Slavonian Grebe. Priory CP.

The End of the World is Nigh

Apparently a significant number of people on this planet believe that the world will end on 21st December 2012. This is variously known as the Mayan Prophecy, Hopi Prophecy, Doomsday Prophecy, etc. If you are one of those people, please pay close attention to the following very important announcement. And if you're not worried about it, well you should be, because it's obviously true.

God has spoken to me and told me that anyone who gives away all of their money before 21st December 2012 will be saved and go straight to heaven when the Earth is destroyed. To make it as easy as possible for you, I've added a donation button below. He also said that you don't have to wait until the day before to give your money away - entry to heaven will be on a 'first come, first served' basis, so the sooner you do it, the quicker you will get in (a bit like checking in your baggage online).

So just click the button and give me all your money (it's probably OK to keep enough to pay the next month's bills, as long as it really is all gone by the 20th). You will then have the double satisfaction of knowing that when the last trump sounds in just over a month, you and your family will be transported instantly to Paradise, whilst I and all the other miserable sinners and heathens go straight to hell where we belong.

More Waxwings

More of the five Waxwings along Sunderland Road, Sandy, 17th November 2012 by Martin Palmer

Waxwing

One of the five Waxwings along Sunderland Road, Sandy, 17th November 2012 by Jim Lawrence

A-hole Alert!

No idea what this is all about - some dodgy looking bloke I met in a car park asked me if I could advertise his new service. Click for larger image:

Short-eared Owl

This Short-eared Owl was found in a stairwell of a block of flats in Luton.  It was taken to the Bedfordshire Wildlife Rescue and later released on Totternhoe Knolls. 15th November 2012

A Hawfinch in the rain

I debated for at least an hour this morning whether to go out in the pissing rain and in all probability see nothing, but in the end I decided I needed the exercise, and headed for Cossington Meadows.

At about 11:50 I was walking along the river bank near Plover Meadow pool, checking through a mixed tit flock and doing my best to pretend I was birding somewhere more exciting (the sort of place where something like a Pallas’s Warbler might be in with the flock), when an unfamiliar high-pitched ‘zeerp’ call somehow penetrated my hood/woolly hat combo. I looked up and was delighted to see the unmistakable chunky shape of a Hawfinch bounding towards me across the river! For a moment I thought it was going to land in the hawthorns, but I was obviously too close, and it continued across the pool and away towards the main track and Rectory Marsh.

A welcome county found tick, and the first one I’ve seen in Leics for over 14 years, the last being at Clipsham Hall, where they were fairly regular in the late 90s. And also, it has to be said (sorry Dave and John!), a mega Soar Valley tick, possibly even the first record for the area? If it has ever occurred, it must have been way back in the 1940s or 50s, when they bred at Quorn, which isn’t too far away. Not that my Soar Valley list is anything to shout about though...

Dotterel

Dotterel, Southill, 4th November 2012

October gatherings at Bev's. 30th Oct 2012.

 Gathering west of the A1 opposite Bev's (DWE) thousands of Starlings displayed before moving across to Biggleswade common.

Around the main lake at Bev's I encountered the largest gathering of Common Snipe I've seen. 50+ got up from the lakeside vegetation, they circled around the site before returning to their hideouts.

Recent Artwork

I’ve decided that I might as well use this blog more for promoting my artwork – if nothing else it will give me something to write about, as posts have been few and far between recently! I don’t intend to completely turn it over to art, but don’t be surprised if there are a few more posts like this in the future.

OK, hands up who knows what ACEO stands for? Anyone who’s liked my Facebook page should know, since I’ve been posting almost nothing else on there recently, but if you haven’t seen my page, or aren’t on Facebook, ACEOs are Art Cards, Editions and Originals.

There is only one rule for an ACEO, and that is that it must measure exactly 3.5 x 2.5 inches (landscape or portrait). Other than that, anything goes – paintings, drawings, prints, collage; if you can put it on a 3.5 x 2.5 inch card, it’s an ACEO. The cards can be framed, or displayed in albums, and make excellent gifts.

The format was introduced as an eBay category several years ago, and has proved to be very popular with art collectors. I’ve been painting ACEOs for a couple of months now, and selling them on eBay and in my Etsy shop. My eBay auctions start at either £14.99 or £19.99; selling prices are slowly rising as more collectors find my work and bid for it, but the top prices so far have been around £30, so this is a very affordable way of acquiring some original art!

Here are just a few of my recent ACEOs. Most of these are sold, but if you want to keep in touch with what’s currently for sale, please have a look at the ACEOs page on my website.

 

 

 

Merlin

Adult male Merlin, Broom GP, 28th October 2012.  This bird is ringed on its right leg.

Stewartby Peregrines

The two regular Peregrines on the chimneys at Stewartby.  The male is the top bird. 27th October 2012.

Farewell to Ceefax

How many birders of a certain age felt a little pang of nostalgia when they saw the news this week that Ceefax was finally being switched off? I certainly did, although I was also amazed it was still going in these days of mobile Internet and instant everything-on-demand whenever and wherever you want it.

It seems hard to believe now, but when I were a lad, in addition to Nancy’s Cafe and the grapevine, we used to find out about rare birds via Ceefax. There was a wildlife page, which I think was something like page 260, and on it, as well as general wildlife news, there was usually some very specific rare bird news. I can’t remember who used to update it, but it was a proper birder, who either had good grapevine contacts or used to ring Nancy’s to get the latest news.

There was one big drawback though – it was only updated once a week! Again, my memory is rather hazy (we are talking nearly 30 years ago after all), but I think it was updated on Thursday mornings. I remember going in to Coalville library to use their Ceefax TV, and jotting down anything of interest, which would then be firmed up (or not) by ringing Nancy’s on the Friday, and twitched (transport permitting) at the weekend. The Greater Sandplover at Cley in August 1985 is one bird I particularly remember finding out about on Ceefax, and there were several others. Even after Birdline started it was still a useful (and free) way of finding out what was around, on a Thursday at least!

It’s not quite hearing about a rare bird by postcard, but it’s not far off in terms of seeming ridiculously antiquated now!

Ring Ouzel

This bird has been in a Farley Hill, Luton garden yesterday and today. Photo by Giancarlo Dinghile

The Lodge Oct 21st 2012

Nuthatch

Blue Tit

Coal Tit

Nuthatch

Blue Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Greenfinch

Greenfinch & Nuthatch

Black Swan

Morning Walk Around The Lodge 21-10-2012 with Steve Blain, heard a lot, saw a lot in flight, redwing, pied wagtails, redpole, jay's, chaffinch, greenfinch, reed buntings, linnets etc all on the move, heard the raven and got a very brief glimpse, finally got some pictures in the hide and a nice shot of the black swans in Woburn on the way home. Oh yes and we saw loads of Fungi

All in all a very pleasant morning.

Sean

Black-necked Grebes at Brogborough

Two Black-necked Grebes at Brogborough Lake, 20th October 2012.

Goldies

Flock of Golden Plover still loyal to their field at Hill Farm, Willington.

Rock Pipit call

Recording and sonogram of the Rock Pipit which flew over The Pinnacle in the fog this morning, 20th October 2012.

Merlin

Adult male Merlin at Broom GP, 15th October 2012.  He was sheltering from the wind behind this tussock of grass.

BIGmig in pictures - The Pinnacle

The highlight of the BIGmig from The Pinnacle wasn't really the birds, it was the bacon sandwiches cooked by Martin on-site!  And if you're interested in what we saw, here's the list:

Song Thrush	9
Chaffinch	62
Pied Wagtail	19
Goldfinch	25
Redwing	241
Yellowhammer	3
Black-headed Gull	163
Lesser Black-backed Gull	18
Common Gull	6
Great Spotted Woodpecker	2
Stock Dove	3
Siskin	1
Greenfinch	3
Linnet	35
Starling	7
Cormorant	4
Reed Bunting	3
Meadow Pipit	4
Wood Pigeon	84
Mistle Thrush	3
Canada Goose	1
Mallard	20
Bullfinch	1
Dunnock	2
Great Black-backed Gull	2
Jay	2
Skylark	22

BIGmig

This weekends BIGmig - are you doing it?

This years BIGmig is taking place on Sunday 14th October.  Several sites will be manned across Beds, Northanks, Bucks, Cambs, and even in London!  Get involved.  Contact Steve Blain for more details (for contact details see the records page on Beds Bird Club website)

Ravens and Black-necked Grebe - MVCP

 

 

Martin Palmer's photos of the two Black-necked Grebes and one of the two Ravens at Stewartby Lake today.