Hello
If you happen to still have your automatic link with any of my postings on my old birding blog then this message will come as a bit of a surprise.
It was in May 2020 when Covid was starting to get a grip that
not only did I stop birding, but I stopped doing my birding blog. My pocket
book of sightings just dried up in mid 2020 and my Mojo did the same.
In the summer, life was not too bad. Restricted as where one
could go, we had plenty to do in the garden, and were really pleased with the
result of our efforts. Going through the
2020/2021 months, I did an incredible amount of writing, well over 107,000
words with 22 different chapters.
Getting frustrated without any writing projects, in March 2021 I started
a new blog, so it moved from Allesbirdtree blog to Alleslegtree blog!! That has continued for 24 postings up to this
month the majority of which have no record of any web browser making a
“hit”. Doesn’t matter, I still enjoy
writing.
The memoirs continued to a lesser degree, but we enjoyed the
summer by swinging on our new garden swing on No 3 patio!! This was a site
development well worth while.
ANYWAY!! Whilst we had
enjoyed the bird life in and through our garden, Mary’s bird knowledge has
certainly improved.
A pair of Goldfinches popped in together regularly, usually
going to the bird bath for a drink.
A Sparrowhawk did a temporary pause on the fence when we had
some distancing visitors in the garden and Woodpigeons and Dunnocks were
clearly co-habiting. The Robin was an infrequent visitor but when he did come
it seemed to be to the same spot on the fence from whence he serenaded us.
In October I decided it was time to get back to birding.
Birders, like me, like to count birds in a calendar year, and just once I have
hit the magical 200. November 7th Amanda told me that the Glossy
Ibis was her number 200 UK bird for 2021… with almost 2 months still to go.
As I can see no reason why a year should be a calendar year,
I decided to start on Wednesday 3rd November and go 365 days from
there.. and why not? Just got the
seasons in a confused order!
So I got going with three walks in Markeaton Park, and the
November Bird walk with Amanda and in two weeks I was on 42 species.
The big psychological boost was the 7 days staying at
Exmouth, and, of course, including the 3 hour birding cruise up the Exe to
Topsham. Derek Carter was the good leader for the cruise and I ticked 31
species. Nothing unexpected and a couple that I thought we would see, we
dipped.
We listed a number of others birds during our holiday, which
included on a trip to Berry Head. 3 birds competed for Bird of the Holiday. At
the second attempt I found 5 Purple sandpipers on the rocky foreshore at
Exmouth (with 7 Turnstones both times)), and we needed a return visit to
Labrador Bay south of Teignmouth before we spotted a lovely Cirl Bunting. And
Mary is now au fait with the call of a Raven over Exmouth marina. (Pity about
dipping for the Black Restart).
Anyway, of 56 species, 28 were new moving my total on to 70
YTD.
Started December well, with a Jay in Regents Park, 5 Red
Kites seen from the train to London near Oxford – and on the Carsington walk
for December, Siskin and Redpoll and a lovely male Ruff. (YTD = 78).
So, whilst it will only be monthly, I’ve decided to
reactivate posts on my bird blog and this is number one.
Next news will be in January 2022 and my progress to date is very encouraging.
So a very Happy Xmas (that bird on the table does not count!!) and a I'll talk again next year
David
