So, bald heads ARE attractive to birds!

Tues 19^th April... In anticipation of seeing a Ring Ouzel, Jill, Christine and I met up at Bardon Hill, the highest point in Leicestershire, where RO’s are known to stop en route to their breeding ground. 

Sadly, despite a remarkable view to the bottom of the quarry, our birding success was limited to multiple Willow Warblers, but made up for by the deep croaking call of a pair of Ravens. I find identification is helped by seeing what is described as a graduated tail, but I prefer to see it as coming to a point.

We then went on to the Sence Valley Park near Ibstock, for a pleasant stroll but nothing significant to report.

I wonder if you caught the story about the bald Postman in Exeter who was attacked by an escaped Eagle Owl, who said he thought the bird was after his rat-like moustache. It brought to mind another of the WoW stories that I have referred to and one that I had published in the local paper. This story came from a Mr KC of Surrey, and goes as follows:-

“In 1985 a friend and I had access to a part of Kempton Park Racecourse on which there was a thriving heronry and one winter we built a hide 80 feet up a chestnut tree to get some pictures of the herons on their tree-top nests in an adjacent oak.

One day in spring, as I entered the hide via the trapdoor in the floor, I heard the sound of a biggish bird exiting the hide and discovered a nest on the floor. I abandoned my photo plans in order not to disturb the mystery nester and returned a few days later in order to photograph the bird. On entering the hide, the bird again flew out and I set up my flash-guns and settled down to await the return of the mystery bird.

After about 10 minutes, I heard the bird return to the hide behind me. I couldn’t turn round for fear of disturbing it and it stayed perched behind me for about 5 minutes until it hopped on and nestled down on my head! It sat there quite comfortably for about 10 minutes and I still had no idea what it was. I had an incipient bald patch and I could feel the bird wriggling as though it was incubating my bald spot. Eventually, after what seemed a life-time, the bird dropped down onto its nest and I got my first picture of what was for me my first – a stock dove!”

Thursday 21^st April.. Had a pleasant stroll round Markeaton Park in the afternoon, the usual suspects on display, and the only nice surprise were the 3 Mandarin Ducks (a pair and a single male) on the duck pond, A single Swallow on the tele-wag wires was an encouraging sign that they may be back to breed again in the beams of the craft village.

My previous reference to maximising my lifetime NI contributions with the NHS has sadly increased, and I am heading towards some treatment which will NOT be the subject of this blog! But in my recent hospital visits,I often find the kindly nurses wanting to make conversation and relax me, by asking “What would you be doing if you were not here?”!!!   Nice opener!

So as a PR man for birding at Carsington (it seems), this week the conversations have gone thus:

• 1.       Whilst being wired up for the treadmill, the nurse tells me she goes regularly to Cley, a birding haven in Norfolk. (Cue verbal debate as to the most successful birder!!)

• 2.      A CT Scan technician tells me she loves Attenborough gravel pits.

• 3.      Friday, under escort to be anesthetised, by a charming little (!!) oriental nurse “What you do today?”,brings the answer, birding at Carsington, followed by a short lecture to the anaesthetist about Swifts and their life on high. Quote “I’ve learnt something to-day.”

If all else fails, one can always talk about our Avian friends.