Driving to work

Driving to work is never my favourite activity, one bit though is good for a few birds and this has thrown up Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Yellowhammer and Kestrel. Today though it excelled itself.

I was driving along when something flew across the road and perched on a branch. I slowed down looked up and there was a Little Owl - lovely. Ok still not happy to be here but it helps!

We won last night but were totally unimpressive. I expect the pundits will say they've seen no one special, and I'd agree, but I doubt any other country looked and us and were scared.

Oh well it's Friday. And i'll be out wildlife watching whoo hoo.

Dave has just phoned and asked if I want to meet up mid afternoon to see Red Footed Falcon and then on to the Scops Owl. Now I'd like to see both but I've said no, I don't like crowds and I suspect there might be a few people there. Hope he gets the owl though.

So where to? either head for the Forest first thing to check up on my Terns and then go to Hanningfield or go to Wicken Fen to see if I can id some Dragonflies and Butterfiles - stop laughing at the back!

I REALLY REALLY MUST............

I often complain that my local patch (RSPB Rye Meads) is fairly dull Bird wise. This is true but as I often concede it throws up something interesting. Darn good for Kingfisher at the moment.

Anyway I digress, it also seems to have a few Dragonflies and Damselflies about. So inspired by Nic's fine pics I've dusted down my fieldguides to Dragonflies and Butterflies and am going to spend some time trying to learn and identify some of these beasties. Certainly lots about at Welney on Monday.

Of course I've said this before, sigh, so I may well not do this but I so enjoy watching Dragonflies and Butterflies it would be a shame not to know what I am looking at.

I am hoping that a trip to Hicking Broad in mid July will have me see a Swallowtail. They look magnificent.

Anyway it beats twitching!

My favourite Activity

Well I booked myself into a pub called the Queen's Head at North Kelsey Moor near Brigg in August.

Wasn't my first choice that was to go to Hay-on-wye and perhaps see Boofy but my perferred hotel was fully booked. Anway North Lincs has loads of churches I want to visit, if I 'm a good boy I should break 600 on my Jenkins list, and a few good birds reserves.

Over the weekend I decided to make a week of it. So last night I phoned around. Full Full Full. Arrrggggghhhhh. Anyway the professional Yorkshireman has not put me off and I'm staying at the Royal Oak, Dacre Banks, North Yorkshire. She kept calling me love on the phone! Now how Northern is that!!

Not sure why I chose Yorkshire since there aren't many churches to tick. Still may be able to track down a dipper and that babe with the infectious grin or birdman Dave may be able to point me at a Red Grouse.

Actually one of the reasons for North Yorkshire are some really lovely houses (a few I've still to visit), some wonderful ruins (Rievaulx, Fountains) and beautiful scenery.

We were discussing where our families were from on Saturday and I've just remembered my family were in Horncastle Lincs in the 18th/19th century.

My Great Great Grandfather John was born in Horncastle. His mother and father David and Mary LAMING were married in Horncastle.

Does this make me a Northerner??

a bit damp

I left work thinking that rain might save me from doing battle with the Hover. Within 10 miles of home I began to wonder if I'd get home..... it hammered down. The road was partially flooded in one place and I noticed this morning that in another bits of the road have lifted.

I got soaked getting from car to front door and so the hover and I were spared round two. I can just tell I'll be cutting it tomorrow during the England game.

I read this story on the BBC site about woman who spend more money on woman who spend more money on Kid's Clothes than their own with a sort of the world has gone mad sigh.

Jeans for a three year old £80?!?!?!?!?! I wouldn't spend £80 on a pair of jeans for me!! But then that's the world we live in parents think that little Tabitha or Richard is wonderful and deserves everything. Oh and God save the school who suggests that they are not perfect.

We are turning out a generation of designer clad celebrity wanabees

Grumps

Oh I love the coast! Well I do when its boiling hot, it was so much nicer sleeping at Flamborough where there was a breeze. It was like an oven last night, the morning rain will have dried up so I can cut the grass tonight. Yes once more the hover and I will do battle!

If you read the Awdiddums blog you will notice a link to an article in the Scotsman about an English company stopping a conference in Scotland becuase of the Scots lack of support of the English national team.

Now why should Scotland support England? Ok you get the odd bit of bigotry on both sides but for most people this is good natured banter. And frankly given how over the top English people and media get I wouldn't blame them for supporting anyone but England. I will cheer on most people against Scotland (I have a Scottish colleague who will cheer on anyone but Wales. I do draw the line at the Aussies and the USA, oh and Wales at Rugby but blame Welsh rugby obsessed sports teachers for that one! In the case of the Aussies its good natured banter. And lets give the Aussies a slap on the back over the ashes defeat. Did they whinge? blame the umpires? Nope they said the better team won. And that's the way it should be you play hard, you play to win, you give it everything. And whatever the result you have a beer afterwards.

What really winds me up is being told, whenever a home nation isn't in a competition is, that I should support the Irish. Uh why? As far as I'm aware they are a foreign country so why should I support them? Brazil v Ireland? Samba football or hoof it up the field? I'll cheer Brazil thank you. The silky skills of the Czechs or the hoof it up the field? Czechs please. No offence to the Irish, hey they gave us Terry Wogan! I just don't understand why the TV boys think I should cheer on the Irish.

Going up the M11 Saturday I saw some bloke reversing back down the hard shoulder because he had missed the Airport turn off. You have to shake your head.

I didn't mention that I got stuck on the M11 yesterday due to an overturned lorry. Now I don't like Lorries at the best of times. What really gets my goat is when you are flying along and then everything backs up becuase some Lorry is going past another at one inch per mile. After five minutes it gets past and in the next 10 second 407 cars fly past it. AAARRGGGHHHH.

Its interesting what upsets people.

Paul O'Grady (Lizzie Savage) gets upset by woman who spend ages rooting through there purses for change. This irritated Bill Bryson as well.
Develop-your-own-film-birder (Diane) gets upset by people driving 10 miles under the limit.
And Birdman(Dave) really does get steam coming out of his ears at Americanisms like Skedule as we found out Sunday.

Me? I really hate queueing, I don't want pleasant assistants who pass the time of day and no my life story. I want to walk in and walk out PDQ.

Monday 12th June

Well nice touch by my landlady. As I was on my own she asked if I would like some fried bread and a second egg? Is the pope a catholic?

As I reached Hull it chucked it down but this was a "clearing up shower"

I headed down past Lincoln to Algarkirk but the church was shut. As I drove away I spied a sign for the key on the parish notice board but thought nah.

I did though get into.....

St Mary, Whaplode (586)




All Saints, Holbeach (587)



and St Mary, Gedney (588)



Had a late lunch at Welney. Fairly quiet, the Little Ringed Plover still on its nest and there were baby Avocets!! Ssssooo cute.

Sunday 11th June

We soon discovered that John had had to go home and that another group member wasn't joining us due to ill health.

Here's John being a hero the previous night recusing Emily's cap.




So Me, Diane, Keith, Corinna, Cheryl, Vic (Cherrypie's Dad), Emily (her sister), Alan, Max (senatore), Dave (birdman), Rosie (his daughter) set off. Soon to be joined by Anna and Michael.

Early good bird was a Tree Sparrow.

As you can see Bempton is sea birds city.



The view from the cliffs.



Predominantly Kittiwakes, Gannets, Guillemots and Razorbills. There were some Fulmar and this chap.




There were some serious cameraman in the group.

Max and Alan.




Anna enjoying the spectacle.



We headed back to the visitors centre for some lunch.

This chap was obliging.



Alan and Max stayed at Bempton to take photos, Cheryl (who I have no photos of !!!) and family headed to the beach. So the rest of us went to South Landing for a stroll.

I demonstrated the problems Male Merlins have. If you've watched Springwatch you'll know what i mean. Anna will post a pic somewhere.

We added quite a few lifers for Anna. I think she was most pleased with her first Great Spot, I was most pleased by tracking the Willow Warbler on song. Me !! on song!!! Ok so Willow is easy, its a start!

We went back to the cafe to enjoy an Ice Cream. There were lots of Yellowhammers around the visitors centre and we had another Tree Sparrow on our walk!

some photos of those not snapped above.

Diane objected to my last portrait of her, is this better?


Dave(birdman)

Keith


Rosie


Corinna(eagle)


Michael.


Oh ok Diane is THIS better!!


and then everyone left. Our last tick being a very nice Song Thrush.

So all on my lonesome. I decided to hit the chippy and headed to Thornwick Bay. Found some more Puffins!!



I'm not sure of the total species count. It was a nice day, with good birds, in good company and that's all that matters.

Saturday 10th June

I seem to remember promising you some pictures of probably the finest parish church in England, Beverley Minster, but as the weather was so nice I headed straight up to Flamborough Head. Straight out of the car I spotted a Wheatear. On to the head!

Flamborough's light house.



A view of the head.


I got talking to some chap who hadn't seen any puffins, well soon found him some.

Oh and Janice asked for a Puffin.



Now this chap asked a question.

"You from Essex?"

Now for non-brits I have to explain Yorkshire folk are sharp. He saw through my subtle disguise of Essex Wildlife Trust t-shirt and baseball cap!!

"My sister moved there. Canvey Island. She likes it, its crap nothing like Yorkshire"

Now let me add Canvey is not exactly the Yorkshire Moors and I will concede his point.

I add that there are some nice parts away from London (honestly there are, it can be a lovely county).

"Not much left then".

"Been to devon, cornwall and kent. nice parts but nowt like Yorkshire. Gods own country"

I said I liked Norfolk.

"Good for birds, but too flat. Not like the Dales and the Moors where I am"

"On your own are you"

No meeting some friends from Barnsley.

"Oh that's a shit heap, as is Leeds, Wakefield blah de blah"

I think he was referring to anywhere not near his place.

Now I am a nice person I bid him a fond adieu and watched some birds.

What I REALLY wanted to say is that yes he was right and that Yorkshire is God's Own Country but because it was he had populated it with a bunch of loud mouthed opinionated tossers like him. But of course because he was a loud mouthed tosser didn't make everyone else one and it was a lovely day.

I picked off a couple of Sandwich Terns so as John was later to say, got the target birds I can go home now!!

Anyway met up with Diane and Keith (both nice people from Yorkshire), Corinna and John and headed for Bridlington. Some people wanted to watch the footy. Diane and I decided to sample the delights of Bridlington. First pub we passed - big cheer - wev'e scored then.

The harbour was quite nice.




Lots of these chaps



Crabs being unloaded.



We were meeting up with Cheryl after the footy to go on the Yorkshire Belle.


Kittiwakes



Develop-your-own-film-birder taking an "arty farty" photo of some crab pots.



Whilst the fisherman are away the Gulls will play.



Herring Gulls.....



Young Gannet sitting in the harbour.


Diane and I had a last look at the sea.


After a refreshing cup of tea, we walked towards the boat. The highlight of said walk was watching two blokes dressed as Native North Americans playing Danny Boy on the pan pipes.

We were joined by Cheryl (her sister and Dad - who weren't going on the boat) and the footy fans only to find that the sea was too rough and it was cancelled!! So we all went on to Flamborough Head for Puffins and then to the North Star for a nice meal.

Puffins and Surnames

Well off on my travels for a few days. As some of you know I'm off up to the Flamborough area to see Puffins(!!) and the like. Saturday I'm doing a boat trip at 4:30pm from Bridlington harbour with 5 others and Sunday a walk along Bempton Cliffs with I know not how many.

I'll be back Monday and hopefully there'll be some pics to post.

Apparently the website UCL Surname Locations

is the result of "A recent research project based at University College London (UCL) has investigated the distribution of surnames in Great Britain, both current and historic, in order to understand patterns of regional economic development, population movement and cultural identity. This website allows users to search the databases that we have created, and to trace the geography and history of their family names."

Stick your surname in and you can see how people with your surname have distributed since 1881 throughout the country. I would like to do mine but there were <100 people with my name on the electoral register in 1998. So I chose the name of my mate Dave as being suitably odd.

Firstly it gives a name classification of "Imported From Abroad; Other South Asian; South Indian & Sri Lankan"

In 1881 Dave's name was heavily located around the wash with a pocket in London and one in the North and 69 people on the 1881 list. By 1998 there were 172 people liste, though still heaviest around the wash the concentration isn't so high. The Northern deboo's seem to have vanished and a new group in the Glocestershire/Wiltshire area has developed.

My Mother's maiden name was heavily located in Essex (no surprise there and especially South Essex) and though still are it seems the strongest concentration is on the Essex/Herts border where mu comes from. Curiously her branch ofthe family have lived in that area for over 200 years! There were 132 names in 1881 and 362 now.

Clicking on the Frequency and ethnicity link is quite interesting!

Thought for the day