Out and About

After a week cooped up some fresh air and shutter abuse seemed a reasonable tonic, so I toddled off to Shoeburyness at first light hoping that the female Long-tailed Duck and Common Scoter might still be present on the lake at Gunner's Park - scene of my OBP triumph (successful twitch) a couple of months ago. Happily they were both still there, and, with patience, sore knees, and a cold, wet bottom, showed extremely well. What was not quite so wonderful was the abysmal light throughout my visit, and a near continual soft mizzle. Oh for a bit of sunshine, but I guess you take what you can get in these situations, and without wishing to bore you overly, it's amazing what can be done with high ISO speeds these days. Interestingly they stuck together the entire time, mostly very closely indeed, which I gather is causing untold problems for the Church of England.

After three hours of happy pappage (more of which can be seen here), I decided I was cold and had had enough, and so toddled back down the A13 to civilisation. Passing Rainham I noticed, illegally, that the Ross's Goose was back. Not that I think it has a snowgoose's chance in hell of getting on the list, but you can never be too careful, and in any event I've never seen one, plastic or otherwise. And very cute and dinky it was too, albeit distantly from the sea wall, and in rather dodgy and highly undesirable company. To be clear, I didn't meet Dick until back near Aveley Bay car park; the goose was with Greylags. Much year-tickage also occurred, with my first 2013 Wigeon, Little Egret and so on - in fact there was a bit of that at Shoeburyness as well now I come to think of it. A Kestrel near the Serin Mound was fairly confiding - I can see myself going back on a sunny day.

Finished up back on the patch, where in a daring mission of high skill and lightning-fast reactions, I found both Firecrest and Nuthatch in Bush Wood, and didn't get mugged.

Back on Track

The magic has been lost. I went out on Wanstead Flats for three hours this morning and didn't see a single Southern Migrant Hawker. Gutted. Plenty of birds though, but it was hard work. I reached the dizzy heights of 45 species, which is pretty average, including some non-guaranteed ones such as Hobby, Little Owl, and Lesser Whitethroat, but as is always the way, failed to find some that should have been nailed on. For instance I couldn't find a Blackcap or a Goldfinch. Chaffinch, Stock Dove and Heron all eluded me. I would generally expect to see most of these within about ten minutes of leaving the house, but such is life. Part of the reason is that I may have started too late. I set the alarm for five, but didn't manage to leave the house until half six, by which time many of the smaller birds become difficult, and Heron is usually a first half-hour after dawn job. Of course none of this matters. I had a nice time, and that was the sole purpose of my visit. Well, that and find a Wanstead mega, but this happens only infrequently, whereas I always have a good time. Except when I get mugged, which so far has only happened once, and long may it stay that way.

Highlight this morning was probably the Little Owl. I rarely see them perched up in the day at this time of year, there is too much foliage, but today it chose a bare tree. I was having a brief scan, more in hope than expectation, and there it was. I tried to walk around and get it from the front, but whilst doing that it was flushed by a Jay. Thanks Jay. I see the Owl perhaps one time in ten, and then fifteen seconds after I see it, you do too and chase it off. And could I then get a photo of you? Not a chance.

So that took me to half nine or so, and the rest of the day has been spent either playing with Pie, or arguing on the phone with a bank, who think that charging £25 for going £25 over my overdraft limit is perfectly ok. It gets better actually, as they charged me twice. Basically an annual direct debit I had forgotten about took me over by the £25, so they kicked it back and charged me £25. Did they call me to let me know? Go on, have a guess?! Then three weeks later the same company tried to claim the direct debit again, and with me still none the wiser, this then obviously took me £50 over my overdraft limit. Not wishing to be outdone, the bank kicked it back again, and decided that another charge of £25 was in order. I enquired to the lady on the phone whether this might continue indefinitely, with me getting charged £25 every three weeks until I owed them my house? I think the call centre staff are forbidden from recognising sarcasm, as she said that that wouldn't be possible. So far I have recouped one of the £25 "fees", and I am damned if I am going to pay the other one. Apparently it is in my terms and conditions. I informed the lady that I couldn't care less if they came and wrote it in large letters on my front door, and that I would not be paying it. I furthermore informed her that Vince Cable felt the same way about their banking practices as I did, but I'm not sure that his is a household name in India. I am currently awaiting a response from a supervisor as to whether a 100% rate of interest for a zero day overdraft breach strikes them as fair and reasonable, as the direct debit, the direct debit kickback and the fee all get processed on the same day. I have also asked whether a phone call informing me of the problem and giving me the opportunity to add funds to the account might not in fact have been more reasonable. So far I have not been called back, however I feel I have the moral high-ground on this one and expect to report victory soon. Honestly, what a bloody nerve. On the plus side, all I have with this particular bank is this overdraft, so they can keep on adding £25 to it for as long as they want and see if I ever pay it. Bastards.

One of four Kestrels today.

Kestrels on Wanstead Flats, and advice on cracking jokes on the internet

Spent almost five hours on Wanstead Flats this morning, enjoyed every minute of it. Better than working, much better. I am in the fortunate position this week of having one child with Grandparents, one at school, and one settling in to nursery. If you're good at maths, and have been following this blog for some time, you'll realise that leaves zero children at home. And when there are zero children at home, daddy goes birding.

I missed out the best period of the day due to a mammoth moth catch, over 100 moths of 40+ species, including an amazing fifteen Tree-lichen Beauties. Four definite new species, best of which was a Chocolate Tip, and probably another six new ones still to identify. Last night was perfect - still, sticky, cloudy and warm. Looks like it will be the same tonight, which is excellent news but means I can't get out at first light, which is always best for birding. In those five hours today I failed somehow to register a single Blackcap or Dunnock. But I did see a record number of Kestrels, which means I will be posting a record number of Kestrel photos. There were four, one over near Long Wood and then three together near Alexandra Lake. Are you ready? OK, then let's begin.

Two Kestrels

The same two Kestrels, playing or fighting, not sure which.

Shaking hands perhaps? They went and sat in separate trees after this.

But not before I took a few more photos.

Like this one of a Kestrel.

And also this one. I had more, but I didn't want to bore you. I think I've been fairly restrained, all things considered.

And now some advice on cracking jokes on bird-related forums, populated by birders who are not out birding. Unless you are prepared to litter your post with about two million smiley face things to indicate to the humourless masses it is A JOKE, then just don't bother. If you think that using two billion smiley faces to advertise the fact that you are possibly not being serious is a waste of time and people should just be able to understand subtle, then on your own head be it, especially if you are making mildly distasteful jokes about that most unscrupulous of activities, suppression egging. If you also feel that by deliberately leaving out the two trillion smiley face things you could possibly cause some internet angst, then you would be dead right! Be prepared to explain yourself to the righteous and the humourless, and then, if possible, make another caustic comment and definitely don't use any smiley face things. If you get any come-back on that one, then all hope is lost, and you should unplug your internet connection forthwith and never log-on again. Clear? Good.