Curlew and Lapwing

There is something very satisfying in making a prediction and it coming true. Even when I first came to see the new house, I was predicting a few of the bird spices that I could encounter. Because I already knew that about 12 miles away there were Lapwing, that was a safe bet. Equally, I guessed that I might see Buzzards about too. The one that was potentially more testing was thinking that I could see Curlew.

Then on Tuesday, while walking home from getting some milk and bread from the next village, there are no shops in my village, I heard the call of a Curlew. Its quite a plaintive almost mournful call. I was strongly tempted to report it that night here, but I wanted to be sure. I checked the guides I have for bird song (Calls), and I was very sure I had heard the bird, but I really wanted to see it first.

As yesterday and today I had to travel to Consett via a bus route that covers the high moors, I kept my ears and eyes open when going to catch that bus. But with no further sightings. However, on the relatively brief but picaresque journey yesterday, I saw a number of Lapwings clearly preparing for the breeding season. Then today, having to make the same journey, while looking out onto the fields, I saw a long beaked bird probing the mud. A Curlew. I have seen one before, but at a distance. This one was close, thirty five feet away, and undisturbed by the traffic on the road.

Therefore I have heard one bird and seen another. It makes having to put up with the wind and the cold, worthwhile.

Film of a red Kite sitting in her nest on Eggs

While not the best film I have ever shot, nor is there much happening, but you can see the yellow wing tag, otherwise the Red Kite would be very well camouflaged. The film was shot at some distance, so that this protected bird was not disturbed. If I can return and watch over the bird again I hope to film the chicks when they hatch too.

Shoveler Duck in Eclipse Plumage

Here is an interesting bit of film of a Shoveler Duck in his Eclipse plumage. When I shot the footage I could see that it was a Shoveler from the shape of its bill but it was the plumage that had me fooled until I was able to look it up in my field guide. This I had left at home as when I first ventured out it looked as though it was going to pour with rain. But it was one of those days when the right things just seem to happen at the right times. Thus when I arrived at the location the clouds had parted and I was blessed with bright sun and even when the clouds did obscure the sun it was a nice diffuse light.

I am hoping to return to this location in the next few days as with winter here now, I just never know what to expect there.

Woodland Bird Song

As I learn to use the video editing software, I discover there is more that I can do. Here in a short film shot in Chopwell Wood I have been able to add a soundtrack of some common birds, Blackbird, Great Tit and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

The Flight of the Red Kite

I hope that my reader will forgive me for this ego massaging posting. Earlier I tried and failed to film a Red Kite, I went back to my cataloguing of my footage. This was a clip that I shoot a little while ago.

There is an analogy with shooting film or taking photographs with the way that a field biologist works on collecting trip. The scientist will collect specimens over a few weeks yet it will then require months of work as a result of that expedition. In effect that is what I am doing with my video film. As I catalogue the film so that I can find them again, I am also listing clips that will eventually get put together into films. Also I frequently discover that if I film other establishing shots or linking footage I can then do something justice. Even if it is rough justice.

However this clip of the gracefully flight of the Red Kite stands on its own.

I am fully aware that while my filming is not yet up to the standard of the pros, I can see where I am getting better the more I film. The trouble is that with wildlife I cant say cut and ask the bird or mammal to do that again. Their union don't allow it and its in their contract.

One of the things that has surprised me was when I looked at the number of people that have viewed my junk on you tube, I have clocked up over a thousand views. As my stuff doesn't involve gratuitous violence nor crass and juvenile behaviour, I am surprised that anyone has viewed them at all.

Well that's my ego massaged, I had better get on with some work.

No Luck and Good Luck

It has been hard to believe that we have just had the Summer solstice. Not just from the weather, but as hard as I look, I cant find where the year has gone. There was so much that I wanted to do, related to the seasons, but I have not had the time. I always knew that I would not be able to do all on my wish list, therefore I have been concentrating upon what I can do. That includes my observations of the Badgers.

As it was the solstice I thought I would have the best chance of filming the badgers. So I went out on Saturday night Sunday morning to watch them. While I still don't have access to the main sett I have been watching, there are others I can observe. While the wet weather does make it uncomfortable, the rain can help deaden noise and can make it easier to remain undetected. However, this night I saw absolutely nothing. Normally, I would see something, be it a mouse or vole, the odd rabbit but not a creature stirred. It is probably just that they had better sense than to venture out.

Not deterred, most would say foolishly, I did the same last night. This time I did at least get to see, very briefly, six of the Badgers as they moved towards a known feeding ground. While I did think of moving to that area, I decided to stay as it was likely that they would return that way. But they did not.

So I returned home feeling tired but philosophical. I had to go in to Consett for some shopping and to the bank so I could not retire to bed. Therefore, I was able to snatch some film of one of the Red kites as it glided over my home as I went to bring in the milk. I kept the camera with me when I went to catch the bus. So often when I have been at the stop, I have seen the kites from there. So I thought I would take it more in hope than expectation.

There was no sign of the kite but there was a female blackbird, busy pulling worms from the ground. While a little shaky I filmed her. Then while standing there I was busy watching a small white butterfly that came to rest on the grass. I was just powering up the camera when a swift came down and snatched it from the air. So quick was it that I was not sure what I had seen, but as I could see the swift departing with the white wings visible in the beak, I was left in awe of the swifts agility.

While I tried to get round my chores efficiently, I was confronted by a queue in the butchers. That meant that I would have to wait an hour for the next bus. As I came out of the shop, I bumped into a couple from the village who I had not seen for a while. So we had a little chin wag. Then I decided that as I had to wait I would go for a cup of tea.

One of the things that is rather surprising is that in Consett there are some quite good Cafés. Not sophisticated dining, but much better than the greasy spoon one could expect. I have been slowly discovering these, and went to one that I have not been to before. As my accent is not a north east one, frequently this will cause me to stand out. Therefore, sitting at my table I heard one of the two children, in a stage whisper, make a comment. The mother apologised and we fell into conversation. It was just general chit chat, then the youngest child spotted my red kite badge. I have an enamelled badge that the RSPB issues to help raise money, and the mother said that her daughter was nuts about the red kites. So getting out my camera I showed them the film I had just shot of the Kite. It also ran onto the film of the Blackbird.

Well, without relating the whole of the conversation, it turns out that she works for the local education authority and asked if I would be willing to give some talks to schools about wildlife and natural history. Well I could have been knocked over with a feather. I cautiously said I would, but I would need to know how doing something like this could be educationally significant and add to help the children learn. It was her turn to be ready to be knocked over with a feather, as she realised I was on the same wave length as her and I could be what she has been looking for for ages.

It was left with us exchanging phone numbers and email addresses, and that we needed to arrange a meeting to discuss what is needed. Anyway I get home to a ringing telephone, its the husband of my driver from a previous posting. (its not my fault if your not keeping up) She had just delivered a baby girl. They had thought from the scan that it was a boy, so they now have to start thinking of a girls name. They had been thinking of giving this child the same name as I have, but as I told them calling any child “Mouse” was not fair.

However, the main reason for the phone call was that they wanted further help with some small mammal trapping. But this will not be locally but two hundred miles away. While I am interested I cant do everything and I have left it open.

I just wonder if in six months time I will still be wondering where all the time fled?

First Cuckoo of the year

As the forecast had been for heavy rain, my plan was for going and getting some food shopping. But I had also promised that I would take two of the people I have been aiding recently to a place where we could all get a good look at the Red Kites. The difficulty is that it wouldn't work if the weather was very wet, but equally getting everyone together at the same time was nigh on impossible.

So yesterday it was all left open and dependent upon the weather. Therefore, when I saw that the rain had not yet arrived I called my fellow watchers and said I was willing to give it a try. So we all headed off to a place that I knew there was a good chance of seeing them, but as there are no guarantees I wanted to increase the odds and took some pieces of cooked chicken. Just as putting out seeds and nuts for birds in the garden attracts visitors then I knew there was more opportunity by doing this.

We settled down and waited, while nothing happened with the Red Kites for a time, while we waited we saw other birds. Two exceptional ones was a Kestrel and a green woodpecker. It was nearing the time that I would have to head home, as would one of my fellow watchers. It really did seem as though we had lucked out, but just as we were saying we would give it another half hour, we had been there for over six hours, we spotted one in the distance. After about fifteen minutes it was joined by two more and they came to the field were we were. From the hedge we watch as they flew fifteen or twenty feet overhead. It did not take them long to find the chicken, they did not ever land to take it but plucked the chicken pieces from the ground in swift passes.
We were all more than thrilled by this and while we were all now running late it was worth it.

Anyway, with my fix of Red Kite, I headed off to get some shopping. I got that done s quickly that I had time to treat myself to a carrot cake and a coffee. The bus home goes through a rather run down council estate (Housing Project) that is set in a rather nice landscape. If it were not for the crime problems I would love to live there myself as the views are heart warming. While on the bus just by a large green on the edge of the estate and on a steep hill, I spotted what I at first thought was a thrush. It was newly fledged as its feathers were still fluffy. But it didn't look right for a thrush, I thought it looked like a cuckoo and this was confirmed when this warbler, probably a willow warbler, provided the comical vision as it fed this over grown fledgling. The bus was passed before I could see more, but having not herd a cuckoo this year at all, it was great to see that.

Bullfinch and Springwatch

I will start with an apology as I realise that my American readers will not have seen the Springwatch programme on the BBC. But while it is quirky and rather British I personally have loved the past three weeks. This year I think that it has been the best so far, and having had my fix of TV wildlife I can now happily ignore all the Football (Soccer) and the Olympics later on in the Year. Although with the Olympics had I been a sports fan I would have not watched it as a protest to the Chinese governments treatment of Tibet. Anyway before I get on that soapbox, back to Springwatch.

One of the things that Simon King had this year was an ultra slow motion video camera and if it were not that it costs a couple of houses to buy, I want one... Seriously, I love to see the details that filming with something like this reveals. It makes me want to buy a better camera myself but high definition suitable for filming wildlife is out of my league at the moment, perhaps I will win the lottery... Don't I have to buy a ticket for that?

Keeping on topic though, on Thursdays show, the last of the series (until Autumnwatch), there was a clip of film that showed a chaffinch dominating at a bird table. Now a couple of months ago I filmed the same behaviour but it was a Bullfinch doing it. However, other birds did come in and snatch a feed so this one was not quite as dominant. But I did it in slow motion and it does make the birds look very graceful.

Also as I do listen to my readers needs, I will just post the link to it at you tube rather than make it difficult for the folks on dial up to access this. Although I do listen for the two cats that are my other readers, I will not be posting the address of the birds as they requested anonymity.

Lapwings and Skylarks

While there are some days that I have to wait to see what happens in the day to provide inspiration for a posting here, today I could write five or six posts just from what happened this weekend. Also there is some good news I will be bringing you soon about some important conservation work that is happening.

Further, events in the news could have elicited my posting today, but as I personally am fed up of hearing bad news and I having had enough of people in my life dumping their emotional baggage at my feet, I have decided that where possible I want to try and keep this web log about wildlife, the environment and more importantly all the positive aspects of conservation. While I know that will not always be possible as events unknown may well dictate this.

Anyway, over the weekend while out walking to get some petrol, I spotted a Lapwing sitting in a field. There was in fact several there, but this one was very close. I thought that it was likely that I had found a nesting colony. So I returned today to take a closer look.

While the weather remained fantastic, and the Lapwing were still around the location, as it was on a working farm, the farmer was working on the field today. My assumption that it was being used as a nesting site and the farmer to his credit and my praise here, actually times his work to enable the birds to nest and fledge. Further, he also does many other things to accommodate the wildlife on his farm. From the information supplied he was able to guide me to a bird that is familiar and normally seen on its song flight, the Skylark.

The farmer has taken my details and has told me that he will let me know next year when the Lapwings return as he would love some pictures for his farm website. I told him that I would put a link to his from here, but he told me that he didn't want that, as it risked to many people coming down to the farm, especially as he had just had all his heating oil and his diesel stolen. Not only that but to get to the fuel they had damaged the storage tanks making them unusable. While the farmer was insured it has made him wary of strangers. While this made him initially appear quite hostile towards me when I first showed up at the edge of his field. But also had that event not occurred then he probably would not have stopped to find out who I was.

Lastly, I want to thank his wife for the lovely fresh bacon and egg breakfast that they treated me to. It is not that often that I get that sort of treatment from people whose land I have strayed onto.

One final comment I want to make, he asked me where I most enjoyed watching wildlife, I told him a on a small group of islands on the north western edge of Europe. The British Isles. While that may sound corny it is also true.

A Difficult Day Became A Red Kite Day

Today I was expecting to be a difficult day, but my stars were saying would be a lucky one. As I was meeting with my bank manager, I thought I would need some luck. I changed my bank account a number of years ago to my current bank when they were a building society. However I was just outside of the date that would have given me free shares when they floated on the Stock Exchange. As this was only by a few days, I made a complaint then. That marked me out to the local Manager as a difficult customer.

The situation never improved. Then when my ex and I split up, because of the debts and bills she had I aided her by acting as guarantor for her rent and other commitments so that she did not end up homeless. However, when my bank heard of this, my bank placed restrictions on my account that made a difficult situation nearly impossible.

I helped my ex clear her debts but because I never had any extra cash, the bank kept the restrictions in place. This also meant that it was impossible for me to move my account as the restrictions normally only apply to people that have been irresponsible. When in fact I was being responsible.

In spite of complaints made at the time, I was stuck in a situation not of my making. Therefore, when I got an invitation to go and see the Bank Manager, I was not looking forward to it. However, because of the Credit Crunch, the bank has been reviewing its customers accounts and couldn't work out why these restrictions had been put in place. I told them why, and even then the advisor I was speaking to could not understand what was happening, as that seemed just plain wrong to her.

Well the upshot is that the restrictions are to be lifted and they will be investigating as it appears that the then manager overstepped his authority. I did ask if I was going to be compensated, but all they were prepared to say was that they would look in to that. Well if I am I think I will buy a pig and give it flying lessons.

On my way home I actually felt more angry about it, but while passion can be useful, I could not see any way to channel it positively. Also what I had expected to be just a couple of hours had dragged on to being all afternoon. As I had planed to go and film at one of the birds nest sites, I had missed that chance.

So, I switched on the computer and looked up out of the Window: RED KITE. I grabbed the video and was out the back door like a bullet. I cant help it but the moment see the Red Kites I am five years old again. There are some of my readers who know that I am childish anyway, but I really do get excited by seeing these birds. Anyway I got some film out the back of my place, including some shots of the kite being harried by a crow. It also serves to illustrate just how large the wingspans are of these magnificent birds. I would have gone chasing the bird and got more but I realised I was standing in the street with bare feet. Well at least I keep the neighbours occupied and while they are talking about my antic's they are not gossiping about anyone else.

So what started out as a difficult day became a Red Kite Day.

Birds Fledging and Foxes in the Yard

Yesterday, I mentioned that I had see the newly fledged chicks of Tree Sparrows in the yard. I could tell they were newly fledged as they had tufts on their heads and you could just see the last of the gape. So being enterprising I set up the video, sprinkled a spot of ground with Black Sunflower seeds, and set the camera to record. For three hours.

I did not review the tapes until today, as last night I went on my rounds of the Badger Setts, but to hear about that you will need to read on. From three hours of filming I got less then two minutes of footage. So that was an interesting three hours for me. I did not get the chicks but I got both the adults, and they had a good feast, refuelling ready for a second brood. I am quite pleased with the film and the last bit I repeated in slow motion as the male flying off looked so elegant.

While I was reviewing the footage I spotted a pair of starlings. Only to be joined by five more. While they do flock together, at this time of year that can only mean a family of newly fledged birds. I know that just out back of me in a neighbours roof space starlings are nesting, so I went out and watched as the last of six fledged. My neighbours are now convinced that I am a total odd ball, as I set up the camera to film any more over the six coming out, and stood there for three hours, but without seeing any more emerge. I have to say that it my antics did draw comment and its the first time that I have been handed a mug of Tea while standing on the street corner watching wildlife.

As I said I was out in the night checking on the badgers, I know that there are several with cubs, and I wanted to discover who the parents were. But while I saw the sows with the cubs, I was not able to say for sure who was the mother of which cub. The badgers here are rather exceptional as younger unmated females seem to play a greater role in the care of the cubs that is normal.

Anyway I always type up my notes straight away so that I get everything down while fresh in my memory. While doing this I heard a cat, looking out into the yard, I saw one of the local cats in there. It was hissing at something, so carefully removing my cat from my lap, and yes it is difficult to type while stroking a cat, I went down stairs. When I opened the back door I was greeted by the sight of a fox cub. It could not have been more than ten or twelve weeks old. I dashed to grab the Camera, but it was gone when I got back there. It must have rushed off, as did the cat when I appeared. Did I save it from the Cat? I don't know, but I can be sure that the vixen is close by somewhere. So I guess I will be out looking for her now too.

A Busy Do Nothing Day

About four or five months ago, I wrote to a gentleman that worked for one of the clients of the company I used to work for. As his company created wildlife and scientific films, I wrote to his as I thought that he would, if willing, be best place to offer me some guidance. As I did not hear from him, I had assumed that he either had not got my letter or had decided to file it in the bin.

As our relationship had not been anything but a professional one, I had expected any reply. However, I had a telephone call that really surprised me. While the intended recipient had received my letter, he had indeed ignored it. But one of his colleges found the letter and phoned me. I was just enquiring about the technical challenges of filming things like insects, and he was very forthcoming with some help and advice. While many of my initial ideas were quite good, with the guidance he gave me I should avoid some of the pitfalls that I would have fallen into.

He did ask if he could see any of the film that I have shot already, so I directed him to You Tube and he was kind with his words, but I know that as I am still learning I am not anywhere near the ability of the quality I would like to be at. But I am grateful for the encouragement and advice. But of course I inflected them upon you folks first.

One of the problems that I have is that there is so much I want to do, that I cant find enough time to do all I would wish. For example I did want to film the Bluebells in the Woods, but other commitments prevented me from doing that. I wanted to do this as the native bluebell is in serious danger of becoming extinct. As gardeners have planted bulbs of the Spanish bluebell in their gardens, they are cross pollinating with our native species and our woodlands are losing part of their character.

One aspect of the conversation that I had with the film maker that was invaluable was guidance on video equipment that can film in Infra Red. While I cant afford to buy anything just yet, I can see real possibilities of filming the badgers. As my regular reader will know, I have had my permission to access one of the Setts that I watch temporarily revoked, but I still have other sets I can get to. In fact I went round the other night and it looks as though there are a total of about fifteen or sixteen cubs that have been born this year. Further scouting out the other sites enabled me to rediscover one of the young sows who I had thought had disappeared. She has a white tuft on the black stripe on her snout, thus I rather predictably called her tufty, I had thought that she may have become a road casualty. But it looks as though she has moved to another gang, further she appears to have two cubs herself. I can not be sure as the problem with the other locations is simply that while its possible to see the Badgers, it is much more difficult to sustain observations at close quarters. Thus making it difficult to be sure of the individuals. It is normally at night that badgers are active and very inconsiderate of them for us poor naturalists.

As I was talking on the telephone, I saw some of the newly fledged tree sparrows visiting my yard and feeding on the black sunflower seeds I put out for the birds. I could tell they were newly fledged as they still had tufts of down on their heads. I think there were seven. So when I finished I set up the camera in the yard latter so I could try and catch them on film if they returned. Following doing that, I sat down with a cup of tea, there is a developing economy that would collapse if I stopped drinking tea, and saw that there was a repeat of another Natural History programme of the episode that I had missed this week.

Because of the Olympics being healed in Beijing this year, the BBC have been showing a series of programmes about China. This one, Wild China, stands out as much of the wildlife that has been shown is relatively new to the western world. Also it has an anthropological aspect and shows the relationship that the people have with the landscape and the wildlife. Personally, I am learning more about this part of the world. While much of it is a delight, the programmes also highlight just how endangered much of the wildlife is.

While there is little I can personally do on a practical level about there, I do get involved with practical conservation work here. As my regulars will know I am learning how to handle and trap small mammals. This is not just for the fun of doing it, but with this skill I will be able to help do proper studies of wildlife populations and help with conserving the wildlife and preserving habitat.

Coincidently the picture was take one taken about Easter by the other students while I was learning some of the surveying techniques. I was lucky as anyone who read my previous post on that, will know that my ponytail got savaged by a dog. Someone had supposedly filmed this, but the goddess must have been being kind to me as he filmed over that bit of tape. So that's one bit of film that will not feature on You Tube.

Also today, its been a busy do nothing day, in the post arrived a book. Because of my recent problems with Spy ware on my computer, I have been reluctant to look for new books on Bay. But now my old 'puter is clean again, and no there was no risk of me infecting anyone as I had inadvertently locked the Spy ware out from on-line access. Anyway, this book is a field guide to the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe. I am delighted with it as it has images of many of the vagrants that come across from America. As I have several readers who are in the US, and talking birds, I am often left wondering what these birds look like. Well now I know what some look like.

I am still tempted to get my hands on a field guide to the US so I can see, in print at least some of these wonderful avians.

Water Voles, Bank Voles and Springwatch

Wednesday morning saw me heading out in the rain, towards the Derwent River with the aim of filming Water Voles. As Folks may not realise this star of the Wind in the Willows, (Ratty should have been called Volley) is the fastest declining mammal in Britain. However we still have a relatively healthy local population. This is mainly due to the fact that we do not have a problem with Mink.

However, before waxing lyrical about the water vole, I have to admit that I should have postponed my attempt when I saw the weather forecast. As any one with more than one brain cell working, I seem to have had only one working this morning, Heavy Rain and electrically operated cameras don't mix. While I do use covers and rain shields, I was risking getting my equipment water logged. Just as I got water logged. When I got back home I even had to wring out my boxers.

I was in the right location though as I could see the voles were active in the place I had hoped to see them. It is one of the real benefits of the loss of the heavy industry that blighted this region that the rivers are now clean enough to support a healthy biodiversity in the rivers. There was a time, only thirty odd years ago when the river was so polluted that even common weeds were killed off by the waters from this chemical cocktail of a river.

When I got back and dried off by having a bath, there is twisted logic there somewhere. I sat down to write up my notes. As I did this I watched with interest a Blue Tit that was going around the plants in my yard picking off any insects. Then he or she, started collecting flies from the spiders webs in there too. Quite remarkable behaviour and something I had not seen before.

Today, Thursday saw me dealing with other Voles. As some types of conservation work requires trapping of small mammals, under licence, I have been seeking to get the training needed. As I am financing this myself. The costs are coming out of my pocket rather than being funded by a Charity, Conservation body, or government department, one of the people providing me with the training and experience has been providing me with a lift. This morning that meant a very early start of three thirty. Therefore I was rather somnambulant this morning. It meant that while I picked up my packed lunch, I forgot my cameras.

Learning to handle any small mammal can be a painful experience, but so far I have escaped being bitten. Although everyone else has suffered bites. My mentor thinks that it could be that I have some sort of affinity... Rubbish, I am just careful as I know it would hurt.

While others suffered the indignity of getting nipped in the name of conservation, I while laying on the ground removing one of the humane live traps, suffered by having a smelly muddy dog run on to my back and grab my ponytail. For nearly a minute it refused to let go or allowed me to try to rise. When one of the other students freed me from the clutches of her mutt, I rose with my pride feeling very bruised. I felt like giving the dog an Anti-Social Behaviour Order. I did however keep the trap intact and the vole safe.

When the Vole was released, its released into a bag, I thought it was a field Vole. However, as I am not an expert, I was surprised to discover that it was a Bank Vole. This lesson made me realise that I had previously seen them in my local woods and misascribed my observations. If only school had been this interesting.

Anyway, even though I have bathed I can still smell that damn dog on me.

To go off on a tangent, my regular reader will know that I have been enthusing about the springwatch that the BBC have been doing this year. In previous years, there have been parts that were less good, this year I can not fault the programme. In part this is because the whole team have grown in confidence and have pulled out all the stops to garner some remarkable images. For example the wildlife film maker Simon King, one of the co presenters, shot some ultra slow motion video of an Osprey catching a fish. Remarkable and graceful. However, what for me will be the highlight was the footage they shot of the Scottish Wild Cat. This is an animal so rare and elusive that it was a delight to see. Having spent three weeks of my life trying to see one myself and not doing so, I know just how difficult that was. And this has only been the first week of three.

Anyway, while talking of elusive creatures, the film here is of a Jay. While not rare, and can be seen occasionally, I was chuffed to bits when I got this bit of film.

Bird Taxonomy

There is true story that I was told years ago of a woman who after living all her life in London and only ever seeing pigeons, moved to a house with a garden and started noticing birds for the fist time. When her son visited he would reel off all these elaborate names for the birds, to the delight of his mother. She became so interested that she bought a field guide to birds. To her amusement she discovered that her son had just been making the names up and most of the birds she had seen were the common species found in the garden.

I know that story was true as it was the woman herself who told me. It however sparked a real interest in birds and wildlife.

I mention this as an American friend made a comment about my posting about the Great Tit; saying that it looked like a Black Capped Chickadee. I think that she is revealing something I have long suspected, that the pilgrim father's took over our British birds and just renamed them. I think that there are Americans, even as I speak, painting the wings of our native Blackbird and passing them off as Red Winged Blackbirds.

I bet that most of the exotic sounding species of birds over there are really ours, just renamed. Only kidding! But I do wonder if there are species in the Americas that are evolved from old world birds? While I know that many were named because they reminded the early colonists of European birds, but are unrelated, there will be some that share a common ancestor with old world species.

Anyway, I have had one bit of disappointing news today. The farmer on whose land sits one of the Badger setts that I watch has suspended permission for access. This is because over the Bank Holiday someone started a camp fire near the sett and cut down a couple of trees. Not only that the location was strewn with broken bottles and cans. While I helped with the clean up, he want to prevent anyone going there at all so that he can protect the Badgers and prevent any more damage occurring. I can understand him taking this action, and while it may seem unfair on me, he will stand a better chance of catching who is doing this if no one has any access. Once he can say “Get off my Land” to them, I should be able to gain access again, but I will miss the Badgers.

On a much more positive note though, something I saw on Springwatch last night solved a mystery for me. Back in the first winter in the village and exploring the woods, I had spotted an extraordinary looking mass on the trunk of a tree. I had been watching a tree creeper, but it disappeared from my view. As I scanned the trees for it I saw this strange looking mass on a tree trunk. I fought my way through the Brambles to try and get closer, and the sound of my approach disturbed the tree creeper and I saw a couple of them fly off. But I could not find the strange mass that I thought I had seen. Anyway, on TV they showed something that looked identical to this. Mystery solved, as the mass was a family of newly fledged tree creepers huddled together. This apparently they will do in winter too to keep warm. So what I probably saw was a huddle of adult Tree Creepers keeping warm. Well I learn something new each day!

The film is a clip of a Nuthatch feeding off a bird table.

The Bank Holiday

Yesterday, Monday, was a bank holiday. But unlike a normal bank holiday we had brilliant sunshine. Well we did in the north (Self satisfied Grin), in the south it was torrential rain. So it looks as though the south got the weather we were supposed to get. As nature often does though we are paying the price today. (Drip, drip)

After having a nice long lay in today, over the last two weeks I have been surviving on just four to six hours of sleep, I indulged myself. I only really had some shopping to do, and this enabled me to follow my diet and indulge in a Coffee and Cake. I say follow my diet as I have lost three inches off my waistline so I need to put on some weight so that my clothes fit me.

Yesterday, I went out and stood watch over an area that the Kites regularly visit. However I did not see the Kites at all. It may well be because of the number of people about enjoying the sunshine. I did however, get this short clip of film of a Wall Brown Butterfly.

Early in the morning I was trying to check my mail and such like, and I saw a procession of birds visiting my yard. The prettiest of them was the Collard Dove.

Later I was able to put up my do not disturb sign and watch the start of Springwatch on the TV. I can report for my overseas reader, that the Ospreys have two chicks!

Great Tit

As my regular reader will have realised, I am nuts about wildlife, although those that really know me would tell you that I am just nuts! Therefore it will not surprise my UK readers that I am looking forward to the start of Springwatch this Monday. Now because I want to share this with my now confused reader from overseas, Springwatch is a programme that Aunty Beeb (the BBC) has done for the last four years where the Natural History Unit descend upon a farm in Devon and watch birds in their various nests. While reality television bores the pants off me, and yes I would rather run around naked than watch Big Brother, this is the only form of live reality TV that I would watch.

I don't think that anyone apart from the BBC could have or would have ever tried something like this. Nor do I think anyone but Aunty Beeb could have made it work.

So for the next three weeks I will be putting up my do not disturb sign (I am disturbed enough) and I will do more TV watching in these three weeks that I normally do in three months.
Because of listening to things like Natures Voice the RSPB podcast, I already know that the Springwatch team are moving from Devon to Norfolk this year, and Simon King will be up in Scotland watching an Osprey Nest.

As I have been so busy getting out and about watching wildlife for real, it will be a welcome break to have all the hard work done by professionals for a change.
So if anyone wants to find me for the next three weeks, I am sitting on my nest, letting Kate Humble and Co entertain me.

Here is a very short film showing a greedy great tit, part of my own Spring watch. Also just to ensure that I don't make my overseas friends jealous, here's a link to the web cam that is watching the same Osprey nest that will star in the show.

A Red Kite Day

Today has been a rather unusual day for me as I had an appointment with a Dentist. As my reader in the UK will know, here in Britain there is a serious shortage of dentists. There are plenty in private practice, but finding one that will accept NHS (National Health Service) patients is dam near impossible. I have been on several waiting lists for all of this century.

Anyway, on Monday I had an initial appointment and because I needed a filling and the Dentist had a cancellation I had this appointment today. On Monday while waiting for the bus early in the morning I could see a Kestrel hovering just over the gardens of the houses bordering the road. If ever I needed something to take my mind off something this was it.

Then Today as I walked down to the bus stop, a pair of Red Kites came wheeling over head. As I stood waiting they were criss crossing the whole expanse of sky, quartering the open ground around the houses of the village. The sight of them put a smile on the face of even the most miserable folk.

It stopped me thinking of Laurence Olivier in the film Marathon Man.

The Dentist was fantastic, for me a test of a good dentist is if he doesn't try to hold a conversation with his fingers poking around in my mouth. I even told him an old joke:

A new patent goes to the dentist after being sat in the chair, the patent grabs hold of the dentists testicles and says “We are not going to hurt each other now, are we?”

With the treatment over I had the best part of a hour to wait for the bus home. Therefore I went and got some shopping. Having just spent the last few days doing my washing, I needed to get some Washing Liquid. As I use the brand Ecover, an environmentally friendly one, I have to make the effort to obtain it. It was as I bought it that someone else from the village saw me and commented on me using this. I don't know what it is about our current culture but people seem to want to us all to be some kind of homogeneous mass?

Even after getting my shopping I still had time on my hands, so I went to a really nice friendly café and indulged in the wonderful home made cake they have and some real coffee. It is something that puzzles me why so few cafés will make the effort to make decent coffee or even decent tea?

When I got back home I went straight out to see if I could film the Red Kites. While they were still about they were up at altitude. They really did seem to be just enjoying the freedom of the open sky. I don't know if it was the dentist or the kites that improved my smile more.

Feeding the Birds

As well as feeding the birds, I also put out some cat food as I regularly have a hedgehog that visits my yard. I was aware that some of the birds that visit are also feeding on this. Yesterday morning getting up early, I noted that the food had not been taken by the hedgehog.

However, I left it there as I knew that birds like the Magpie and Jackdaw would take the food. Failing that, there are cats from the neighbourhood who would garner a free feed.

As I sat writing my notes from another night of Badger watching, I was treated to a veritable parade of birds coming to feed in the yard. I think that it was the magpie that got the lions share. But what made the situation remarkable, was at one point I heard the vocalizations of Jackdaws, looking up I saw them mobbing a Red Kite that was just circling over my roof.

I sat back and watched in amazement as the Kite attempted a decent into my yard. It was only the presence of my solar powered clothes dryer (Washing Line), that prevented the Kite landing.
To be so close to such a bird was incredible, but it does make me wonder if the kite would have been able to eat the cat food. I just don't know.

Anyway, the picture is one that I took the other day, just to remind me that spring is here.

Tree Sparrow

Following my filming of the Dipper, I went out to film a colony of tree sparrows. They are nesting right by the main road though (the only road) the village and I did get some funny looks while filming. “What's that Odd Ball up to now” looks. But I did get some very interesting footage.

Ringing Birds and Nest Boxes

Over the past couple of days, I was well outside of my comfort zone as I have been learning a skill that I have wanted to learn for years.

Since I was a child I have wondered about bird ringing, and while I wanted to learn how to do this, the opportunities were not there. Further, while I was interested, I was always worried about handling such small delicate creatures.

Anyway, while talking to a fellow naturalist I was offered the opportunity to help and learn what is needed. I was not allowed to fit any of the rings, but I had the chance to handle the birds, there is a right way of doing it, and releasing them.

The experience was amazing but while I think will continue to see if I can earn my licence, I doubt that I will ever gain the speed or confidence to be that skilled.

However, it was the other aspect of my time at this location that really put me out of my comfort zone. I was helping put up Bird and Bat Boxes. I am not comfortable working at hight, I can do it if allowed to go at my own pace.

The first day was fine, I was able to work at a pace and in a way that I was comfortable with as the people I was helping were fine with that. The following day I was working with people who were far less willing to accept my unease. In fact they were rather reckless in their attitude towards working safely. This included them deliberately shacking the ladder while I was at the top. Not good at the best of times, but I had an Owl Box in my hands at the time.

Anyway, I ended up feeling that I was unwilling to risk helping on this project.

This morning however, I had a visit from the head of the project who apologised about the behaviour of some of what I had thought were volunteers but were actually citizen who were serving community service orders, awarded by the courts. No one had told me that they were convicted people, as I should have been. Additionally, I should not have been left to supervise these persons on my own, without professional support.

Anyway while the whole experience was not perfect, altogether more than one hundred extra nest boxes were put up and mainly for birds that are rare or endangered. While the nest boxes are unlikely to be used this year, next year they will be. There was a delay caused by getting the risk assessment passed by the landowner. But at least the boxes are up and ready for use next year.

While I took loads of pictures of what we were doing, I now discover that I can not use any of them as anything that risks disclosing the identity of the criminals that were working on the project, would breach their human rights. Its a crazy world we live in.

Anyway, the picture here is of an Alder that is just bursting into leaf.