Utch 28/2/10 "Hard Slog"

Hey up folks, it's weekends like this that make you realise just how bad birdin' in the mid's can be sometimes. Then again as you can see from the piccie above if there's only the usual suspects out lookin' for their own birds, is it any wonder!!! This is the best spot to view the main pit at Utch and as usual there is no one there. Anyone readin' this who is lucky enough to live on or near the coast must be laughin' there knackers off!

It's been that bad this weekend that the best i could muster today despite two visits to Utch was 5 Mandarin, but they were along the Dove at Rocester nowhere near the quarry. Even a last minute decision to do the gull roost at Blithers proved pointless as the 2nd winter Iceland Gull from last night decided to roost at Chasewater.

Utch 0830-1000

This mornin's highlights were 3 singin' Skylarks, a singin' male Reed Bunt' and 5 very noisy "pipin'" Oyst's.

Wigeon 113

Goosander 14

Tufty 20

Pochard 3

Teal 3

Oyst' 5

On the way home i clocked a herd of swans feedin' in fields opposite the South lake at Rocester. As expected a quick check of them confirmed that they weren't "wild" but just bog standard Mutes, 22 of 'em. The 5 Mandies that got up off the Dove were a nice surprise though. I love that daft little call of theirs as they take off, it sounds like it should be on a Star Wars film. Over the road on the South Lake were 8 Gazunders.

A quick look in at Poxey again proved fruitless apart from yesterdays Shelduck still bein' on the old lagoon.

Back home it was time for a stroll in the mud with our Alex, Ellie and the hounds. There's no finer pick me after a crap mornin's birdin' than splashin' in the mud with a three year old princess. Priceless!

Utch 1530-1630

Oystercatchers had risen to 8 by this afternoon! A couple of hundred BHG's dropped in again along with 20 LBBG's and 3 Common gulls all of which had been feedin' on a nearby ploughed field. Goosander had reached 54 by around 1615 but even the thought of again breakin' the roost record couldn't stop me from makin' a pointless trip to Blithers.

Roll on spring.

Utch 27/2/10 1300-1530.

Hey up folks, after the last few weeks "excitement" the birdin' at Utch this last two days as been as poor as the weather. Yesterday afternoons highlight was a single Shelduck which was probably the bird from last weekend.

Today wasn't much better than yesterday. A check of suitable areas for any Water Pipits proved fruitless which was a bit disappointin' with 5 havin' turned up at Willington over in the darkside. 35 Goosander was a good count mid afternoon, how many roosted tonight? The main point of interest today was around 300 BHG's that dropped in for a wash and brush up before they headed for the Blithers roost. Any sizeable flock of gulls at Utch is always a treat because we just don't get 'em here even though it's only a few miles to Blithers.

Goosander 35

Wigeon 91

Teal 3

Pochard 6

Tufty 14

Mallard 60

Oyst' 4

Curlew 3

Snipe 1

Lappy 80

Wildfowl numbers have dropped dramatically since last weekend, possibly due to the thaw and the availability of open water elsewhere.

A quick call in at Poxey on the way home produced a single Shelduck on the old lagoon and nearby on Sandy Lane pool an unseasonally high count of 25 Tufties some of which were probably at Utch last weekend. Tufties normally peak around here in late May early June as they gather in pre-breedin' flocks.

Hopefully the bad weather forecast for tomorrow will bring a few avian goodies for us otherwise a trip out of the county may be called for.

That's all folks.

Rock n Roll!!!!!!!!!!

Oh happy days! A last flick through the tour dates in CR last night as i waited for the nogger to come on after Man City's demise at the hands of The Potters proved rather fortuitous! There right in the top right hand corner of page 111 was what i'd been waitin' for for a while now. THEORY OF A DEADMAN at the Wulfran Hall in Wolvo on the 6/4/10!!! Needless to say minutes later 3 tickets were booked pour moi, Jan and Sosh. Happy days indeed, April will not only be busy on the bird front but we've now got four gigs to go at as well, Airbourne and TOAD in Wolvo, Ac/Dc tribute "Livewire" up 'anley duck and on May the 1st, KISS at Sheffield! I think i'd better get a new set of draws for all those T-shirts owd duck.

Thats all folks.

Duck Hunt 22/2/10.

Heavey overnight snow in the Kingdom of Cheesedale meant todays Webs Duck Hunt with me old mucker and Tony Pullis "lookey likey" Norbert was a none starter. There was no way i was goin' to risk gettin' stranded in the snow among all those hungry Chip Eaters. After brekkie and MOTD i saddled the old slog iron and headed for Hales Hall Pool determined to at least get the hunt goin', even if i couldn't get to Brookers and the JCB Lakes at Rocester. The pool was around 90% frozen so it took less time than usual with the only bird of note bein' this imm' Grey Heron standin' on the ice in the middle of the pool.

A rapid thaw around dinner time(we call it dinner you might call it lunch) meant the game was back on so i headed off to Utch first before continuin' on the Webs duck hunt. You might think it strange that i don't cover Utch on the duck hunt but it's been covered by potteries geneticist and lover of Scottish Islands old Fair Isle for a few years now.

Utch 1230-1415

The only bird of note that was new in today was a rather dapper male Goldeneye, which happens to be the first bird i pointed my very first 'scope at many moons ago at Fairburn Ings on an RSPB bus trip! How times change eh? No time for the Goosander roost today so a measly 27 Goosander seemed a bit like bein' short changed after last night but eh oh. The aytha hybrid was back from it's trip to Brookers and Tufties had risen to 136.

Goosander 27

Tufty 136

Pochard 28

Wigeon 100

Goldeneye 1

Teal 10

Shelduck 1

Green Sand' 1

Oyst' 3

Curlew 1

Lappy 170

Next stop JCB Lakes at Rocester for a resumption of the duck hunt. Very little of note here apart from 3 Common Gulls, 2 Oyst's and 2 rather tame Mandarins. They were "wingus intactus"though so obviously kosher as far as the hunt was concerned.

The thaw meant i'd got to at least try and get to Brookers to complete the hunt but as soon as i left the main lane out of Ellastone i was confronted by a snow covered track which was impassable in the old punto so i beat a hasty retreat before i got stuck. Only a few weeks ago i got the punto stuck in somethin' resemblin' Lake Baikal so i didn't want to trouble the locals again for a push so soon after the last debacle.

On the way wom i called into have a look at a couple of birds which i snapped for what is probably the worst photo you've ever seen. Any ideas on what these are? Answers as usual on a post card please.

That's all folks.

Guilty Pleasure.........

Hey up folks, we've all got one and in rock n roll terms mine is of a Swedish kind! Yep we've all got a guilty pleasure and mine is the fact that i actually like Swedish Hair Metal exponents Europe led by Joey Tempest, eighties rival to JBJ. After readin' several good reviews includin' the fact that they wowed a crowd of hairy bikers at last years Bloodstock Festival over in the darkside(Derbyshire) i bit the bullet last October and booked up for me, Jan and our Soph' at the O2 Academy in Brum.

I don't mind i admittin' i was havin' second thoughts about goin'. Oh how wrong can you be!!!! We got in, just in time to catch support band Diamond Head finish their set with "Am I Evil" a song covered by the sandmen themselves, Metallica.

Enter Joe and the boys who for the next ninety minutes put on a bostin' show. Owd Joey is as good a frontman as i've seen, and i've seen a few. Vocaly superb from start to finish. Highlights were the power ballard Carrie, Cherrokee a superb rendition of Rock the Night and of course that song! Yep they finished off with Thee Final Bloody Countdown and by this time i didn't care who saw me i was singin' me head off. Brilliant!

It's a bit of a struggle sometimes decidin' what's best, Birds, Beer or Rock n Roll. Last night it was definitely rock n roll.

After that back to birds eh?

Another late start today after a spot of hide and seek with our Ellie and yet more shoppin', this time in search of an eighties style bikers jacket for our Soph's 18th bothdee. Yes she's a chip off the old rock n roll block is our Soph'.

Utch 1530-1745

Birds new in today included 2 Great-crested Grebes and Coots had risen to six! A flyover Shelduck eventually came in and settled on the main pit. Snipe had risen to 17, with 10 on the rough meadow and 5 on Leasowes fm pit. No sign of the aytha hybrid today it's now at Brookers where it was picked up by RP this mornin' alongside 2 Scaup. A Barn Owl was huntin' over the far side of the main pit from around half five.

This afternoons highlight though was again the Goosander roost. Last weekend RP and Moi broke the site record with a bat raising 50. This time we battered it in to submission with a rip-roarin' 61 not out!! Birds were still comin' in from along the Dove as we left.

Goosander 61

Wigeon 75

Tufty 103

Pochard 21

Teal 22

Mallard 65

Shelduck 1

Great-crested Grebe 2

Coot 6

Little Egret 1

Oyst' 3

Curlew 2

Snipe 17

Green Sand' 1

Lappy c200

Barn Owl 1

That's all folks.

Utch 19/2/10 1410-1550.

Only a quick visit this afternoon because i'm off to Brum in a bit for a spot of Hair Metal Swedish style.

The only birds of note today were a single Little Egret and the hybrid TuftyxPochard. Duck are numbers well down on last weekend.

Goosander 18

Wigeon 104

Teal 9

Tufty 51

Pochard 22

Mallard 102

Little Egret 1

Oyst' 4

Curlew 2

Snipe 1

Lappy c200

Common Gull 4

That's all folks.

Ronald Belford Scott 1946-1980.

On the 19th of February 1980 the world of rock n roll was stunned to hear of the death of AC/DC's lead singer Bon Scott. Thirty years on and the band that he lead so brilliantly is still rulin' the of world of rock today with a new generation of young rockers keepin' the faith alive. With classic songs like Highway to Hell, Whole Lotta Rosie, Let There Be Rock, The Jack, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Hell Aint A Bad Place To Be, Rocker, Sin City, Touch To much and many more his memory will live on long after the band have hung up their flat caps and guitars.





Cheers Bon, i'll be havin' a drink or two just for you!





Andy.