Nine out of ten for effort.

 1.     Late News!  I had an e-mail telling me that the 2 Ringed Plovers seen on the BWB walk at Carsington last Sunday, were their first Ringed Plover sightings for 2018. I have therefore amended the BOD to Ringed Plover!!

2.     With Chris being the first through the 100 barrier for 2018, hot on the heels is Amanda with a Dipper to hit her 100, on 5^th Feb.

3.     Another precedent set….. 3 comments added to the post on my blog last week…. Am I getting a following??? Yes, but probably for the wrong reasons.

One comment suggested a White Cheeked Starling as a possible for last weeks’ mystery bird. But the photo I posted, the Pied Mynah, had some strong contrasting black and white feathers, and also the Orange bill did not come to the tip on the Mynah as it did on the Starling. So, I think we can rule that out. Good effort though.

4.     If you read my weekly posts because you have set up the priority(!) facility to be contacted each time I post, you will probably not have gone into a post afresh, and thus not seen some of the comments that have been added. Try it sometime, and you will see that Slim Bridge is a regular commenter (Commentator?).

5.     Slim Bridge will be pleased to know that Slimbridge is spending some £6million in projects to enhance the facilities at Slimbridge, and by 2020 Slim Bridge will be able to visit the Slimbridge nature reserve at Slimbridge and enjoy Slimbridge 2020.

6.     Trivia No 6  If you ever find yourself in a conversation about which British Duck is the fastest and the heaviest, the answer is the Eider.

In the 7^th Century, Saint Cuthbert went to live on the Farne Islands, and one of his early achievements was to legislate for the protection of Eider Ducks on the Farnes.

The Eider has feathers/down which are used in Eiderdowns (hence the name), and whilst commercially, most eider down is not in fact eider, it is a sustainable activity. Real Eider down comes from the breasts of female adults and being soft and warm, is used to line nests. When the young leave the nest, the down is then harvested and sold as true Eider-Down.

With this explanation, and knowing that Saint Cuthbert (“Cuddy”) slept in “eider down” you have the origin of Cuddy’s Duck, an affectionate and appropriate name for the Eider, used regularly by people in Northumberland.

7.     Mike is a Severn Trent ranger at Carsington, who I have known from the days when he worked for an electrical contractor, and I still call him “Sparky” Mike. I first met Sparky on the Bridlington Belle in July 2005 (I told you I keep full records!) when we sat next to each other on an RSPB Manx Shearwater boat trip, incidentally the first and only time I have seen a Manxie.

Since Xmas, Mike has on 3 occasions found Jack Snipe at Carsington. The first single bird was near the Janet Ede hide, and in the next few days 4 Jacks at the same location. Now he tells me he found 2 in the reed bed area at Hopton End.  He has had cracking sightings, watching the birds only fly at the last minute as he approached, and the yellow back stripes (“bracers”) being very visible.

8.     I don’t think I told you that Severn Trent liked my idea of getting someone with a drone to fly over the Osprey nests and check what if anything needs doing to the nests to prepare them for the Osprey influx (we hope!) in 2018. Unfortunately, due to having to have my arm rebandaged last Monday I was unable to join the drone operator, but we have received 5 excellent overhead photos, which show what we need to know, without having to shin up a ladder, 5 times. Photos next week all being well.

The work was done by the Severn Trent Drone inspection team. What a nice job – imagine that on your CV.

The only comparable thing I can think of was at the 2012 London Olympics where radio-controlled BL minis (suitably adapted) where used to return Javelins, Discuses, Hammers etc to the starting point. Just imagine sitting there all day driving a toy car round the inner-ring area, and getting paid for it!!

9.     I’m scheduled to visit Rutland on Tuesday week with Chris. Even if I still have a problem with my arm, I can at least clamp my scope to a shelf in the hide.   So, bring it on.

10.   There is no number 10.

Happy Birding