1st September 2019…. The first of the new Era!! Monthly, not Weekly.
The last 2
weeks have been strange with no longer having to sit down on a Sunday night
pondering what the heck I am going to write!! As it turns out since making the decision on
August 11 to “go monthly”, the longer capture spell has disclosed a greater choice
of newsy items.
AA (Avian
activities) have been minimal, so I’ll start with informative
matters.
I mentioned
earlier this year that I had embarked on a new volunteering activity at the
Allestree community library, as a volunteer librarian. Volunteering in
libraries has evolved as Derbyshire Council reduces costs by not employing
librarians but utilising the services of community minded volunteers to keep
the libraries open for the good of the ratepayers (slight dig!). One good
aspect is that affected libraries are intended to become more of a community centre
and not just lending books. That’s a
plus.
At Allestree
library we have c25 volunteers covering eight ½ day shifts (Tuesday – Friday). As
we need 3 volunteers per shift you can calculate
there is not much leeway for absenteeism. Ergo we need volunteers!!
The library book computer system holds personal
information about borrowers which volunteers (rightly-) have not been able to
access. But from Monday ( and after I
have undertaken my short training course) we will use a system which,
presumably with appropriate passwords,
will permit volunteers to use book data without accessing customer data.
Then we should be MOTORING!!
Meanwhile
until we are all computer trained, we fill our time pulling book request s for
other libraries and replacing returned books and hone our skills in knowing
whether Mac comes before Mc, and whether a crime novel in large print goes in
Crime or Large Print etc etc!
(The recent
decision is that we do not differentiate twixt Mc and Mac ..and in the M
section, the letter after the c decides the alpha order. Got it?...good!!)
I’ve probably
told you that Mary was a librarian for the BBC in London, her library duties covering handling
tapes and recordings for the BBC World Service.
She was at work the day that President Kennedy was assassinated and
recalls the panic and demands for obituaries so that tributes could be
broadcasted. The library held many readily prepared obituaries, but at a relatively
young age there was very little Kennedy data ready and available for
broadcasting.
As a contrast
to book handling I have also enrolled at Crich Tram Museum as a greeter! It would appear to stem from my enjoyment of
spending a brilliant day driving a Liverpool Tram in April thanks to the superb
80th birthday gift from my family.
This is a 116
years old London Tram, and it is NOT me driving…I’m told I’m too old to drive.
(That hurts!) Greeter volunteers (there are different volunteers throughout the
museum, from driving to engineering and
catering to retail) usually work a full day, for which a hot meal is
provided (that’s a bonus!!). Apart from any ad hoc tasks, as a greeter I stand near
the Museum entrance alongside a large map, my visual aid, to help and explain
what happens when and where, and the best route to enjoy the whole experience.
The 3 most popular
questions? … Toilets? Cup of Tetley’s? Trams?
There are several
guided tours in the museum area, and a pleasant one-mile scenic walk from the
end of the line back to the terminus. I’ve spotted a bird hide en route with
nothing to look at and no bird table – that will need more investigating and
could be a responsibility I could get into.
And now to the Avian world!!
As promised
another cracking photograph courtesy of Julian, which he took in the garden of
his house. As he watched a Sparrowhawk sitting on a stone circle it suddenly
disappeared into the bushes and emerged to land at the same spot with a Dunnock
in its claws. Feathers flew everywhere and the stripped carcass was finally
carried away by the Hawk. However sad,
always dramatic to watch.
Tuesday August 13 Chris, Gill and I had the first day for ages doing some bird watching
together, where?? at Attenborough of course!! Catching up was probably
why we spent the first 45 minutes just batting the breeze.
Gill was
recovering from a (successful) cataract op, Christine from International
travels to and climbing in the Andes, to Bird Watching in the Galapagos Islands
in the Pacific, and me from Gout and apathy, so it was good to get some of the
old routine back.
We started at
the Sand Martin nest bank where I spotted a Kingfisher near the old Sand Martin
bank, an absolute thrill for Chris, because she had not seen one in 2019. Just to be sure, we saw yet another Kingfisher
flash horizontally past the Kingfisher hide spotted more by its jizz rather than
an actual id.
Although the Attenborough
cafe had run out of Jacket spuds we were rewarded with a prominent Linnet, 3
Little Egrets and plenty of hirundines.
Good news
from Carsington. Volunteer Pat has been pressing for some sort of image or logo
on the outside wall of the Wildlife Centre so that passers by see it as more
than just a brown wooden building, with grass on the roof. Her perseverance has
produced results, and Donna, a relatively new F/T ranger has created an
excellent Swan image on the outside wall. Not a rare bird but it’s big, it’s
well known, and it will draw attention. Well done all round.
Just in
passing, some 20+ years ago, Severn Trent made a big thing of cutting the grass
on the wildlife centre roof. The building has no screws or bolts, the whole
building being held together by very tight joints, plus the weight of earth and
grass. In about 1999 they organised a
small flock of sheep to be placed on the roof to graze the grass, and a
volunteer dressed as Mary (Mary had a little lamb!) was in attendance.
Publicity was of course the objective, and it did make the local press.
Friday August 16th
Mary and I had
a short break at WSM (better known as Weston on the Mud). Total avian
species…6. Had a room upgrade, a free
bottle of the driest bottle of Rose we have ever had, and £18 undercharge for
parking. Oh well, some you win, some
you lose.
(News break
this week…. A police car patrolling the beach at WSM got stuck in the mud and had to be towed out. Boys in Blue? Boys with red faces!!)
The visit
became quite nostalgic when we encountered a group of aged Rockers singing and
dancing down the shopping precinct. As
this montage shows, they were dressed the part, long jackets (men) very full
long skirts (with net petticoats – ladies), and many with elaborate hair styles
to suit the Rocker era. Apparently there was a Rocker night at a promenade
hotel that evening, and they were all well in the mood. Mary and I found
ourselves singing (not dancing) with the crowd.
Returning
home, had a pleasant bird walk at Idle Valley with Christine and Gill on Tuesday August 20th.
2 hi-lites… the
number of Hirundines over the main lake
was just incredible. Mainly Swallows and Sand Martins, and although I thought
they had gone by now, there were a good number of Swifts.
After lunch
we drove to Chain Bridge lane, and nothing much to see on the wet area. But at
the bridge over the river Idle a very helpful birder took us a little way along
the river bank until we looked over the wetland area called Tin Holt and he
pointed out a couple of young Water Rails which kept emerging from the reeds,
then scurrying back to safety. We were some way away, so it was not us that
spooked them, maybe just timid.
The helpful
birder talked about the better areas to visit in migration time, so we three
have scheduled in October 1 to visit the Idle Valley again.
The Friends
of Markeaton Park had their Annual garden Festival on the bank holiday weekend
and asked me to lead 3 free bird walks.
Result? In fairness it was record
breaking temperatures, and I had no bookings. Frankly I would not have gone
birding in that heat!!
Continuing my
“on this day” item, well yesterday anyway, 31st August 1900 (119
years ago!) Coca-Cola first went on sale in the UK.
So endeth the
first Monthly Flyer. Observations or
comments welcomed.
Happy Birding
