Saturday Jan 30, With
Mary and our daughter Sarah, we were heading for another visit to Surrey, and
as it was daylight, I, as driver, insisted we journeyed via Silverstone to the
M40, so that I could tick off Red Kite en route. And was it well worthwhile!!
Sarah had the clicker counter and between Oxford and the magic roundabout (M25)
we all saw 18 Red Kites, which meant goodness knows how many were outside of our
line of vision. Not my best count – that was Sunday 23rd March 2012,
heading South at c1.30pm.....61. (Did I mention that I keep records??)
Tuesday Feb 2, gave
my 25th talk about the Carsington Osprey project to 18 ladies from a group at
St Mathews Church, Darley Abbey. They were very enthusiastic about the project,
and despite the projector giving a distinct green hue to the pictures, they still
gave me a very helpful donation for our ongoing costs... one said it was worth
it for my enthusiasm!
As usual I embellish my talk with some interesting bird
facts, and I got on to the experiences of my grandson Leo, and the Peregrines
on Derby cathedral.
In 2014 I took him to a vantage point behind Derby
cathedral, to see the Peregrine nesting tray, which was installed on the
cathedral by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust in 2006. My telescope enabled Leo to get
a very close view of a Peregrine, but he was even more thrilled when he looked
at the Jury’s Inn sign on the nearby hotel. He now saw 3 Peregrines, and
commented that 2 of them, the juveniles, were fluffier! He was very proud to
tell his school mates that he had seen a “pair-of-greens”!
I told the ladies that if they are on an A6 bus going
towards Belper, to check the hotel sign as they pass ...my success rate is
about 60%. Why are the adults on that spot?
a) The adults can see the nest from there; b) it faces the sun: and c) the
illuminated sign presumably gives there claws warmth, all the better for
hunting.
Friday Feb 5 On
impulse I decided to have a short visit to try and tick off the Brambling and
Yellowhammer at Old Moor, and after the second attempt, I did indeed add them to
my year list. As a bonus for my diligence, I arrived at Old Moor to find a Red
Necked Grebe had arrived on Thursday and was on the Mere, clearly why there
were so many cars in the car park. 117 to date – looking good.
Just to keep you up to date, I popped over to Wombwell Ings
to see if the new hide being installed by the Garganey Trust was open yet. But
unfortunately it appears that it will be another 10 – 14 days. Must make a note
to go up early March because it is a good place to see Red Necked Partridge,
and possibly Grey.
Right, time to pack for my visit to Exmouth next week, during
which I hope to see Penduline Tits at Gloucester, a scan of Bowling Green
marsh, a train journey along the Dawlish Wall via Exe marshes, an Avocet cruise
on the Exe, and a run to Seaton to look
for a Golden Ibis at the Axe estuary. The weather prospects can be described as
decidedly iffy!
You know where I am if
the SW gets stormy.
Captain Nemo.
No comments:
Post a Comment