BTO Atlas TTV 28th December

An enjoyable day. Sunny (mainly) - cold but without the usual sheppey biting wind!

See Devil Birders blog- David Campbell and Phil Wallace blogs alongside for photo's.

I planned on doing a couple of hours on my 1st Winter visit to my tetrads. I spent much longer but hey it was cool!

Great seeing Seth the Gibster and his other half Sam plus Glen again.
Kent birders - I hassled them al - as I want them to submit roving records!

then David and Phil - which was really nice as I only knew them from the internet!

Great birds too.....BOP -including Peregrine, Kes and Sprawk plus Marsh Harriers and lovely Hen Harriers of both genders.
Dizzies everywhere ....so how to count em accurately? Well I did my best - it was when the 1000plus went up that it got tricky! Just doule the number u first thought and thats pretty accurate-underestimating is my folly!

37 Bewicks flew over our heads calling - delightful!
Masses of Mute Swans - I like the description given of them in a "herd"!
All birding done from the road as the water meadows were in need of waders and I didn't wporry the farmer as it was still Christmas!

When I go down for the 2nd winter visit - I shall walk all over the farm land as well. (have permission on one tetrad - the other I shall have to look at from different angles but still am able to walk along footpaths to cover quite a bit.

Lapwings by the hundreds- curlew - one spied and 15 Ruff plus all sorts!

I'm off to sort out my Sussex list!

Oh the Kent list shown on the blog is since 2004 when I re started birding seriously - I have still to find my schoolgirl diaries (in the loft somewhere) to check on any other species that I know I saw but not sure where!

2010 is the year when I attempt to get my Kent and Sussex lists respectable!
oh and sort out a London List as well - so unless its a Lifer or UK lifer I shant be travelling all over the UK (except holls on Shetland!) - perhaps a visit to Norfolk just because I have to, but I am not year listing this year.

I do have some rather important other stuff to get on with as well!LOL!

England win!

Yes - England win a Test away!

2nd Test in Durban and England win a Innings and 98 runs!

Well done Graeme Swann or Swanny! and both Batsmen who were under pressure score a hundred each.

Thinking about SA and birding!

Well a couple of forum friends in SA have just got back from the Kruger NP and had some great birding, despite the weather!

In freezing conditions here I would prefer their mixture of weather!

Wonder why I am not there now? Oh yes not enough money!

2nd Test starts on Boxing Day .......

but here are two great photo's of BoP.
Sal (also known as Salamanda on SANParks.org here )

took these recently - the Brown Snake Eagle and the African Hawk Eagle (AHE is exceptional!)

Brown Shrike - Staines Moor

Well its the local patch - one of them!
Our visiting rare bird - appears to have gone missing following the snow- or has it relocated within the patch?
A visit today is called for - just got to find the thermals!

Here is one of the best photo's I have seen of "my" Shrike, thanks to Phil Wallace for permission to post on my blog. There is a link to Phils interesting blog on my links.

Lloyds Building

A friend is working in the Financial district of London this week and his blog is full of pics of the area. It reminded me of the time I was teaching in Tower Hamlets and my chaps were out on work experience all over London. Lots in the City!
I was also involved with TH Business Enterprise - best visits were to Lloyds -
(to be continued!)