the forest where I luckily met a couple who had a trail guide. Started counting butterflies and by the time I'd cycled to the tower had seen 203 scotch argus, 11 speckled woods and a single peacock. 26 bird species including crested tits, spotted flycatcher, a whimbrel and treecreeper. Really is an immense forest and the 8 miles of forest tracks cycled was just a taster.

First family met were from Inverness. Garvie with Mum and Dad were walking their new alsation. Lovely people as always on my trip.

After climbing the tower and enjoying the views, met a fabulous bloke - Bob. "Come to our caravan for coffee", was the order, so I did. Well I would wouldn't I?

Bob's caravan was painted with camouflage colours and his children, Ilana and Roshana were wonderful. Bob's wife, Carly, reminded me of someone and it was after a while, over the forementioned coffee, that I remembered. Trace at Rigby hall School, my work place when I'm not skiving off. Same mannerisms, voice, even looks. Could have been Tracey's sister! Both are marvellous people.

A brilliant evening spent with Bob's family first, being shown a superb stag roe deer skull that had been found on the beach by the girls at Fort George. Also shown the bottle-nosed photos that carly had taken at the same place. She'd got a brilliant one of one jumping. Got to go there!

Then invited for dinner by Su, a campervan motorcyclist and therapist. She talked about her circumstances and gave me a free theray session on 'the arc of reponsibility.' Another fabulous person to meet, sincere and interesting as well as thought provoking. Right, now I know that I will achieve this trip.

Marshmallows by a camp fire with the girls and a comfortable night in the tent.

22nd August 2010

Up early and a group of titmice, including crested, and treecreepers surrounded me as I had breakfast of sorts on the picnic bench. Did my washing in the toilet block and went for a walk into the forest.

Morning spent with the marvellous Dalton family with Bob being an absolute star in helping service Sid, the bike. By the way I may not have mentioned this before but the bike is a Cannondale and was given to me by a brilliant bloke, Gert. If I have mentioned this before forgive me but Gert deserves massive credit because without this bike I'd not have got far.

More thanks have to go to Opticron too because the binoculars they have given me for this trip have been superb. Thanks so much Opticron.

Right! Left Culbin and cycled to Fort George. Explored this huge fort but I was there mainly to see bottle-nosed dolphins and they didn't disappoint. Around 20 of them came very close to the shore, heading out on the ebbing tide. Brilliant.

Camped on the Moray Firth shoreline about 4 miles east of Inverness and the evening was spent watching waders, more bottle-nosed dolphins, mergansers, herons and terns from the tent whilst eating tea. What a life!

All the very best everyone and love to the Daltons and Su.

August 20th Grantown on Spey

2010-08-21T04:21:00.000-07:00

Late getting up this morning. No excuse just a bit tired. Beautiful sunny day too with some mist over the valley and a rainbow developing, seen from the tent hatch. Rainbow!? Rain coming. It was and it hit me as I cycled along the road to Grantown on Spey. Oh well, wet again.

Rain cleared as I got to Grantown and I had my jam sandwiches in the park there with a small toad, some common blue damsels and a few scotch argus for company.

Library for the blog and then cycled to the capercaillie forest following the instructions given by a birding friend very carefully.

Met a lovely family on the bridge over the Spey, who own a children's clothes business in Grantown. [ http://www.weegooseberry.com/ ]. Had a long chat and met Daisy, their very old West Highland White-hair terrier, who needs to be transported in her own buggy.

talked with a couple of local people whilst walking and pushing along the track deeper into the forest. Alan was a keen hillwalker originally from Bolton and still had a strong accent. he told a story of Prince Charles helping out a loal crofter with his farming diversification plans. Also met an older lady who used to be a crofter. Told of harsh winters and terrible times.

Found the spot for capercaillies and searched for the rest of the day. No sign of any and very few birds around. A few mistle thrushes, the occasional coal tit and a stag roe deer with only one antler, that didn't see me crounched down by some logs until it was around 25 metres away. Then all it did was bark at me and march off barking all the way.

Did find 8 'tresses' like orchids though.

Camped just outside the forest where despite a gale blowing over the trees, down at ground level it was very calm and quiet.

All the best everyone

Gary

Up the Cairngorms

2010-08-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

Thursday 19th August Day 231

Tawny owls in the night but up at around 5.30am to a misty scene. Sunrise and distant hills brightened by the sun. Beautiful.

Cycled to the 6 miles from Insh marshes signpost, seeing 6 roe deer and 5 hares on the way. Spiders webs, millions of them, on the heather, on conifers and all looking beautiful in the dew and sunlight.

Left my panniers behind a shed and cycled up to the Ski Centre on Cairngorm. talked with the ranger and set off walking up the hills, ptarmigan on my mind. Cut things short, ptarmigan were still on my mind seven [!] hours later - were they? Had spent the day searching the plateau but no luck. 4 wheatear, a few meadow pipits and a juvenile snow bunting were the only birds.

Highlight of the day was the unfurling of a flag, with accompanying speeches and Gaelic verse and song. A lovely group of people who come up here on this date every year, celebrate the anniversary of John Roy Stuart.

http://www.johnroystuart.org.uk/

Seamus grant sang, quoted a long poem faultlessly and gave a speech, ably translated into English by his wife, Alison.

David unfurled the flag and held it aloft by the summit cairn and Ann passed me a small [very small!] tot of the hard stuff expecting me to make a toast in Gaelic. I tried but it wasn't easy.

More exploration and searching for the elusive ptarmigan and a lovely meeting with a young girl from San Diego, California; Gazzy. Shared food stuff and appropriated a bottle of water before saying good luck and continuing the search.

Down to the Centre for an early evening ride to Boat of garten where i set up the tent and relaxed over a bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes with banana milk shake.

Early to sleep. Tried not to reflect on another dip.

Insh Marshes RSPB Reserve cont'd

2010-08-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry about that. Needed more time at the library.

So photographed the black darters and chatted with Sam and Gary. Watched a female/imm marsh harrier hunting some way off and then 5 buzzards playing with a male kestrel.

Samantha

Walked down to the hide, looking at more dragonflies, including a few Highland darters and golden-ringed but didn't get to identify two large hawkers with blue spots down the abdomen.

A cuckoo flashed past the hide. I'll be honest and say that I thought it was a male sprog but Gary corrected me and yes, I'll admit it, a cuckoo it was.

3 roe deer were out on the marsh and a couple of dark green fritillaries were on the grassy slopes nearby.
Back to the centre and met a local RSPB volunteer who invited me to go for an evening meal at his house, so thanks Laura for the mackeral and new potatoes. We also went to see the nearby Ruthven Barracks, scene of various Jacobite battles.

http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/scotland/invernesshire/hauntings/ruthven-barracks.html

Slept nearby [!] and watched the Perseides shooting stars and occasional satellite go over in the clear sky.

A lovely day.

20th August Grantown on Spey

2010-08-20T05:45:00.000-07:00

Well that is where I am now but let's reflect on the last few days.

Wednesday 18th August - Day 230 of the trip.

In the Abernethy Forest, all was very still and quiet as i ate my breakfast. Up and soon cycling around the area hoping for a capercaillie. No such luck but did see two more crested tits after hearing their calls.

Met a lovely family; Becks, Hebe and Jack when photographing an interesting sculpture.

Hamish!

A request for water was replied by an offer of coffee and a chat. What a fabulous place for children to explore; the middle of the forest with tree houses and climbing frames etc. Children went off to school and a local superstar named Harvey came in. He's not so young being 80 but he still climbs trees to place nestboxes for swifts on them. Brilliant idea and successful too.
Becks told of walks across New Zealand and showed off her Orca tooth. Coffee and bread and jam. Wonderful conversation and a real topic for how I've been feeling lately.

Becks, Harvey and Corran

Cycled to Insh Marshes RSPB Reserve, meeting Samantha and Gary from Lochwinnoch again on the way. A beautiful day with occasional sunny spells and little wind. Lovely road skirting woodlands, heather moorland and with views over the valley.

Over a bridge over a waterfall river and eventually found the brand new visitor's centre; an impressive wooden structure with large glass windows overlooking the march from a high vantage point. There's a lovely terrace too atop which had lots [17 plus] black darters on the parapets.

Wednesday 18th August Abernethy Forest

2010-08-18T03:35:00.000-07:00

After Monday at Loch Ruthven RSPB reserve, where 3 slavonian grebes were seen. Then yesterday at Ballinlaggan RSPB reserve in the morning where greylags and a grey heron were the highlights [!] and the afternoon in the Abernethy Forest and afterwards at Loch Garten Osprey Centre with crested tits [213 year list] and ospreys seen - Odin, the male and one of this year's youngsters. Had camped just outside Carrbridge and after the overnight rain had stopped, got out of my tent to find half a dozen scotch argus flying around and a couple of small toads nearby.

The afternoon at Loch Garten was spent talking with the staff, with a massive thank you to Julie Smith for the huge slab of chocolate cake! Met David, the warden; Richard, the site manager, Paul who did the great talk about the ospreys and Paul Kendall, the local field teacher from Abernethy. He was brilliant showing me activities centred on ospreys, including nest size, relative prey item size to bodyweight and wing span comparisons. He also told me that he was going to be doing a talk at the Highland Holding Expo this week at 2.00pm.
Also met two people I;d met a few weeks ago at Lochwinnoch; Samantha and Gary. Great people one and all.
Photo taken for the local press then more birding.

Now on the way to Insh Marshes after having spent the morning searching for capercaillie unsuccessfully and having had a very pleasant coffee with Becks, her children Hebe and jack and a local 80 year old tree climber named Harvey. had stopped to photograph their sculpture but a request for water turned into an offer of coffee and a lovely hour or so's chat. Wonderful people.

Must go - only 30 minutes allowed here.

All the best everyone,

Please sponsor me - use the links above - thanks!

Sunday 8th August Stornaway to Ullapool

2010-08-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

Priest Island RSPB Reserve

Heavy rain overnight but now a beautiful day. Blue sky, few small clouds, light southerly and fabulous views across the Minch. What a difference a few hours make up here. Here I am in a country with the best scenery in Britain and today is day where with weather to match, the views are wonderful. The ferry from Stornaway to Ullapool has a superb forward looking lounge too and from here, in the company of a lovely family from Derby, it was great to watch the many very close manx shearwaters and the occasion harbour porpoise. It was also from here and the deck on the left that I could see Priest island, a large RSPB reserve, which had 3 great skua flying over it and a few shags on the rocks. Puffins on the sea and some arctic terns were near the island too.

Ullapool reached, cycled off towards Inverness and stopped at a layby in order to get some tea eaten. A few caravans were there and I was immeadiately surrounded by very friendly children and men, a group of Scottish Tinkers. I gave the children RSPB badges and immeadiately the men put notes into my robin collection box; the fastest donations given by any people I'd met. Invited into a caravan for coffee, met Ina and John, Nan and Grandad to the children. A great couple and both very strong in the Pentacostal faith, we chatted for almost 2 hours with children coming in and out and Hannah, one of the mothers proudly cradling her new six-week old baby girl. Brilliant meeting these travellers from Inverness and Kirkcodie. Passed my bottle of Skin so Soft to hannah for the baby and left with the children waving me off.

Ever onward and it was getting late by now. Picked a couple of bank voles off the road a little further along. They were sitting in the middle of it and I couldn't understand how they hadn't been squished.

Now the next sort of wildlife wasn't quite so engaging, although they wanted to get up close and personal. Midges, millions of them, in fact I've tried to think which words would best describe what they were like as I put the tent up for the night, mist of midges or blizzard. I think the latter because they were everywhere and very mobile. Incredible and actaully I'm glad that I have now experienced Scottish midges to this extent. Eventually dived into the tent, pulled the zips down and settled down to getting rid of those that had made their way inside.

Monday 9th August.

It's a strange feeling lying in a sleeping bag and knowing what was waiting for me outside the tent. Same masses of midges there as expected and my cover up clothes and repellent did their job. No bites but a few swallowed before the tent was packed and the bike ready for the day.

Shame about the midges because the place where I'd camped was actually very beautiful, with an almost dry reservoir alongside the main road with moorland and mountains.

A day with a lot of miles covered, lovely calm weather, sunshine and quite a few Scotch argus butterflies along the roadside.

Eventually arrived at Corrimory RSPB Reserve and the heaven's opened up. Despite the heavy rain, still walked along the reserve's path, around cattle meadows, up through large coniferous trees and eventually onto the heather and birch moorland. Not many birds seen because of the weather but did manage to meet the reserve's warden, Simon who was coming down the track with a research scientist, Dan. They'd just been checking on thousands of trees that had been planted. "Come back in 100 years and see the difference!"

Rain from the top

After a couple of hours, the skies cleared and with the drier conditions a few birds started showing. No crested tits as hoped for but a small group of Scottish crossbills on a nearby small conifer. Actually 4 birds, one male, a female and a couple of youngsters chupping away for sometime before leaving. Bird 212.

On leaving the reserve later visited the burial cairn nearby. A superb example with a surrounding stone circle.

So another great day and just maybe the NON-MOTORISED YEAR LIST RECORD will fall but it's going to be very close.

On the way to the Cairngorms and the Abernethy Forest.

All the best everyone.

Thanks to David Brooks and David Agombar for their donations.

Callanish, Lewis Saturday 7th August

2010-08-09T04:23:00.000-07:00

So I'd reached Callanish at around 8.00pm, first going to Callanish III with two concentric stone circles and then over to Callanish II.

Phoned my dear parents whilst at Callanish II and a strange character wanted to say hello.

I think his conversation with my mother made more sense than my usual utterings!

Over to Callanish I, meeting three people there for a natter. A young couple were from Stratford Upon Avon, not a million miles from the town from I hail, Warwick. Now Laura is a girl with a passion, and her boyfriend hopes it for him but I hate to tell him that it's ancient artifacts for which Callanish has got to be one of the best. She'd studied archaeology at the University [!] of Worcester and was extremely knowledgeable and interesting.

The hoped for good unset didn't materialise and the cloud closed up. Camped nearby and had a comfy night.

Sunday 8th August 2010

Up early and after a good wash in the visitor's centre facilities and a breakfast of chocolate chip loaf, went back to Callanish I.

http://www.stonepages.com/scotland/callanish.html

All alone at such a monument, took dozens of photos as each standing stone and their alignments to each other were so unique.

Right, enough of that.

Next stop was over a narrow plank to have a look at the fish in their nets on a fish farm.

Then met a fabulous, brilliant, wonderful couple, Chris and Tina, who, although originally from Leeds, now lived on the island and published a music magazine.

http://www.collect-a-mag.com/index.php

If you want a back issue of practically any rock music magazine then these are the poeople to get in touch with.

So what did we talk about? Humphrey and Daisy? [their two dogs!] Well no. Actually rock music gigs, ELP back on the road, Focus, Yes, Zappa, Floyd, Muse, Sabbath, Deep Purple, Tull, and practically every other rock band from the time of better rock music.

Poor Tina hardly got a word in edge ways but when she did what a surprise. Her musical taste was for barry Manilow and Barbara Striesand.

They caught up with me a few miles later, dogless now in their green car and gave me an MP3 player with a couple of my favourite albums on it; Aqualung and Led Zepplin. If you've been reading my blog you may recall my own MP3 player being stolen by a young lady in the library at Fort William. This wonderful couple had been home and made this one for me and such thoughtfulness was greatly appreciated. In fact I don't think that in the history of time, and on Lewis that goes back 3,500 million years, that anyone has ever cycled the main road back to over the flow country to Stornaway belting out Tull and Zep at the top of their voice because of the gale blowing.

Before this vocal treat for the few local sheep, I'd visited yet another RSPB reserve, this time Loch na Muilne. The nearby Black House was disappointedly closed and birds were very few and far between. The reserve is well known as the breeding place for red-necked phalaropes but none were to be seen. Only a couple each of raven and hooded crows, a snipe and a couple of mallard. Still walked around the lochs enjoying the plants and the occasional moss carder bumblebee.

So reached Stornaway despite the southerly gale practically in my face and camped in a wood beside a football pitch unobserved. Boy did it pelt down in the night! What rain in Scotland? I seem to remember that someone some while back got in touch with me to question my statement - Scotland, Land of Heavy Rain [and gales].

Saturday 7th August 2010

2010-08-09T02:44:00.000-07:00

Awoke very early to see a lovely sunrise over Lochmaddy harbour. Sunshine and blue sky. What's that orangy-yellow ball in the sky, sort of large, very bright and round?

Onto the ferry and stood on the usual deck counting the birds. Well I would give you the figures but I've misplaced the tatty bit of paper that I wrote them down on. Need a new notebook but not possible to get one in Lochmaddy at 5.30am.

Nothing to spectacular with a couple of common dolphin, gannets, kittiwakes, manx shearwaters and a single great skua, puffins and guillemots. Razorbills noticably absent but as we approached the Trumpan Headland of Skye there were I estimated around 2,000 manx sitting on the water; the biggest flock that I've seen on this trip.

As the boat entered Uig harbour, I sawa large bird of prey being mobbed by two others. At first I thought it was a buzzard with two sparrowhawks. Then I realised that the smaller birds were the buzzards and that the larger bird was an adult golden eagle! Brilliant and quite close too. They headed off inland and must have been a great sight for someone driving along the main road.

Stayed on the boat in order to get to Tarbet on Harris. Was listing the birds but then the deck was invaded by the Scottish Piped Band that I'd seen at the Highland Games a few days earlier at Portree.
Also met a smashing couple from Aberdeen.

It's a bit windy on the boat!

Cycled out of Tarbet and soon reached a very steep but beautiful section of road.

OK I'll be honest, cycling it wasn't what I did. I pushed and walked the hill. Reached the top where a lovely mountain loch greeted me then a couple of miles later found a secluded roadside picnic bench. Lunchtime.

No sooner than I'd got out my bread and jam [living it up!], but 4 coach loads of German tourists arrived and took over the area. Actually they were greatand one lovely couple came over to me and said that they didn't want there lunch and would I like it? Boiled eggs! I've dreamed of boiled eggs. haven't had a boiled egg for months. Also cheese and fruit. Danke!

One of the tour guides came over for a chat. Tanya, usually a nurse in Bavaria wanted a photo with Barnaby and Albert. What more could I do than oblige?

A fabulous family from Sheffield had joined me on the bench by now and together we had lunch as Che, their oldest boy tried to make sparks by crashing two rocks together and Cole, their youngest played Thumb Wars.

Onward and cut it short as I've only 4 minutes left on the library computer, got to Callanish late in the evening. I'd always wanted to see this place and the effort of getting here was well worth it. More about that next time.

All the very best everyone. Keep birding!

Gary

Now What would you do?

2010-08-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

Texts in the morning. Pacific Golden Plover on South Uist. I'm on my way to catch the morning ferry to Harris.

Watched the ferry go out of the harbour at Uig and wondered whether my luck with rarities would change. If you've seen British Birds this month, or you have read my blog faithfully [or any other way you may wish to read it], then you may recall my appalling luck with a Wilson's phalarope and a white-tailed plover at Seaforth Docks, Liverpool.

Went for a walk to the top of a nearby hill and saw a couple of Scotch Argus on the way, as well as stonechats and willow warblers. Fabulous amount of off the plant raspberries here. Yummy!

Onto the ferry back to Lochmaddy at 2.00pm :

163 manx shearwaters
25 razorbill
2 storm petrels
24 guillemot
23 puffin
2 great skua
1 arctic skua
2 dunlin
2 fulmar
1 kittiwake

7 common dolphin
a number of harbour porpoise

Also 4 large wind turbine mounts were being dragged by a large tug, passing the ship on the starboard side - according to the captain. Met Andy Stevenson on the boat who just so happens to be the bird recorder for the Outer Hebrides. He hadn't known about the PGP so we arranged to meet at the Loch when I'd managed to cycle there.

It took 4 hours to cycle to loch Bornish! Wind but at least no rain. In fact it wasn't a bad day and 5 custard donuts helped.

Got to the Loch to be greeted by Miranada and Marianne, 2 local lady birders. Andy and Marianne's husband Bob were out trying to see the golden plover flock which had retreated into a huge area of ragwort.
Suddenly a group of greylags flew over, 49 of them and these spooked the cattle in the ragwort. For some reason they started to run about, putting all the golden plover into the air. they landed on the nearest edge of the ragwort and some were on view.

Did I see the Pacific Golden Plover?

Read the next blog to find out

Ok, I'll tell you - there it was! It's head and breast showing above the ragwort. On the list UTB and a new bird not only for the year list but also a LIFER for me, but only after it flew around with th flock showing other diagnostic features. It then landed on the grassy area in fron of us giving better views.

Brilliant and maybe I will break the Non-motorised year list record after all. My luck has changed!

The attempt to see storm petrels from the nearby headland was curtailed by the arrival of some rain, so with the tent set up, I went to sleep with a smile on my face. 40 miles of extra cycling to see a new bird. Well worth it!

Friday 6th August 2010

Now got to Lochmaddy and slept there after a cycle ride in pouring rain and an easterly wind. Not fun but the PGP helped.

Stopped at Cothrom Adult Community Centre in order to access the computer there. Sharon, the receptionist was delightful and brought me a cup of coffee as I dried off. The centre is a fabulous facility with very friendly staff and great resources. Wind turbines outside showed off it's green credentials. Thanks to everyone there.

http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/communitysupport/barravatersay.asp

Also stopped at Howmore Youth Hostel again and met a lovely family from Suffolk and a Scottish gentleman. Mugs of Marmite to ward off the midges and some toast before braving the rain again. Good collection of bones on the dry stone wall here. This one is some sort of whale.

Finally got to North Uist, after tea taken in a bus shelter; this one clean and although lacking the newspapers of one before, it also lacked the sheep dung! Parked up in the car park and climbed the hill to the superb burial chamber, Burpa Langass. A huge mound of rounded, lichen-covered stones witha small entrance. Torch in hand, crawled inside through a narrow entrance; my cycle helmet protecting my head. I'd do anything to get out of the rain. Inside a large chamber with large flat supporting flagstones, dry and comfy.

Back outside, rode the few miles to Lochmaddy with the rain now decreasing to drizzle, and the time now about 7.30pm. Some clear sky way over to the west promised a good sunset. Walked around a few sea inlets at Lochmaddy, watching the fish jumping, and saw an otter swimming along a shoreline nearby.

3rd August Ferry to Skye - 4th August Highland Games

2010-08-06T05:16:00.000-07:00

A lovely sunrise then drizzly rain.

Seen from the ferry:

2 red-throated divers
1 black guillemot
26 gannets
148 manx shearwaters
16 razorbills,
25 guillemot
15 fulmar
10 puffin
14 arctic tern
19 storm petrels
6 kittiwake
1 great skua

Lunch taken on the 'scenic' road to Broadford but curtailed because of midges. Haven't seen many of the little blighters/biters but there were enough here to make up for the days when I hadn't seen any. Did manage to see a family of red-throated divers here before retiring hurt.

Also visited the excellent Sea Eagle exhibition at Portree and met Chris Butler the RSPB eagle information officer there. Superb set up and well worth the visit.

Cycled to the other end of the island, taking nearly all day doing so, in order to see the Black Islands, Eilean Dubha. These are two very small islands that form an RSPB reserve, so another one ticked off the growing list of reserves visited.

Not many birds seen here; a few black guillemot, oystercatchers and gulls, a few shags.

Cycled back to Broadford and stayed at the Youth Hostel. Now some people may sympathise but I forced one of my room mates to sleep elsewhere due to the force of my snoring! Sorry!

4th August

Rain forecast but the morning was fine, calm and sunny. Cycled to portree taking the now clear views of the mountains on the way.

Brought my ticket for the Highland Games and joined the crowd to watch the chucking of the small stone. A new Portree record was thrown and the girls danced on the stage in the Scottish way. Bagpipes were being played nearby and everything was fascinating despite the arrival of the occasional heavy shower.

A brilliant day caped by meeting a lovely local family I'd met the day before at the sea eagle exhibition [and who kindly made a donation!] and a great tug of war battle.

Rode on to a field about 4 miles south of Uig where i camped for the night to the sound of buzzards in the trees.

August - Seven months gone - five to go.

2010-08-06T04:33:00.000-07:00

August the First

A cycle to Balranald RSPB reserve, with birding on the way and a visit to a reserve that is no longer a RSPB one - Drimore Farm.

Wind had turned overnight to a north westerly. Great rught into my face most of the time. I may have said this before but I prefer rain to a wind in the face. One may be unpleasant, except for I get a wash but the latter is painful. So this proved to be.

Got to Balranald at 5.30pm and immeadiately went around the whole of the reserve's track. A spotted redshank with the more common varoety on the nearest beach was a surprise. Clearish views of St Kilda was a thrill and I had another of the unseen calling corncrakes in a stinger filled hole near to the bridleway.

Photographed some beautiful stranded jellyfish on the beach and found a strange limpet sp.

August 2nd

Woke at 6.00am and walked the reserve again. No wind!!!
Sat on some rocks adjacent to a rotting seaweed area on the far beach and watched as turnstone, dunlin and sanderling enjoyed their feast of the attendant flies. The scum on some rock pools had coalesced into some patterns repeating those seen from satellites. Well in my imagination anyway.

Then walked to the most westerly point of the reserve and seawatched for an hour. Two common dolphin quite close were the highlight with gannets, manx and auks passing also. Good views of St Kilda was interuppted by a passing rain shower.

Ended my time at Balranald with 40 bird species and 8 moss carders seen.

Cycled along the north raod of North Uist to Lochmaddy, seeing red-throated divers in a couple of the bays. Good views across to the mountains of Harris. One nice, old-looking croft but most houses were boring modern boxes.

Now a massive thanks to Campbell, John and Alistair of Lochmaddy. I was about to sleep on a bench outside the ferry terminal when Campbell came and offered me a bed in the nearby cattle auction hall. Very comfortable night with a kettle for coffee and a light for reading. Brilliant and many many thanks.

30th July Coll

2010-08-06T04:09:00.000-07:00

Awoke early and seawatched from the tent. It had rained overnight but was now dry with a fresh [!] southerly blowing. A very close great skua was the only bird of note; very little otherwise.

Cycled to the standing stones near the RSPB visitors' centre and then the crannog at Loch Cliad. The weather had deteriorated by now to strong southerly with drizzly rain. Added to the atmosphere of the crannog though. Interesting to see a couple of these ancient homestead structures.

From the road to the pier, before the rain set in, the views across to the Trishnish Isles, Staffa, Mull and Iona had been beautiful.

Spent the afternoon in the library in Oban and then camped about two miles north of the city after visiting the Catholic cathedral.

31st July 2010

The night was punctuated by either a tawny owl that decided to hoot, squeek and make other noises and heavy rain. A bull somewhere decided to join in.

Got up at 5.00am and cycled to Oban. Photographed a group of black guillemot on the sea wall and caught the 8.15am ferry to South Uist.

Bird list from the ferry:-

5 shag
84 gannet
4 great skua
9 black guillemot
23 manx shearwater
27 razorbill
15 kittiwake
25 guillemot
2 commic terns
2 arctic terns
53 fulmar
14 storm petrels
22 puffins
Also 16 basking sharks,
2 grey Atlantic seals and a sunfish.

Cycled to Howmore in pleasant sunshine but with a strong westerly. I wonder how many calm days these islands have?

Lots of common darters on the white markings on the road, a few moss carder bumblebees and a single great yellow. Also some suicidal emperor moth caterpillars with frourescent blood where they's been squished.

Is this a common or Highland?

Arrived at the beautiful Howmore Youth Hostel, one of my favourites, watched a ring-tail hen harrier and a couple of snipe drumming before walking down the beach. Now I'd been here before in April, 2005 when Ian Crutchley and Steve Alcott, ex-pupils from my time as a Secondary Science teacher in Wolverhampton, came here to look at a remarkable 12 white-winged gulls together with 3 ring-billed. Now there were sanderling, dunlin, ringed plover, gulls and seven ravens but what a wonderful beach.

Time for sleep in my bunk bed ...

OK. I am trying to catch up!

2010-08-06T03:38:00.000-07:00

Now on South Uist again - 6th August and a brilliant weather day. Strong easterly winds mixed with either drizzle or rain. Actually enjoyed the morning walk but before talking about that I'd better spend my time getting up to date.

So let's go back to :-

July 29th Had slept in the fabulous Oban Youth Hostel and had managed to get the Scottish breakfast in before catching the 8.15am ferry to Coll. A lot of terns in the Sound, together with groups of feeding kittiwakes and manx shearwaters; black guillemots near the shoreline at Craignure and then the highlight of this boat trip. A white-tailed sea eagle was sitting on a pine just north of craignure and as the boat passed, it took off and flew around for a while before landing again on the same tree. Fancied a bit of a stretch I suppose.

Duart castle, Mull

Read the newspaper for a while and pray that the Barcelona decision to ban bullfighting is reciprocated throughout the country and France and any other place where they think that teasing, stabbing and killing a bull is an entertaining sport with the matador as a hero. personally I abhor it and can't see matadors as anything other than cowards.

Anyway, off my soap box and back to birding from the ferry.

As the boat left the Sound of Mull, I went to the front of the boat just as a close storm petrel went past. can't count it on the year list as I'm on a motorised vehicle! [Good to see though]

A basking shark was also quite close and quite small too. Gannets, puffins, manx, razorbills and the occasional adult guillemot with a lone chick were also seen. Nearly all the guillemot chicks that I've seen have been alone with just one parent.

Met other birders, Ray and Jo from Portsmouth. Must have seen Jo before because she used to work at Durlston Country Park, near Swanage, doing marine work there. I used to live in Swanage and miss it and my friends there, terribly.

Arrived at Coll and the weather was still quite good; high cloud with lots of sunshine. Most unusual for my time in Scotland. The high street looked charming and the roads were empty. Brilliant.

Cycled to the RSPB reserve on the south west coast, seeing a ring-tailed hen harrier on the way and sat having a spot of lunch outside the visitors' centre. Met Ben the site manager whilst i was watching bumblebees in an area of ben's garden planted out with vetches and the like, put there specially for them and was just in time to join his weekly walk around the reserve.

Ben from Sedgley!

Good walk over the machair; Ben identifying flowers, red batsia, wild carrot, bllody cranesbill and eyebright etc, and talking about the structure of the area. Frog orchids shown and three new bumblebee species for me anyway - great yellow bumblebee - and it is 'great'. Massive and yellow; deserves the name. Also the moss carder with it's orangy thorax and the red-shanked carder bee with the 'comb' red instead of black on the more common red-tailed.

Tried to find Irish ladies tresses but instead almost saw a couple of young corncrake that disappeared as fast as they appeared in the grass in front of us.

Early evening chat with Ben. What a life he has. Autonomous on a beautiful reserve. Brilliant bloke.

Camped down by the beach and seawatched as the sun set developed. 7 basking sharks seen and a diver flew past, gannets and just a couple of manx shearwaters. Beautiful sunset.

From my position I could see Rhum clearly, with the Cullins on Skye poking through the gap, Barra and the Uists to the north west and tiree to the south west. Just to make it a perfect day, a large gibbous moon rose above the hills to the south east.

Thanks Ben - all the best. Brilliant day.

Mull - Sea Eagles

2010-08-03T04:18:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 28th July

So after a night of camping next to a very noisy stream, awoke and cycled down to the ferry terminal at Kilchoan in rain. Was feeling a little down when suddenly three large stag red deer crossed the road, galloping just in front of me. they then jumped a barb wire fence before heading off down a nearby glen; not stopping until they reached the bottom.

Ferry over to Tobermory. No tourist office because the building was empty but found out where Loch Frisa was from a very helpful gentleman in the CLAMAC office. Up the hill and over on the Dervaig road, turned onto the forestry track before coming across a sign stating no access to the sea eagle hide. Asked a local but I can't print what he told me to anyone who tried to stop me!

Plenty of willow warblers, a couple of trilling grasshopper warblers, siskins and chaffinch, together with 4 kestrels, 3 buzzards, a few hoodies and a raven. Intermittent rain showers coming from the south west and a regular fly past of a helicopter delivering something to the fish farm at the west end of the loch.

Suddenly found a plush, new-looking wooden hide/display room. was a little shy/embarassed and shattered but went inside to be greeted by Debby, the fabulous, knowledgable RSPB lady. Turning round casually to look at the female white-tailed sea eagle, saw her perched on a reasonably nearby conifer. Here she was the star of the first Springwatch, a veritable 'barn door' preening carefully and wondering no doubt where her husband was.

The pair had failed to produce a fledgling this year. Sadly the first hatched chick died due to the cold weather and another egg was sat upon for 78 days, some sort of record but obviously dead.

Stayed for a few hours to watch the bird and just after a prolonged bit of heavier rain, and just after Debby's marvelous introductory speech to another batch of paying visitors, the male came flying over from the west, landing next to his loved one. 14 years together and love is still strong.

Birds seen, and year list up to 210, cycled to Craignure ferry terminal and caight the ferry back to Oban. In at the Oban Youth Hostel and a relaxed evening.

So thanks and hello to :-

Sandra and Tim from Shirley, Birmingham.
Stuart Marshall and family from Hexham,
Sheila and Kerr for their donation from Fife,
David and Margaret from Glasgow, with a donation also.

Thanks to everyone in fact.

All the very best

Gary

Glenuig to Glenborrowdale.

2010-07-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

27th July 2010

Awoken by a truly inspirational family - Colin and Sophie, with their children Rowan and Dougal camp and kayak their way around Scotland. Talk about a tent - luxury! I've got to get me one of those.

Such a wonderful, close knit family. Delightful children and adventurous parents. Better than tele and computers, kids!
A shower in the village hall and goodbye to the bus shelter. A grasshopper warbler trilling, more scotch argus and a dark green fritillary beside the road. Saw thre stone structures beside the road. Wonder what they were for and how old they are?

A day of quick showers and drier moments but little sunshine; got to the RSPB reserve at Glenborrowdale and walked the footpath up onto the moorland and back. Very little around and any birds suffering the mid-summer silence. Dark green fritillary on the buddleia at the car park noted.

Beautiful ancient oak woodland here too.

Finally met Vanessa Caldwell, the RSPB Golden Eagle information officer. A quick natter before a downpour.

Glennfinnan and Harry Potter

2010-07-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

26th July 2010

Decamped and rode into Fort William. Won't dwell on the MP3 THIEF!!!!!

Right, got that off my chest.

Rain and drizzle as I cycled down the road towards Glenfinnan but arrived there during a drier patch. Had seen 10 scotch argus butterflies just before reaching here.

Not a bad photo that. Shame I can't get the same sort of images of the birds that I'm seeing.

Glenfinnan famous for ...... Harry Potter. Had been here 16 years ago when some Highland games were taking place and a bagpipe player stood next to the statue of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Now nearly everyone wanted to see a train go over the large railway viaduct. Why? A scene from a Harry potter movie. That was why people were standing on a hillside waiting for such an event to occur and the train itself didn't disappoint. Slowing down and hotting a long steam trail as it went over.

As a member of the New Zealand National Trust, I climbed to the top of the statue's tower to admire the views down the loch.

Then set off again. Rain. A brief stop for tea in a glass bus shelter and on again into the rain before reaching Glenuig. Now I didn't know that there's a village hall in Glenuig where the weary traveller can stop for coffee and a shower. Instead I ended up sheltering from the rain inside . . . . . .

Now this photo doesn't capture the full elegance fo my place of residence. That bit of newspaper you can see on the floor covers masses of sheep dung. The attraction was that it was dry and there was a pile of the prveious day's newspaper ready to be read. So I did! And there I slept, scared of falling off the narrow bench down onto the . . . . . .

Items of news in the said papers :--

Blackpool shirt sponsors offer loans at 2689 % APR. Let's hope they go down and the company go bust. Surely that should be illegal. I'm sorry Blackpool fans but to promote a company which 'offers' such obscene rates is just that - obscene.

FIFA made $2 billion profit from the World Cup yet the footballs are made by people on less than $2 a day wages.

I liked the article about Alistair Brownlee [who?]. You know the World Triathlete champion. When asked if it was a little rough in the water with the other competitors, he said "if any little *it gets near me I'm just going to kill him."

On that note

Thank for reading folks.

All the best

Gary

Crainlarich Youth Hostel to Ben Nevis

2010-07-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

OK. I know I'm a few days behind but using an iphone is difficult on a remote Scottish island.

No more excuses. Now to catch up.

Early morning goodbyes to a lovely family from Cornwall; Steve, Alison, Charlene and William.

Soon [!] reached Glencoe ski centre and went on the chair lift to get to the higher plateau. Nobody else up here and lots of changes since I was last up here, 30 years ago. Ski runs designated, non used chair lifts and closed cafes. Still walked up to a distant edge to look down the Glencoe valley. Saw only 2 meadow pipits and a golden plover but the misty views in the drizzle were what I was really up here for.

I love chair lifts and this one, being so steep and long is well worth the money. Strange that I was the only person on it.

Through Glencoe and down to the coast road, only to be stopped by a car with two laughing occupants. Ruth and ***** [oh dear i've forgotten her name - I am so sorry!]! Two fabulous girls who I'd met earlier in the year at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve. Such a coincidence that they were travelling along the same road and saw me. Cherries, olives, a plum or two and some apple juice cadged from the pair and me last in the cherry stone spitting competition. Fabulous to see them both again. Brilliant pair.

Drizzle now turning to rain and ever onwards towards Fort William. Decided though to head into a conifer woodland about 2 miles north of the Corran Ferry and put the tent up. End of day with a bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes and a book about life on St Kilda.

25th July 2010

Up with the lark, who luckily had decided to stay in bed due to the rain. Not woshing to upset him I did the same and got to Fort William at about lunchtime. Charity shope are open in this town on a Sunday. Down Glen Nevis and then up to the summit of Ben in weather not condusive to good views. in fact you couldn't see more than 50 feet once 1,000 meters was reached. The path though was excellent and easy to keep on, which I very carefully did. Met a Liverpool fan at the top from Manchester [Brave lad!]. Otherwise there were only 5 other people and they soon left leaving me and Barnaby Bear alone as the tallest people in Britian.

Had met a wonderful pair of local men whilst I was on the way up, who had spent the day doing haircuts at the summit to raise money for charity. This fellow had to carry all the gear up and down.

In the mist a pair of snow buntings were knocking around the summit. The male in particular was a very bright bird; not that I'm saying that the female was thick or anything but to live up here is a tad daft.

Back down and back to warmer temperatures and not exactly sunshine but clear views of surrounding hills.

So, as stated before all 5 peaks now climbed and I can concentrate on birding.

Someone has stolen my MP3 Player!!!

2010-07-26T03:30:00.000-07:00

I'm absolutely gutted. I went to fetch a book from the shelf whilst using th computer facilities at Fort William's library. returned to find my MP3 palyer gone and the lady sitting next to me gone also. How could she? All my music gone.

C'est la vie! No it isn't - what a rat!

OK - calm down.

To return to the diary. I got to Oban and cycled to Crainlarich youth hostel where a very different sort of lady, Beryl, greeted me and was so very helpful and friendly. She was from South Africa and couldn't have been nicer. Clothes all washed, coffee and evening meal and a bed for the night.

23rd July 2010

Up early and cycled to Inveruglas to take a ferry across Loch lomond to Inversnaid RSPB reserve. Up onto the high moor to look for butterflies, particularly the scotch argus but no luck with that. Did see a few ringlets, a very tatty small pearl-bordered fritillary and a dark green also. A few golden-ringed dragonflies allowed very close views.

Golden-ringed dragonfly

Heath-spotted orchid

Next explored the woodland along the loch shoreline, to Rob Roy's cave. What a disappointment. Could hardly be called a cave.

Boat back to Inveruglas and a cycle back to the youth hostel hastened because of a wasp stuck in my cycle helmet. One stung bald head later and cream and tablets taken. Ouch!

OK. Now to search Fort William for the person who has my MP3! fat chance.

All the best everyone,

Gary

July 25th climbed Ben Nevis!

2010-07-26T02:40:00.000-07:00

So all five peaks climbed now and today was the toughest; little visibility, windy with cold drizzly rain at the top. Made it though and feel good about that.

That was yesterday. Today is the 26th and it's drizzly after a calm dry start to the day camping beside the river in Glen Nevis.

I'd last told of the first day on Oronsay and the kindness and generosity of Val and Mike. Well the next day was very wet with heavy rain for most of it and curled up in my sleeping bag and in the caravan I disgracefully spent the day reading my book, Origins Revisted by Richard Leakey. Well it was a very heavy book and I needed to finish it.

Eventually felt guilty over not being outside birding so got up and walked to the same headland as the previous evening, photographing crabs, seaweeds and watching the birds on view. Waders : 1 dunlin, 1 black-tailed godwit, 2 greenshank, 1 sanderling and a few oystercatchers and curlew; 53 greylags on the sea but very few seabirds passing in a strong north wind with rain falling steadily. Still enjoyed myself sitting in a sheltered area.

What a fabulous evening. Invited by three brilliant young people, Kat, Rob and Elena, to dinner. Lasagne!!!! My favourite with tiffin [my favourite too!!] to follow.

Rob was a young man from Conway, North Wales with birding credentials. He'd spent a year travelling around the USA birding after university. Elena was a RSPB volunteer from the Cotswolds, who'd worked at Titchwell, Abernethy and The Lizard. Then there was Kat! Katherine Snell - here goes .......

An Antarctic explorer, a pilot, a photographer with work on exhibition, possible future astronaut, chainsaw user, nicknamed 'Albatross Girl' by boyfriend who lives in the Falklands, Ex boyfriend of James Bond [he was a stunt double for Daniel Craig] cellist and tripod holder for David Attenborough's next wildlife series coming out next year. Enough? Well I'm sure with kat that her CV will continue to grow apace.

Now kat and Rob are working on a project called F.A.M.E. - Future of Atlantic Marine Ecosystems and are presently radio tagging seabirds to find their feeding strategies and areas.

A truly wonderful evening with these three very different and very fabulous young people.

I look forward to hearing about Sid the Fulmar!

22nd July 2010

Early morning spent hoping to see the calling corncrake in a stinger patch 5 meters in front of me and again to no avail. Then a perusal of the ruined priory, with bones in a hole and many superb grave slabs depicting warriors and wildlife.

Cycled to the ferry for Oban, even cycled over the sands between the 2 islands and after watching large hermit crabs in the harvbour boarded the boat, met a lovely family [Sue, Anna and Peter from Cumbria] and watched the few birds to be seen.

Time up at the library........

All the best everyone. Gary

Oronsay RSPB Reserve

2010-07-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 20th July

Ferry left Islay at 6.30am and misty, cloudy sunrise over the mountains of Jura. A few manx shearwaters and gannets were flying down the sound and the sea was mill pond flat.

Arrived at Colonsay and soon the rain started. Got to the sandy bay that required me to push the bike over the sand to get to Oronsay and then pushed it further until I reached a high dry [!] stone wall. Explored the coast here and then saw a large house and ruined priuory complex further west. Couldn't find anyone in at first but soon met 2 of the most fabulous people that I've met on the tour. The RSPB ceratinly has the top people and Mike and Val are 2 of the best.

I'd heard corncrakes calling whilst coming along towards the big house and Mike, after a coffee and a chat, took me down to where one was about 5 meters away calling from a dense patch of nettles. Could I see it? No chance. It moved left, I followed. It moved right I did the same but in 2 hours I didn't see as much as a feather. How loud the male was as well. The female did a sort of tiny squeak but the male; well, it was loud enough for me to record it on my mobile.

Spent the afternoon helping one of the RSPB volunteers, Niall, put out electric fencing with the hope that it will stop the many greylags from getting to the barley crop before the winter geese arrive. Niall's a tall distinguished ex civil servant from Edinburgh who is now treasurer for the BTO. A most charming work companion.

The evening was spent seawatching at the end of a nearby headland. Not many birds passing; gannets, kittiwakes and auks with 37 greylag quite far out on the ocean. Had seen a crater near the beginning of this penbinsula and it turned out that this was created during World War 2 when explosives were tested here under the watchful eyes of Winston Churchill himself.

Mike and Val had said that I could use the caravan for the couple of days that I was going to be on the island and when I returned there, there was a beer, pizza and salad waiting for me. Their kindness was greatly appreciated and even if I hadn't seen a corncrake the delightful island and wonderful people had made this a very special day.

Islay

2010-07-19T15:39:00.000-07:00

Now at Port Askaig on Islay after having a wonderful couple of days. was a little early here due to having had to change the itinerary due toa boat breakdown but couldn't have been made more welcome by the warden, Catherine and the 3 volunteers, Hugh, Heather and Richard at Loch of Guinart RSPB reserve. Many thanks to them all.

Catherine - the sunny personality warden

Heard a corncrake briefly on the first evening here [209] and saw 5 roe deer from the reserve's hide.

Yesterday went to The Oa, cycling down there after meeting Jeremy 'Jez' hastings in Debbie's Coffee House. [great cheesecake!] Jez runs a cycling wildlife business on the island and visitors don't even carry any luggage/rucksacks around. Jez carries them all on his 'work' bike. Brilliant bloke and well worth meeting.

The Oa has a huge tower atop dedicated to American sailors and soldiers that lost their lives on two shipwrecks nearby. Views over to Rathlin and the Antrim coast were as good as when I'd been there a few weeks back. A dead sheep was a draw for a number of ravens and other birds seen here were 4 chough, gannets and auks passing, whinchat and stonechat on the moorland and lots of linnets and meadow pipits.

Today, Monday the 19th of July has been the 200th day of the cycling tour. After sorting out the moth trap this morning; Catherine gave me a tour of the reserve and the rest of the afternoon was spent exploring on the bike. More chough, a male hen harrier and a female sprog were the highlights.

One interesting thing has been a bottom lip like a large sausage due to a cleg bite. I have always reacted adversely to cleg bites and this one was no exception. When I can I'll put the photo of this and the others taken over the last few days onto this blog.

Just want to say thank you to catherine, the warden of Loch Of Gruinart RSPB reserve and also to Hugh, Heather and Richard. Wonderful people.

Right now about to sleep on a lifeboat! Have met the owner, Steve from Manchester who has refurbished an old lifeboat and he has offered me a bunk aboard. Brilliant!

Tomorrow on the way to Oronsay. More corncrakes hopefully and it would be good to see one

All the best everyone

Gary