Catching up (sorta)

Well this was going to separate entries for each day but I’m behind on my blogs and really need to catch up. Maybe in the future I’ll revisit these and do full proper blogs for each day but in the mean time here brief description of what’s been going on in my life recently.


Tuesday 18

Dentist & War of the Worlds

Off to the dentist again today. Had the rest of the teeth I needed removing, out. Didn’t hurt as much as I feared it would.

Then off in the evening to see War of the Worlds. Good show. First half better than the second.


Sunday 23

New bird

Been ill the past couple of days but was feeling better today. Sue suggested that we popped down to Lakeside. Saw a new bird to add to my 2007 Hampshire List, a yellow wagtail.

Monday 24

Tuesday 25

Happy Christmas Everyone.

Got lots of fabbo presents today. Books, DVD’s etc. Many thanks to everyone. Spent a pleasant day at Sue’s friends place and then off to Sue’s parents, for a delicious lunch and tea and even more fabbo presents.

Wednesday 26

Had to use the car today to get to the football. And gosh we won! Yippee. Gordon the tramp wasn’t his normal self today. Ignored everyone. Didn’t even haggle with the programme sellers like he normally does. I know that his cult fame does get to him at times. He’s moaned before about everyone keeps pestering him.

Thursday 27

Off to Blashford Lakes.today. Quick visit as Sue wasn’t feeling quite up to it. Few nice birds. Loads of long tail Tits around. Everywhere you looked there were some. Reports of the being a Bittern here but I didn’t see it. But did finally see the Great White Egret. Also saw a strange looking Little Egret fly over. Got us both puzzled at first. I think the lighter coloured beak than normal through us off the scent. Saw later reports that a Cattle Egret was seen in the area that day. And the difference that and a Little Egret? The Cattle egret has a yellow bill.

Friday 28

Saturday 29

Drove down to football again, mainly to stop off at Blashford Lakes to try and see then Bittern. Which I did. Another one to my Hampshire 2007 list. Football was a draw but we should have won. Gordon the tramp was back to nearly his old self today. He was telling Chris the programme seller, how he gets in bad moods from time to time. I guess all celebrities do that from time to time. The price of fame and being constantly recognized by your fans..

Monday 31

Titchfield Haven

Decided to go birdwatching today. Final day to try to improve my 2007 Hampshire list. Sue and I went down to Titchfield Haven. It was shut. Oh no! Sat on the sea wall and eat our lunch whilst working out what to do next, whilst watching Oystercatchers on the shingle bank just out at sea. Decided to go to Gosport and try to see the Ring-billed Gull. The tide was out and so there wasn’t many birds in the park. No ring-billed seen. To console ourselves we headed off to Stokes Bay for a cup of tea in the nice café there. Before heading home. Final check on the notebook and I see that I’ve seen a total of 79 different species in Hampshire during 2007. Checking on the web, I notice that some others have already posted their finial total. Looks like my 79 will make me bottom of the list. A number of birders, including my mate Simon who lives just round the corner from me, made over 200. Oh well it was fun doing the list. Here’s to 2008.


Tuesday 1st

Happy New Year.

Blashford Lakes again

Decided that the weather wasn’t going to be any good for the Popham New Years day fly-in. So my thoughts turned to my 2008 Hampshire birding list. Am I getting obsessed with lists? Or should that be more obsessed.

There are some birds at Blashford Lakes that I don’t think will hange around forever. The Great White Egret will defiantly not stay for the summer. The bittern might stay, but with such a rare bird I didn’t want to take a chance. The perigim might also go any day. So off to Blashford again to get these and see if I could get my 2008 list off to a good start. So many other birders had the same thought and it was really busy there. First of all off to the hide to see the bittern. But first what’s that on the feeders in the car park. Amonsgst the goldcrest, bue and great tits, was a siskin. Gosh that’s one I didn’t see last year. Bittern was showing itself when I got to the hide. I spotted it straight away but other birders were really struggling. Then off to woodland hide and the feeder were full of tits, chaffinches, nuthatches etc. Ivy South hide produced lotsof ducks. Then it was off to Ibsley Lake hides. Bingo Great White Egret showing itself well on the far side and so was the perigine. Great seen the ones I came for, anything else was going to be a bonus. Spend the rest of the day here and with the help of the other birders saw a large number of birds. Bearing in mind my total Hampshire list for last year was 79. Seeing 45 in one day wasn’t bad for me.

Checking me e-mail at home that night and there was a message from a fellow Hampshire birders. He noticed my 2007 year score that I had posted yesterday and offered his help. He says he doesn’t do many list himself but has helped others. He suggests that we do a trip to various places around the coast and he’ll reckon that I’ll break my 2007 year score in one day. Sounds good to me. Let’s go.

2 January

Back to work. Boo hoo.