Eden Project Thurs/Fri March 4/5th Biking Birder

A cold night, very cold camping at Colliford Lake but saw the male lesser scaup both before 'retiring' and upon rising. Obligingly it flew towards me and landed just in front of me. The day, Thursday, had started with a cycle ride to Roadford Lake to see the ring-necked drake; also seen well. This now puts me onto 149 for the year.

The Eden Project, so good I thought I'd go twice. Actually if you pay to go in once and get your card registered you can go as many times as you like for the rest of the year. Well worth it too and I particularly enjoyed the very tame grey wagtails in the tropical rainforest. Well, that and the Cornish Pasty.

A cold night spent in the tent again, adjacent to the Project grounds gave me 17 specie of birds inc tawny owl, sparrowhawk and a female great spotted woodpecker drumming on the metal part at the top of a telegraph pole. Made a better sound i suppose. Also saw a badger; all these from my sleeping bag, as I wasn't going to get out of it with the heavy ground frost all around!

Thanks to those who have made donations. Please do so on my website  http://www.bikingbirder.co.uk/  where  justgiving  links direct you to your chosen charity.

I'll be cycling up the North Cornwall coast over the next week; needing to be at Isley marsh, Devon by Saturday next [the 13th].

What A Beautiful Day - Dartmoor 2nd March 2010

Everywhere white with heavy frost this morning and a smashing breakfast at the youth hostel to set me off. No cloud and no wind. Perfect. Also no noise from cars - first time this year and only the sound of chaffinch, siskin, crows and thrushes, with the occasional dog to be heard.

Cycled and stopped at the many picturesque points along the way. Bridges and moorland, Dartmoor prison [!] and a stone circle with stone lines and a high standing circle. All the latter were at Merrivale on the road to Tavistock.

Arrived in tavistock and immediately saw a dipper from the bridge there. Another one for the year list.

Into the library and hence the blog.

Planned itinerary for the next few days :-

tomorrow - Colliford Lake to hopefully see black duck and lesser scaup.

Thursday - St Austell and the Eden Project.

Friday - Truro Cathedral

Saturday - get to marazion via Stithians Res'

Sunday - Marazion.

If anyone can help with a bed I'd be grateful - please phone 07988754090 if you can.

Best weather day yet - beautiful sunshine and a slight east wind at my back.

Morning Sunrise from the tent. Labrador Bay RSPB reserve Monday 1st March

A lovely night sleeping in the tent on a public footpath near to Labrador Bay, the new RSPB reserve specially for cirl buntings. Frost and sunrise, a beautiful combination which meant that there was blue sky and no wind as I opened up the front.

Packed up and at the reserve for 7.30am. Now this is more like it. Birding in the early morning and as I walked towards the right hand [south] cereal field, a cirl bunting was singing. Settled down on some large logs cut down as part of the management work here and soon had very close views of a pair. Bird 145 on the year list.

Walked around the same field and down the cliff path to a viewpoint where 3 gannets, a fulmar, 2 shags and a great northern diver [146] were the only things on a mill pond sea. A lovely trail of sea fog was entering the bay via the Exe Estuary and a kittiwake flew past with a few herring gulls.

Cycled down the Newton Abbot and had new brake pads fitted at Halford's and stocked up on hot X buns at Tescos. A very helpful security guard here. Thanks.

Yesterday had the disappointment of first, not being able to count the views that I had of the surf scoter at Dawlish Warren. Too far out and the waves obscuring the bird for long periods. There were a number of common scoter but I was in need of a good 'scope to nail it. Hope I don't live to regret the dip.

Second, gutted over the Villa losing to ... well that other team in the final yesterday. Thanks to the pub in Dawlish Warren for the shandies and the match TV.

Now on my way, on this beautiful sunny, windless day, to Bellever Youth Hostel on Dartmoor.

One thought - how do mergansers find their food in the soup that is the Exe Estuary water?

Where's the Bike when You need it? Saturday 27th feb' cont'd

So on returning to Exeter Youth Hostel via the river cycle path, found the hostel closed and the plan had been to cycle to Powderham and then onto Dawlish Warren. Well, not giving up i walked instead to exminster marshes and eventually cicumnavigated the RSPB reserve there. Also got as far as the brent geese flock at Powderham and found the red-breasted goose [144]. Lucky really as I'd just met a lovely couple [Malcolm and Sylvia from Launceston, Cornwall] who were looking for the bird and we'd just swopped phone numbers in case one of us did find it. Well just as I approached the brent geese flock in a field next to the sea wall path, I saw the red-breast and almost immediately a dog chased into the flock and over the railway line they all flew to the far side of the field. When malcolm and Sylvia arrived the flock was still a good distance away and the red-breast was not on view. Then, after about an hour, another group of brents flew in that had been hidden by the railway embankment and there it was. good views for all and a good one for my bird list this year. The 4th one I've ever seen, my first being at Slimbridge many Moons ago.

Walked back to Exeter Youth Hostel, seeing a couple of little egrets and the 5th kingfisher of the day on the way.

Decided that I'd better make some progress tomorrow despite the weather forecast so booked Sunday night at Bellever Youth Hostel on dartmoor. Could be an interesting day!

Wet and Windy Saturday 27th feb' Biking Birder now in Exeter

 Well I was going to call this 'wet and dry' but yesterday was such a gale that the more appropriate title is above. So, many thanks to the team at Radipole/Lodmoor RSPB reserve for the welcome and accommodation. Good luck to Steve on his move to Geltsdale for the Summer. Good luck also to the RSPB with their aim of a 3% carbon cut in 2010. have a look on Google for the 10:10 carbon cut campaign from thr Age of Stupid people.

Thursday - a quick look at Ferrybridge [16 med' gulls] and Portland Harbour [9 black-necked grebes] before cycling to Abbotsbury for lunch [pate, bananas and hot cross buns] and Lyme Regis for delicious Dorset cake and custard, as well as 14 beautiful purple sandpipers tucked in on the fisherman cottages wall on the Cobb. [143 birds year list now]. It had been heavy rain most of the way and even some time in the clouds just past Abbotsbury. Got to Beer and found the Youth Hostel.

Next day entirely different and the brightness of the sun, unseen for days, was actually hurting my eyes! Went to the entrance of Beer caves which look similar in structure to Tilly Whim caves at Durlston [not that I've ever been inside those!] and other caves at Winspit; both the latter near Swanage Dorset. A large pig farm had hundreds of gulls, corvids and a good-sized flock of lapwings and these gave me an excuse to have a rest as the westerly wind was strong enough to stop me cycling.

Lunch on the extensive Aylesbeare Common RSPB reserve and only 2 birds found on the deck; a 'small' reed bunting that I tried to string into something better and a goldcrest. Otherwise a buzzard flew over and everything else was being kept down because of the gale. Cycled around to Venn Ottery RSPB reserve and similar birds here i.e. none.

Down to Bowling Green marsh, now a couple of days ahead of my schedule but with the coming Sunday's forecast being for one of the worst storms in years, feel that I need to have a 'cushion day' available. Well it's also the final Villa versus the **** in the Carling Cup Final. Please let us beat them. the dignity of Martin O'Neill versus the pathetic diatribe of the foul Fergie. Not that I'm biased but when will the FA do something to bring football back from 'cheats' thugs and foul language? I'm off on one but I would dearly love to see the beautiful game beautiful.

I digress.

Tide rising out on the Exe so waders arriving during the sunny afternoon spent in the hide. C.100 avocets flying around, sim' and more bar-tailed and black-tailed godwits, redshank and curlew with just 2 dunlin. 1 little egret, 1 pr of pintail, 7 redwing and c.250 wigeon. 3 pochard, a few tufted duck. Lovely to be having a relaxing birding time. 2 godwits were in summer plumage too.

Found the excellent youth hostel and met some of the teenagers who were on their way to take part in the South West Cross Country challenge races at Truro. Lovely, polite and interesting young adults who sat and watch france beat Wales in the Six nations rugby match.

Saturday - walked along the river walk to Exeter Cathedral, getting a soaking on the way but enjoying 2 kingfishers that allowed close views. An hour to look around the cathedral, after paying my £5 to get in.

One final thought. After having met 2 dog walkers who actually were carrying their dog's pooh. Why do some of the same throw the pooh bag into the hedges?

Wednesday 24th February Weymouth Reserves and Hotmail Trouble.

First - thanks to Hayley, Rhys and mark at ASDA in Weymouth. I've been having a bit of trouble getting in at supermarkets, won't name them - ASDA at portsmouth for instance, Tesco Express in Chichester [I'm not bitter!] due to the bike. Here though these 3 wonderful people were fantastically helpful. Thanks and hope you get the credit you sdeserve. THANKS!!!

Now before I get to the trip news a word of warning and apology. My email address - strobble etc, has been hijacked by someone advertising a phone. I've been told that the emails that this person has sent contains a virus. All of contacts have been deleted otherwise I would have got in touch with all of you to say - IT WASN'T ME. Any advice on what I can do please get in touch. I'm setting up a new email account. I'll put the address on here when I've done it.

OK back to the story - Sunday got to Swanage after 2 days rest. Great to see Perry, wife of the late Gordon of Fair Isle and great bustard fame. Told her about last week's events with the stuffed Fair Isle bird. She was thrilled that it was still around. Also saw a fabulous friend, Pete who put me up in his caravan that night. His slideshow of bird photos he'd taken on Lesvos last year contained some great images, especially of flying squaccos.

An early morning cycle to Middlebeare via the back road to Corfe castle from Swanage on Monday, arriving at Middlebeare a group of young sica deer came very close being very curious of a man on a bike. From the  hide the tide was coming in well and 8 spoonbill and hundreds of waders were on view. Avocet, black-tailed godwit, grey plover, know and dunlin were the most common with a few redshank and curlew. The best however were 10 bar-tailed godwits, including a bird in full summer plumage. When I used to bird at Middlebear a lot 6 years ago and more, bar-tailed were very rare here. Thanks to 3 Salisbury-Ringwood birders who gave some money as donations into the pot on the front of my bike. Thanks lads.

To Arne, met Mark the warden and various other workers, brilliant enthusistic people all. Cycled down to Shipstal Point and just couldn't make the very distant duck out in Poole Harbour in the probable long-tailed duck that had been reported. A closer black-necked grebe was easier, as were 6 red-breasted mergansers. Up on the viewpoint a very close male hen harrier comes close to being the best birding moment of the year so far. Fabulous bird and so close. A dartford warbler buzzed and came close too. Down towards Shipstall hide a group of Sica were feeding out on the marsh and the shelduck, wigeon, pintail etc settled down after the harrier flyover. Back towards the centre a large group of sicas jumped the barbed wire fence, around 40 animals and another larger group wer mostly static in a field adjacent to the main path.

Puncture! Won't embarass myself by going into all of the details on how I eventually fixed it but let's just say it took 2 hours!

A lovely ride on the rejuvenated bike to Weymouth and easily found WILTON GUEST HOUSE, where Craig and Claire had offered accommodation for the next two nights. A beautiful B & B in the centre of Weymouth and Craig's chilli concarne was also gratefully received. It's been tough on the finances the last 2 months because the weather has been so bad and most of the Youth Hostels contacted have been shut. So a million thanks to them, and I will find those promised Villa programmes Craig.

Tuesday 23rd - off to Westfield Art College, Weymouth. What a wonderful school; MLD children and brilliant staff. had a wonderful morning extended because the next school that i was going to visit was closed due to a broken boiler. An assembly with the children then a tour with 'Gladys and Betty' then a chat with a class and email sent to 'my' school in Worcestershire - Rigby Hall Special School, Bromsgrove. I hopt the link between schools will be maintained.

Off to Radipole Primary School and 2 exciting sessions with 2 year 5 classes. These school visits contiue to be a major highlight of the trip. Wonderful to see the eco work and commitment. Thanks to both schools, staff and children for allowing me the privilidge of visiting.

Cycle past Lodmoor and down to Radipole to see the hooded merganser, now a beautiful adult and quite close with a group of tufted duck. Can't count it as doubt over origins but good to see anyway. On the car park were 14 med' gulls of various ages, mostly 1st year birds or adults; with some some posturing by the latter. Met Dave Chown, the local gull expert who said that there are around 300 meds around Weymouth.

Thanks to Nigel at Halford's in Weymouth for his help with the bike and advice. THANKS!

Wednesday 24th February - met Nick Quintrell, one of Radipole's wardens and together we went around a strangely mostly birdless reserve. Exceedingly few birds but interesting chat with a smashing birdy bloke. Noisy cetti's and a single water rail call heard, the hooded merganser seen again and also seen flying.

Photographed very speedily by a local paper - the Dorset Echo. Then interviewed on the phone by the same paper.

Cycled like the wind, well it was behind me, to lodmoor and once again walked aorund the whole reserve with nick. A spoonbill and a kingfisher were highlights here but once again a lack of duck apparent.

Back to Radipole, a bit slower now as the wind was hitting my face. 7 1st year meds on the car park.

Problems as said with the emails meant that a couple of hours was spent trying to sort it then decided to cycle in the heavy rain to Ferrybridge. Along the superb cycle path, the Rodwell way and almost no birds once getting there. So cycled on to Portland and down to a surging sea at the Bill. Photos and kittiwakes, loved the violence of the sea and the beauty of the gulls riding the wind. 3 shags going past makes the year list now 142.


Called in at Portland Bird Obs but Martin cade not there. Paid my respects at the Peter Cowdray memorial on the wall of the lighthouse then cycled back to Weymouth.

Another great day. Another opportunity to meet the amazing RSPB volunteers who no matter what the weather get in where it's cold and wet to do the conservation work necessary. Good luck to all of them.


Buns and bed!

Thursday 18th February Rain to Snow - rest period 2

Out to Garston Wood in Wiltshire, reached via the back roads htrough rain varying from drizzle to downpour with slaphead hurting hail.

Met a lovely OAP couple, Lois and Sheila whose front and back gardens are totally taken up by a fabulous selection of windmills. All of them are made from recycling practically anything and I had to photograph them and have a natter. Bycycle wheels, Snoopy toys, plastic bottles, United football action figures, cats [!], balls making a brilliantly creative scene. I wonder what the neighbours think. If you want to see them then go to Bishopstone on the minor road off the Salisbury to Blandford Forum main road and they'll be on your right.

Another excuse for a rest was for another natter with a local. This time with Wes, a trout farm owner who told of blackbirds taking his young fish.

Two young ladies at a bus stop warned of a coming hill. "You won't cycle up that," one said. She wasn't kidding yet the ride down the other side was worth the climb.

Garston Woods, lacking the soon to be there bluebells but there were closed up flowers of lesser celandine; the first I've seen this year. Also my first daffodils in flower away from a garden. Sad to see a dead sheep in the field opposite. Looked as though it died giving birth to a lamb. Took photos of the RSPB noticeboards and went for a walk along a section of conifer next to deciduous trees. Can't wait for the Spring to bring woods into their own for at the moment, with this weather, things are quiet. Mind you I love trees and here there's a beautiful selection. Down in the southern corner a worker was coppicing hazel but as it was downhill and the rain was particularly heavy I cycled past on the way to Wimbourne.

Next stop was at a place where I'd hitched to in order to see breeding Montagu's harriers 30 years ago. High on a hill, along one of the best Roman roads I know I remember being there on a very hot sunny Summer's day to see the pair with, if I remember right, 2 flying youngsters. I met the gamekeeper whilst there then who had helped protect the birds. Wonder if they still breed in the area?

To Wimbourne and into the Minster. Impressive tombs and 'Moses'. The chained library was closed unfortunately until April.

Now every few weeks I return to Warwick to see family, catch up with the post and basically collapse. So a train was caught from Poole in Dorset and I'll be returning there on Sunday to carry on with the journey. Rain to snow, just north of Banbury the scenery became white and picturesque.

Home. Warwick. Mum and Dad and phone call from my son, Joshua, whose 23 tomorrow. Happy birthday son. I Love You!!!

A letter from Bill Oddie. A lovely letter saying that he was off for a holiday to Guatamala and that he'd been keeping up with my blog. He wishes me success and will be sponsoring me so much a bird. He also said how much he loved birding at Upton Warren in the '60s; "rarely saw another birder!" Maybe I should say here that one of the big motivations for what I'm doing is to find my own birds and Bill's philosophy, mentioned so often in his autobiographies, on doing so helped formulate the idea. Thanks Bill for the ltter. means a lot to me.

My pannier cover has not been found. Thanks Al of the Great Bustard group for looking. Now to find the photographs of Gordon Barnes with the Fair Isle bird.

Time for sleep.

Thanks for all the donations, including Yvonne on the train tonight.