Woke up this mornin' to find a everywhere white over with a skitterin' of snow. The plan was to head for Stubbers but with the snow still fallin' and the cart tracks around Cheesedale still white over i decided to cut me losses and head for Utch.
When i got there it was still snowin' and bloody freezin, a complete contrast to yesterday. A quick scan through the assembled divin' ducks revealed the female Scaup that had originally turned up around crimbo but had since been the "Scaup in residence" at nearby Brookers alongside Fergal the Fudge Duck. Where is he now? All was pretty quiet until 1000am when i picked up two wild swans flyin' along the dove. Whoppers! Two of 'em! They looked to be droppin' over the other side of the A50 so i headed off in pursuit, playin' chicken with various irate car owners as i crossed the busy dual carriageway. Sadly despite my best efforts i couldn't relocate them so i headed back along the River Tean.
Havin' two daughters who were both horse mad as kids, had lessons for ten years and even owned two couldn't have prepared me for what waited in the field alongside the river. It was HUGE! It must have been at least seventeen hands when it was a foal! Like the swans this horse was a WHOPPER and a bit to friendly for my likin' seein' as i was between it and icy cold water. Luckily i had a couple of Granny Smiths in me pocket, so i chucked 'em at Trigger and hurdled the fence like an olympic athlete.
Whooper Swan 2, ad' and juv' flew along the River Dove headin' west
Scaup 1, female
Pinky 1
Goosander 13
Pintail 1, drake
Tufty 90
Pochard 7
Teal 34
Wigeon 175
Mallard 220
Fielfare, flocks of 35 and 40 are the first for a few weeks.
A quick call in at the JCB Lakes at Rocester on the way home produced seven Goosander and the chance to unleash my NIKKI NAKKI 500 SLR on the unsuspectin' captive wildfowl and Blockheads.
A quick call in at Barker Towers for a bowl of gruel and to pick up the hounds meant we were at Hawksmoor NT for half one. With the recent revelation that Mad Malc' was makin' a serious assault on my Cheesedale 100 Club title i decided to hit Hawks' lookin' for a couple of Cheesedale blockers. Crossbill in particular can be to say the least tricky, Woodcock not so but it would have been nice to get it safely UTB without waitin 'til the spring for displayin' birds. Failed miserably with the 'cocks but came up trumps with a callin' Crossbill in pines near to Eastwall Farm!
After that high it was steadily downhill, a return visit to Utch produced Zippo as did a last minute decision to do the roost at Blithers. Bumped into old Manty though who was decidedly chipper considerin' the lack of birds. Then again he did say he's off to The Philippines next week! How the other 'arf live eh? Earlier today i had a call off top Salop birder and best mucker Mr Magoo to tell me he's off to Brazil in March! Needless to say i'll be at Utch thinkin' of them.
Not a bad weekend really, Little Egret, 2 Whoopers, Scaup and a Cheesedale blocker with the Crosser at Hawksmoor!
That's all folks.
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