Wednesday, 8 October 2014
Oct 2010 dreambird.
In Oct 2010, a birders bird graced St Marys, Red-flanked bluetail. Admired by many this active little bird dodged the less than friendly Robins, intrusive photographers, twitchers and visiting wildlife group to pluck caterpillars from the vegetation before continuing its migration.
Glass raised.
THE ROLLING STONES LYRICS
"Salt Of The Earth"
Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's drink to the lowly of birth
Raise your glass to the good and the evil
Let's drink to the salt of the earth
Say a prayer for the common foot soldier
Spare a thought for his back breaking work
Say a prayer for his wife and his children
Who burn the fires and who still till the earth
And when I search a faceless crowd
A swirling mass of gray and
Black and white
They don't look real to me
In fact, they look so strange
Raise your glass to the hard working people
Let's drink to the uncounted heads
Let's think of the wavering millions
Who need leading but get gamblers instead
Spare a thought for the stay-at-home voter
Empty eyes gaze at strange beauty shows
And a parade of the gray suited grafters
A choice of cancer or polio
And when I look in the faceless crowd
A swirling mass of grays and
Black and white
They don't look real to me
Or don't they look so strange
Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's think of the lowly of birth
Spare a thought for the rag taggy people
Let's drink to the salt of the earth
Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's drink to the salt of the earth
Let's drink to the two thousand million
Let's think of the humble of birth
Let's drink to the lowly of birth
Raise your glass to the good and the evil
Let's drink to the salt of the earth
Say a prayer for the common foot soldier
Spare a thought for his back breaking work
Say a prayer for his wife and his children
Who burn the fires and who still till the earth
And when I search a faceless crowd
A swirling mass of gray and
Black and white
They don't look real to me
In fact, they look so strange
Raise your glass to the hard working people
Let's drink to the uncounted heads
Let's think of the wavering millions
Who need leading but get gamblers instead
Spare a thought for the stay-at-home voter
Empty eyes gaze at strange beauty shows
And a parade of the gray suited grafters
A choice of cancer or polio
And when I look in the faceless crowd
A swirling mass of grays and
Black and white
They don't look real to me
Or don't they look so strange
Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's think of the lowly of birth
Spare a thought for the rag taggy people
Let's drink to the salt of the earth
Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's drink to the salt of the earth
Let's drink to the two thousand million
Let's think of the humble of birth
Only time will tell.
Monday, 6 October 2014
Cure
A visit to the seaside to take in the air and have a sewatch as an aid to my ills, only to find that im not alone in the not ower well department as more and more birders arrived complaining of similar afflictions. Get well soon everyone, we need your eyes on the ocean.
So as people came and went, i stuck to my seat watching out to sea, dedicated yes but also knackered and not able to wander about very much.
It was steady on the incoming tide, Sandwich and Common Terns still about in small numbers on the rocks, and a cracking adult Med gull among the Black-headed gulls.
Passage at sea was light, with wildfowl like Common Scoter and Teal the most common all North, several Red-throated divers and 3 Red-breasted mergansers headed South
Kittewakes, Gannets, Eiders, and Auks passed by regularly, and quite a few distant terns evaded an ID, 2 Skylarks flew from my viewpoint straight out to sea, and one earlier in the fields was in full song.
The wetland held only Widgeon and Coot smaller birds were in short supply. Wader species were down on recent visits, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Sanderling added to the days birding.
Several times Starlings and Waders erupted and balled up in flight, but i could not find a predator.
Decent day, hoping for a few more in the next few weeks.
So as people came and went, i stuck to my seat watching out to sea, dedicated yes but also knackered and not able to wander about very much.
It was steady on the incoming tide, Sandwich and Common Terns still about in small numbers on the rocks, and a cracking adult Med gull among the Black-headed gulls.
Passage at sea was light, with wildfowl like Common Scoter and Teal the most common all North, several Red-throated divers and 3 Red-breasted mergansers headed South
Kittewakes, Gannets, Eiders, and Auks passed by regularly, and quite a few distant terns evaded an ID, 2 Skylarks flew from my viewpoint straight out to sea, and one earlier in the fields was in full song.
The wetland held only Widgeon and Coot smaller birds were in short supply. Wader species were down on recent visits, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Sanderling added to the days birding.
Several times Starlings and Waders erupted and balled up in flight, but i could not find a predator.
Decent day, hoping for a few more in the next few weeks.
Friday, 3 October 2014
%2Bof%2BDSCN3573.JPG)
Thursday, 2 October 2014
Frustrating.
Now over two weeks since i became unwell, missing Autumn and some great birds, so frustrating. Not much i can do about it so watching films, reading books,loads of radio and bed at the moment. Occasional attempt at drawing,hard to get motivated when you cant smell. taste, and are struggling to breathe, bugger.
Wednesday, 1 October 2014
How to age Birders.
Fully Fledged.
Recently left the nest, hence the slightly ragged plumage, and not fully developed submoustachial stripe. If found in this condition, do not pick up as the parents may still be around keeping an eye on the offspring. Above all do not feed as it will eat anything, not always in its best interests.
Breeding plumage.
Much more fully developed, display includes chest plumage that allows ID of sub species, ( Frankie Says, Ban the Bomb, Che Guava, etc.) Please note moustachial stripe well developed by now.
Post breeding.
Often flocks with other birders once its breeding potential is over, always handy as grouping can provide better feeding opportunities and defense from predators. Observe the use of camouflage so it wont stand out in said group.
Fully Mature.
By now said specimen is fully mature, spends a lot of time in hiding only emerging to add to its list which seems to be important for reasons we cant yet understand. By now its once bright appearence has turned to a overall dull and sombre look. Its calls harken back to earlier times mimicking obscure prog rock.
Recently left the nest, hence the slightly ragged plumage, and not fully developed submoustachial stripe. If found in this condition, do not pick up as the parents may still be around keeping an eye on the offspring. Above all do not feed as it will eat anything, not always in its best interests.
Breeding plumage.
Much more fully developed, display includes chest plumage that allows ID of sub species, ( Frankie Says, Ban the Bomb, Che Guava, etc.) Please note moustachial stripe well developed by now.
Post breeding.
Often flocks with other birders once its breeding potential is over, always handy as grouping can provide better feeding opportunities and defense from predators. Observe the use of camouflage so it wont stand out in said group.
Fully Mature.
By now said specimen is fully mature, spends a lot of time in hiding only emerging to add to its list which seems to be important for reasons we cant yet understand. By now its once bright appearence has turned to a overall dull and sombre look. Its calls harken back to earlier times mimicking obscure prog rock.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)