Monday
September 19 to Friday 23rd.
Oh dear…. I think
I’m going to be at loggerheads with the editor (bless her), because with 24
hours to go, this looks like being a week of serious inaction on the bird
front.
But first I
thought you may like to see the following photo taken at our 2,000th
booking day, which my SIL Julian took.
.. and don't forget the usual walk next Sunday (Oct 2)
Incidentally, I googled David Bennett
Carsington, and found a site with photos, taken by someone named David Cook who
was apparently on the walk on 3rd April!! I can’t copy the photos as
they are his, but there is a group photo you may be in (Amanda is!!) and a
couple of nice pictures on LBJ’s. See for yourself.
This short break
at Weston SM was meant to be some consolation and rest for Mary for all she has
done to look after me since my op in May. The hotel had to have a ramp to
accommodate my mobile commode, there should be no late night sexual activity
from the Woodpigeons on the Iron railings outside our bedroom window, and a
high tide would be nice.
The good news is that
I did not need the commode ramp, as the hotel has installed an outside loo…sorry,
outside lift, so you could go up one floor, open the door and make a ceremonial
entrance into the lounge area, so that was a plus.
Sure as eggs, the
woodpigs were in nooky mood, until Mary dampened their ardour by lobbing a
glass of water out of the window.
Well the last
requirement, we got in spades… very high
tide on Tuesday at 9.56am, and all the flood gates along the prom were closed
to be on the safe side. The tide at least pushed the Oystercatchers close in
(large yawn).
Tuesday we got the
BOW at the marine Lake, twice, with a couple of very confiding Rock Pipits. It
was good to see them close to, because their flight jiz is much like a wagtail,
so you need a clear view.
Wednesday, had a
chat with a birder at Sand Bay, which is a headland sticking out into the
Severn Estuary just north of Weston and can be good for birds like Wheatears
and Stonechats. He had seen 2 Wheatears at Middle Hope, a particular area near
Sand Point. There were plenty of Hirundines around, and when Mary I reached the
head they seemed to be enjoying buzzing us. 14 Little Egrets had been pushed
well inland because the 10.30am tide was still a high one.
Thursday, we
poodled west along the coast to Burnham on Sea. We encountered, how can I say
it kindly, a bit of an anorak on the prom. He’s positioned himself just near
the loos and the café, by a bench, with his wife and his top quality scope on a
6ft hi pod, so that’s Kn*****ed it for me. His wife was actively feeding a 2/3
year old Herring Gull, who she said was called Sylvie, which apparently claimed
squatter’s rites and repelled any other gulls who dared to home in on her
patch. Mrs Twitcher said she had seen Sylvie throw a Great Black Backed Gull
over the prom wall…allegedly!
So let me set the
scene. This fellow birder has his scope trained on a small island twixt Burnham
and Steart, and beyond Steart is Hinkley Point, a nuclear project better known
for having an opening ceremony unattended by HM Government.
My interest is
that Steart is an excellent developing WWT site, good for waders and for
raptors. I asked what was around, and
was told there is a fox on the island, and sometimes the local Peregrine sits
there. When he focused his scope on Cardiff, and started telling Mary how to
use the scope (I wouldn’t do that!), I decided it was time to go and see what
BARB was all about.
Burnham has 2
rescue services, one the standard RNLI, but in addition because of the
extensive mud in the Severn estuary, there is also a hovercraft rescue service
called BARB (Burnham Area Rescue Boat) which can get to boats, and people that
get stuck on, and in, the mud. They had 2 very slick orange hovercrafts and it
was good to learn how the two services cover all the options. By all accounts,
in 2016 BARB is ahead of RNLI in call outs.
You live and learn
Ed; Sounds an active week to me!
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