Wolverhampton Civic 10/4/10 1930-1045.

Absolute Hyper Zonky Mega Crippler!!!!! 100% Pure Rock N Roll!!!!!!

Utch 9/4/10 1705-1930.... and The Musical Dippers

Hey up folks, what a bostin' afternoon, didn't even bother with a coat today!Another crackin' couple of hours patch watchin' produced an incredible 15 WHITE WAGTAILS feedin on the north shore. It got to the point where i was hopin' the next bird wouldn't be one because it was gettin' so ridiculous. One or two birds would be more the norm'.



The female Scaup was still present with her male tufty boyfriend. Still 21 Goosander on site but no longer considered newsworthy by RBA. Apart from the Wag's, the only new bird in was a female Goldeneye which seemed to have come in late on because i didn't pick it up 'til after seven.

White Wagtail 15, Meadow Pipit c40, Pied Wag' 7, Green Sand 1, LRP' 4, Oyst' 4, Snipe 1, Eurasian Teal 12, Greater Scaup 1, Tufty 31, Common Shelduck 2, Goldeneye 1, Barn Swallow 5, Sand Martin 6.

If you read the last post you'll know me and Jan were off to Wolvo to see Canadian Rockers Theory Of A Deadman. Well it doesn't happen very often but every now and then a band that sounds great on "vinyl" turns out to be a real letdown when you finally get to see them live. TOAD are one of these bands, the lead singer who will remain nameless put on a terrific show but nothin', or very little came out of his mouth!!!! The best he could muster was a strained growl. In fact he'd have been better off mimin'!! In birdin' terms we came away with that same feelin' you get when you've just driven half way across the country, waited patiently for eight hours in the cold and rain before finally admittin' you've dipped. It was that bad.

The only thing that stopped it bein' a complete waste of time and money was the first act on HALESTORM featurin' stunnin' lead singer Lizzy Hale, what a voice! Never sang a duff note and she plays guitar as well, like a young Anne Wilson or better still JOAN JETT from the Blackhearts!!!

That's all folks.

Utch 6/4/10 0650-0850.

Hey up folks, no sign again of the "interesting" Water Pipit or the female Scaup either this mornin' and nothin' of any real note apart from a Treecreeper and one or two LRP's knockin' about. No sign either of Birdwatchin' Mag's target bird the old Green Sandpiper. Last night we had four of 'em. Still two White Wag's on the north shore.

White Wag' 2, Chiff' 2, Oyst' 3, LRP, Shelduck 1, Goosander 3, Swallow 1, Sand Martin 4, Treecreeper 1.

No chance of a return visit this evenin', I'll be in Wolvo at the Wulfran Hall to see Canadian Rockers THEORY OF A DEADMAN. Should be good.

That's all folks.

Utch 5/4/10 070-0900 and 1650-1850.

Hey up folks, only a quick one tonight because the second half of FROST is on in twenty minutes and I've been told I can't miss it!!!!

Managed to get to Utch for seven this mornin' despite a bit of Bow Time last night followin' the Pipit Fest. No sign of last nights ROCK STAR but the "interestin" Water Pipit was still on the east shore. No sign either of the female Scaup this mornin' but she was back tonight.No sign of the pipit this evenin' despite a thorough search.

Totals for today: Water Pipit 1, Green Sand' 4, LRP 4, Curlew 1, Oyst' 5, Goosander 7, Shelduck 2, Scaup 1, Gadwall 2, Chiff' 3.

That's all folks.

Utch 4/4/10 1615-1915.

Hey up folks, today's unsettled weather produced the goods pour moi and RP this evenin' with a site first in the form of a ROCK PIPIT! It popped up in the background just as I'd got onto the second record of WATER PIPIT for Utch, a crackin' near full summer plumaged bird! To complete the picture a smart White Wag' was feedin' in the same area. The nice thing about it though was once again it shows how birds are constantly movin' through the place after they weren't picked up earlier by other birders.


Rock Pipit 1, Water Pipit 1, White Wag' 1, LRP 4, Green Sand' 2, Oyst' 4, Curlew 1, Scaup 1, Mandarin 2, Goosander 7, Wigeon 3.


That's all folks.

Rock Wagon!!! Elderly Rockers Hit Suffolk.

Hey up folks, with the hope of this weeks Lesser Kestrel reappearing somewhere in sleepy Suffolk and Mad Malc also needin' Pallid Swift we hit the the road just after half four this mornin' once we'd picked up Norbert from the Meir. Weston Coyney millionaire Vaughan dropped out at the last moment so that meant there was a small amount of room in Malc's tiny KA or as it's now known "The Rock Wagon".

First stop Kessingland Sewage Works for the Pallid Swift. As soon as we parked up Malc' was off like a shot leavin' moi and old Norb' to lock up the Rock Wagon. He needn't have rushed as you could see it feedin' overhead as soon as we got to where the "crowd" had gathered. Despite the light we had bostin' views as it fed about thirty feet over our heads!!! The fact that it was the only bird there was also a bit of a bonus, there's nowt worse than tryin' to get onto or give directions to a rare apus or hirundine feedin' among hundreds of its commoner cousins.

Back at the Rock Wagon and old Norb' had a narrow escape when he was attacked by a "Brambling" his words not mine, whch wrapped its thorny arms around Norb's trusty mackintosh "Russel". It's the only coat I've ever heard of that's got a nickname! Still no mention of the kestrel so we headed up the road to Ness Point, Lowestoft for a buchas at the tamest Purple Sand's I've ever seen. With the Purp's only about ten yards away even the old Mugimaki managed to come up with a couple of decent record shots.

While we were there we bumped into the two extras from "Last Of The Summer Wine" again who we met at the Welsh Black Kite, you might remember them, one is a dead ringer for Stokes Tony Pullis. Back in the car Malc' revealed that the Purps were a lifer as well!!!! With two lifers under his belt Malc couldn't hold back and he whacked up the volume on his latest gizmo in the Rock Wagon and we belted through Lowestoft with Iron Maiden pumpin' out of the speakers. When you consider our combined ages are around 160 you can imagine how we sad we must have looked but hey who gives a ####!!

Still no sign of the kestrel so we decided to have a trot round Minsmere and if there was still no sign we'd head home.

I don't know what it is but i never feel comfortable at these top notch reserves, perhaps it's because they are just that, comfortable! I've never been a fan of hides and thats where the best views are at these places, from a hide. While Malc' was havin' a power nap me and owd Norb' had a look round. Half way round we had the shock of our lives when a stunnin' young lady walked up the path with her beau in tow wearin' the most revealin' pair of leggin's you've ever seen!!!! Put it this way the old Jack and Danny was far from hidden and when old Norbert saw her he nearly choked on his false teeth. Later back in the Rock Wagon Malc' revealed that he'd also seen Jack and Danny and ended up havin' to clean his spec's after they steamed up!!!!

Bird highlights included good views of a Cetti's Wobbler, upto 10 corkin' summer plum' Med' Gulls and distant hazy views of a juv' Glaucous Gull and a drake Garganey.

With Jack and Danny still the main topic of conversation we hit the road with Malc's gizmo turned up full and we rocked off home to the likes of Bad Co, Kiss, Kansas, Queen(not my car) George Thorogood, Journey, Foreigner, The Boss and many, many more but it wasn't 'til the mighty Quo came on that i really got goin' singin' lead vocals and givin' it the old 70's shoulder number while Malc' played drums on the steerin' column and Norbert played a mean lead guitar in the back!!

On a more serious note Malc' revealed that he doesn't own a single AC/DC tune and thinks they are #####!!!! How this never came to light before I'll never know but he's a mate so I'll let him off.

That's all folks.

Utch 2/4/10 1500-1650 "a bit wet owd duck".

Hey up folks, when's the sun goin' to come out? Absolutely terrible conditions this afternoon until around half four. Constant rain and bitterly cold to boot. I don't think I've been that cold all winter.







A quick call in at the JCB Lakes at Rocester produced half a dozen Swallows and Sand Martins feeding low over the north lake and a brood of nine goslings for a pair of Gypo Geese! Nearby on the south lake last weekends brood of Gypos had reduced to five.







Me and Mol' arrived at Utch already soaked and just in time to see two very wet lookin' birders headin' back to their cars with heads down lookin' at the ground. Bit of a tip there folks, you wont see owt lookin' at the floor







Despite the conditions there was still birds to be had including 2 White Wag's and the first Northern Wheatear of the spring on the bank above Leasowes fm pit.







Northern Wheatear 1, White Wag' 2, Swallow c20, Sand Martin c20, Chiffchaff 1, Little Richard's 3, Green Sand' 2, Oyst' 4, Goosander 11, Gadwall 2, Common Shelduck 2, Eurasian Teal 6, Greater Scaup 1, Wigeon 1.







After being completely drenched i thought i can't get any wetter so i might as well head up the A50, pick up me old mucker Norber and have a quick shufty at the two Ring Ouzels on Spurnyhill (Berryhill Fields LNR)deep in the heart of the potteries(bandit country).







After a short while we eventually had good views of the Ouzels as they fed in one of the fields below the masts despite some confusion over their "exact location".

Berryhill is fast gainin' a reputation for pickin' up good birds durin' spring and autumn migration and is becomin' known locally as the inland Spurn, and that is down to a group of dedicated birders who work their way through the run of the mill stuff and every now and then comin' up trumps. Keep it up lads the biggie can't be far away.










That's all folks.