Yet another strange week. You could be
forgiven for wondering why there is not much factual reporting of my birding
activities, but it’s simple…. There ain’t been any.
I think the weather has taken its toll, and
unless you are once again running for membership of the 200 club, it’s easier
to take the soft option.
Trouble is health has hindered. I did
something to my back at Wombwell Ings when I climbed through some scaffolding
fencing to avoid the mud. It’s been a matter of rest and pain killers. But before
you rush to send flowers (or grapes) things improve by the day, and I am now
not only able to reach down and pull my zip up, but I can tie my laces, both
signs of improvement.,
Some 2 months ago, I gashed my arm on a door
catch, and despite 12 visits to the nurse, she has so far been unable to stem
the blood flow when she takes off the bandage.
Trouble is that having lost 4 stone after my cancer operation in 2016, I
may look like a racing snake, but I
have virtually no fat to give me any padding so when I damage my skin, even a
small scratch, is black straight away. Or put in another way, I’m delicate. Ed:
Slimbridge… No comment please!
Friday 16 March, we interrupt at this point to say that last Tuesday I was given
treatment to my arm with a seaweed and silver impregnated gauze
covering……………….. and it’s working! Today
the nurse has changed the dressing and repeated the same gauze. As I paid the higher not contracted-out National Insurance
during my working life, I am entitled to the silver supplement. I assume if I
had paid top rate tax (which I didn’t) I could have a gold version.
Ed; Oh gawd, he’s rambling again. No, I’m not…trying Googling “seaweed and
silver bandage”.
Sadly, a planned birding trip with Chris had to be aborted but the rain was so bad, it
turned out to be the right decision. Much flooding round Derby lanes and other
river walks.
Consequently, I have continued to spend an enjoyable couple of weeks displaying,
photographing and cataloguing all my 117 leg examples. I now have a small
catalogue which is easy to take to antique fairs when I want to check a
possible purchase against what I already have. It gets harder to recall all of
them at 117.
But there have been some birding snippets.
Chris had the champers out for seeing Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (and
Tawny Owl) in Notts which will be good boosts for her 200.
If I’d lived nearer Norfolk, I would undoubtedly have made the effort to
see the Snowy Owl which was reported around Titchwell and Snettisham, way off
course from the arctic tundra. I guess a lot of the people going to see the
bird will be Harry Potter Fans.
Good bit of news from Carsington, apart from the excellent male Scaup
which has been in front of the wildlife centre and affording good opportunities
to see and compare with Tufted Ducks.
The volunteers have a new project, clearing and preparing some unused
wooded area to make it conducive for Willow Tits. I understand a recent survey
by the Carsington Bird club identified 25 Willow Tits around the whole reservoir,
so it must be a good potential breeding site.
I have my own issues with the auction industry, but the TV programmes
Coast and Country auctions over the last 2 weeks has been very interesting.
Auctions have covered fish, cattle, plants and flowers, Welsh cobs, ponies,
sheep dogs, much of the action being around Devon and Brixham. Yesterday a sole
fisherman was watching Dolphins by his boat, the cetacean with the larger fin
than the Porpoises I saw with Simon last month.
Now I don’t know where you stand on the scones, with jam then cream, or with
cream then jam debate. I just know I like both but if I must make a decision, then
it’s jam then clotted cream.
If you google jam v cream, you will find that my choice makes me a
Cornish supporter.
Tuesday 13th March Yep, the migrants
are arriving. I see on the DOS web site, Sand Martins and a Wheatear were at
Long Eaton Gravel Pits on Tuesday.
Sunday 18th March it
happened again.. the Markeaton BwB cancelled due to the weather. I did a recce
an hour before the walk, and found 1 male Goosander, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2
sad looking cold Song Thrushes, and a group of actively foraging Redwings, plus 2
people booked on the walk who were quite happy to have their tickets validated
for next month instead!!!
Finally, I (or rather we) are in the Daily
Telegraph again, albeit with an anonymous name!
PLEASE let next week have a bit more birding
input…..I do have plans, but ?????
Happy Birding.
The many followers of my blog (or comment if you insist) of a couple of weeks ago will have realised that I was a little premature last week when I announced that Lynton was OPEN again because it promptly closed again over the weekend. Caused by either the further heavy snow or perhaps, by a threatened visit from Mr Putin. Well, Lynton is now open....AGAIN! Except that is for buses - there aren't any. During the first white-out I decided to do the neighbourly thing by putting snow on our (very steep) drive. Unfortunately, my footwear was not up to the task so I ended up on my back sliding down the drive, clouting my head in the process. Did I get any sympathy? What do you think?? My Polish friend told me that I should remember that I was no longer a teenager. So I can entirely understand you feeling a little delicate after your encounters with scaffolding, car doors etc. It seems you had about the same level of sympathy from your Editor.
ReplyDeleteThe use of seaweed and silver dressing is often used to treat wounds that prove difficult to heal > Editor.
Cream tea? Definitely jam first then cream.
I'll stop there, talking about cream teas has made me hungry.
Congratulations on your latest foray into print!