I'll stick to management....

Well yet again the weather forecasters have got it wrong. Today, in the South West at least we were meant to be having rain, wind and well maybe a pestilent frog thrown in. It may be cold today, but it's actually very nice.

So a day in the garden. The above chairs, were "donated" to me as being past their best. This was back in June, and Border Reiver had planned to restore them for the garden. It's now the last day in November. So out with the sander, and on with a bit of mahogany slap. At this rate they'll look like Robert Kilroy Silk. They need a second coat before I show you the finished product, my DIY skills are legendary.... legendary bad that is. Which is why I'll stick to management, and my Fathers thoughts, DIY is for Don't Involve Yourself and get someone in.

But I do like gardening, so planted up a couple of Cyclamen / Heather pots. My neighbour popped round as well and I potted up a hanging basket for her. I used to be hopeless at hanging baskets, until I realised pack in the plants, leave no soil uncovered. (unlike that bare patch in the above photo.... dear oh dear, oh dear!!)

Hopefully these will bring in a bit of cheer for the winter. As did these little chaps, who seem to be becoming resident in my garden, always full of fun and activity. Photo is a bit rubbish, as they never stopped moving and caught me on the hop.

The other bit of wildlife from the garden was a Buzzard being mobbed by 3 Carrion crows overhead. I get a lot of Buzzards over the house in the summer, mewing and soaring, less so in the winter. So this was a nice diversion for 5 minutes from the freezing fingers.

Well first day of Advent tomorrow, I have my candle ready, and now if I can get motivated, heading off to Wells Cathedral for an Advent Service. I love Christmas, and think I'm becoming religious in my old age as have just bought this book to read.

~~~

Postscript : 7.45pm; Well I'm now back from Wells Cathedral, and I have to say thoroughly set for Christmas, if a little frozen. The Cathedral was put into total darkness, we all had candles, which were then lit from the Advent candle and then from one to another. I like the dark, but it's interesting what a few candles can do to lift the mood on a Sunday evening..... unlike my tone deaf singing.

the antics of a Peregrine Falcon

This is just a bit of Friday fun really.

For those of you who don't know "the Onion" is is a spoof newspaper and has some cracking wildlife stories in there from time to time. Always good for a giggle on a Friday

Peregrine Falcon in the Onion

And while I'm on about links, Radio 4's World on the Move is coming to the end of it's year soon, if you haven't had a chance to listen yet, go on be a devil, Tuesday Mornings, or of course listen again via the web.

World on the Move

Avon Wildlife Trust

Would you trust this man? I wouldn't, he's got shifty eyes and a bad taste in shiny shirts !! However this morning I received notice that I'd been duly elected onto the Board of Trustees for the Avon Wildlife Trust .

Quite an honour to be asked to consider this role and so thank you to the two other Trustees who nominated and seconded me. Even though it's early days and I've not met my fellow Trustees yet, I'm thrilled to be given this opportunity. More on the blog no doubt in the future.

Daffodils in November........

Nature is a funny old thing. As this weekend brought in the first real taste of winter snows to most of Britain, in the balmy South West yesterday afternoon, just before the rugger, I popped out to cut the lawn. Yes I know it is the 22 November, but if you live down here one needs to cut the grass in every month of the year. It's a pain in the neck this time of the year, as the grass is growing but the soil is sodden, consequently the lawn can look like the aftermath of a Glastonbury Festival after it's been cut.

It wasn't until onto some longish grass that I realised in horror my daffs in the lawn are popping up already, and the hover has scalped some of them. Bloomin' Fuchsias, as Gordon Ramsey would say. What are they doing poking through now!!!! Obviously those damaged have had it, but I hope some survive.

As I'm now throwing off my man flu, I had to spend the weekend at home. In the garden, the Sparrowhawk was patrolling which meant of course few birds at the feeders. Actually there's few birds anyway at the feeders at the moment. Combination of my felling a Silver Birch so less cover, the Sparrowhawk and very mild weather. Garden birds were a few Goldfinch, a Wren, House Sparrows, a Robin, a Great Tit and 2 Collard Doves were about it. Overhead a few Redwing and Fieldfare, various gulls, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow and a Buzzard.

It was even quiet at Sand Bay. Shelduck (above) numbers are beginning to rise, estimate 150, about 300 Dunlin, 50+ Oystercatchers, same of Curlew, smattering of Carrion Crow, Black Headed and Herring Gull and on the passerine front, couple of nice Greenfinch, Dunnock, Great and Blue Tit, Winter Thrushes, between 10-20 Magpie and well that was about it.

But at least no snow. Couple of mates of mine were in the Lakes this weekend and invited me to join them, I had to decline, maybe I'm getting soft, much nicer seeing Daffodils in November?!??!

~~~

Finally for no reason, other than Yoke has put on some lovely Corvid photos from her home Ireland (and they played well in the Rugger, Ireland that is, not the Crows) a link to a fellow Blogger, Birding on Wheels.

Interesting behaviour

As I'm still suffering this cough (though it seems to be getting better) not much chance to get out and about, haven't the energy really. However a couple of snippets from the week you may be interested in.

Firstly, saw some interesting behaviour. Out for some fresh air towards dusk, on some overhead power lines were amassing about 1-2,000 starlings. Not an unusual sight as Starlings will congregate before heading off to the overnight roost. What was fascinating, a female Sparrowhawk was also perched about 100m along the power line. It was a bit of status quo, if a few Starlings thought to leave, the Sparrowhawk was off too, when they flew back, so did the hunter. This cat and mouse game went on for ages, until at last the Sparrowhawk became bored, frustrated, whatever, and flew off across a field, at which point the Starlings broke out in a chattering chorus and flew off in the opposite direction. I hope they made it.

I've also seen a Hen Harrier this week. Not going to say where it was other than Somerset. I was driving along and saw a Black Headed Gull flock lift rapidly from some wet pasture. Always good to check why flocks lift rapidly, I stopped the car and there it was, 95% sure a juvenile, rather than female. That's 2 I've seen this year, good to see these fab hunters in the South West.

Also, when out and about this winter, if you see a mixed species Finch flock feeding, take some time to really look what's there. One flock of 150+ feeding on spilt grain was made up of, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll and Siskin as well as House Sparrow hangers on.

Finally took this photo the other day and while I've got time on my hands, messing about with Photoshop. This effect is called "Hot Wax". (Enlarge photo to get effect) I quite like this and I think my artistic juices are coming back. Nice effect, in my mind anyway.

Being a blue sky thinker clouds my thoughts

Apologies for the lack of postings recently, I'm recovering from man-flu. I have been bed ridden for days and near to my maker for weeks.......actually what I have is a blooming awful throat infection, cough, cough, cough. All day and all night, it's driving both myself and my work colleagues to despair. Which is why they sent me packing this afternoon with a "just go home we don't want your germs"

As I drove home I thought maybe a bit of sea air down at Sand Bay would help. It did and it didn't, as I just felt worn out when walking along the beach, presumably as I'm not sleeping, so just sat there, looking at the clouds. And pretty spectacular they were too. The Bristol Channel provides an aerial backdrop for some stunning sunsets. I was once told this is because of the muddy sea, the Channel being an estuary, it provides more red in the sky, so an enhanced sunset. That may or may not be true, but I just like looking at the end result.

In terms of birdlife out there this afternoon, nothing spectacular to report, though good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare about at the moment. I love those winter Thrush's, how they all fly off at once from a hedgerow, wheeling and flying over fields, landing again in another spot. I could watch them for hours.

But being at home this afternoon, allowed me to do something I've been putting off for weeks. Much like watching the sky and the shape clouds make, my dominant personality is to be a blue sky thinker. I am absolutely hopeless at detail. People at work are surprised at this as a lot of my work involves detail. Believe me I can do it, but I find it hard graft and it bores me rigid. Give me a massive problem to resolve quickly and I'm your man, just don't expect me to follow my answers through with actual action, I'll have moved on and become distracted by something else just as interesting before then.

So unlike many birdwatchers (or men generally apparently) I never keep accurate records of what I've seen. It's all in my head, but never organised (the lists, not my head before you comment). I did though say to myself in January, Andrew, for once in your life, record how many birds you've seen in the UK in 2008. It was the reason for the blog. Keep a record on-line. I never write anything down on paper, but find writing on the pooter very fluid and easy. Other birders say to me "what is your life list". I have absolutely no idea and nor do I want to know. Shocking eh?

And I was doing okay until June, which is good going for me. Then it all went a bit haywire. So tonight I've re-read my blog postings and can without a doubt confirm the number of birds species seen in the UK this year is 157, or 158 if one includes the Eagle Owl in Bristol (which we had a robust discussion about at lunch yesterday, with opposing views, escapee or second generation wild bird) I'll leave it there as more blood will be spilt no doubt over that one. I'll stick to 157.

It could be 158 of course if I could be bothered to drive the 30 miles or so to East Cocker to see the Dark-Eyed Junco, which is entertaining a plethora of twitchers at the moment. But do you know what, I think I'll leave that one for the real birders.

And finally I have a stalker, well a new follower of my Blog.... Birdguides Blog .... which is very nice, mind you now they've read I'm not hoofing it down to East Cocker, I'll be ex-communicated.

Squirrel Video

In the absence of anything fresh to say today, I have just spent my lunch hour reading the weekly digest from Birdguides, it was either that or a walk in the rain.

New research from the RSPB says chilli around bird feeders will deter Grey Squirrels, however the accompanying video is well worth watching, just for a giggle......

View it here