Another temptation

Oops, forgot to mention, whilst in the US I had a very quick look through a very fancy birder's fancy new Nikon EDG bins. Even more fancy was the fact that they were the very first ones off the production line (or at least serial number 000001), bragging rights included in the box I do believe. How come Nikon, Leica, Swarovski or Zeiss don't send me toys to field test?

Very nice contrasty image, neutral colours and very good depth of field; definitely beat my (non HD) Ultravids, albeit I doubt the Nikons had been abused quite as much as my Leicas. Of course I gave them back with a shrug and said something along the lines of "Yeah, they're alright" and "Well, once you've spent more than £500 it's down to personal preference isn't it?", didn't want to over do it. It will be interesting to test them up against the Ultravid HDs though, perhaps I will change the habit of a lifetime and go to the Birdfair this year.

I need a new scope too and I'm just about to order a mixer/preamp,... must check my bank balance at some point.

A load of bullocks

Another quiet mornings fieldwork, very little of note out on the grasslands, the 'highlight' was almost getting trampled by a couple of randy bullocks. This isn't making getting out of the post-holiday slump any easier. Will spend the weekend writing up the trip methinks.

Not a lot

Very little of interest at a breezy Goldcliff this morning (no sign of yesterday's Spoonbill); just the first hint of autumn passage in the form of a few common waders and gulls.

Two large white creatures

A, presumably 'the', adult Spoonbill flew north over the Uskmouth Lagoons this morning before appearing to head east, so I'd guess it was back at Goldcliff not long after. On returning home I found two monkeys in a dog suit watching the tennis.

After the briefest of 16 year interludes...

Last time I saw My Bloody Valentine it was at the Town & Country Club, they were absolutely fantastic and we got caught out by the extended version of 'You Made Me Realise' and ended up walking halfway across London for want of a train/bus. I'm not quite sure what has happened to the last 16 years but, if last night was anything to go on, the kings of shoegaze have lost nothing during the interval (if anything they've just gone and got louder). The crowd on the other hand were definitely showing signs of the passage of time; thirty-something balding/greying pates littered the venue, some people were actually in seats, thirty-something plus prostates meant the queue to the gents was longer and slower moving and an awful lot of people were collecting the ear-plugs at the door (me included). But, Wow! Shields et al. are still as good as ever, 'Soon' and the 20+ minute 'You Made Me Realise' were flawless. In fact, the volume achieved during the latter was ever so slightly scary, the primary sensual experience being the pressure waves reverberating in your chest cavity as opposed to the wall of sound infiltrating the ear-drums, ab-so-lute-ly awesome.

Updatetastic

Have 'retro-fitted' the highlights of each day's birding in California. The highlights are not the ticks or scarce species just the more memorable ones. I will attempt to add photos and audio as and when I can be arsed. At some point I'll write up the whole shaboodle in some form but don't hold your breath.

Presidio

Highlights: Hooded Oriole and the Clark's Nutcracker dip.

Bodega, PRBO and Lake Lagunitas

Highlights: Marbled Godwit, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone and Rhinoceros Auklet.

Prairie Creek, Redwood National Park & Trinidad

Highlights: Marbled Murrelets, Varied and Swainson's Thrush dawn chorus, Gray (sic, again) Jay, Banana Slug, Heerman's Gull, Tufted Puffin and the huuuuuuge Redwoods. Probably the single best moment of the trip was 03:30-09:30 at Prairie Creek Redwoods, absolutely flipping fantastic.


You'll have to take my word for it but these are murrelets, honest.

Burney Falls & Arcata Bottoms

Highlights: Black Swift, Black-throated Gray (sic) Warbler and White-tailed Kite. I do believe Black-throated Gray is the best looking of the parulidae.