Some corner of an external hard drive, that is for ever Turkey

Digging out some 'Turkey 2009' information yesterday proved an excellent excuse to waste a while going back through a few photos,...

İshak Paşa Sarayı a classic WP birding location near Doğubeyazıt. Construction appears to have been quite a drawn out affair, started in 1685 by Ҫolak Abdi Paşa and completed by his grandson İshak Paşa in 1784. However, more importantly, the slopes above the palace were the original WP site for Mongolian Trumpeter Finch.

Van Kalesi, the Lonely Planet guide warns, rather ominously, "... the groups of men and children that tend to loiter at the site can be intimidating. Make sure you're back on the main road by sunset." Luckily having not read the guide, we spent an evening birding nearby and lived to tell the tale, the most memorable 'happenings' were Lesser Kestrel, Hobby and Alpine Swift hunting overhead at dusk; Citrine Wagtail and singing Marsh Warbler nearby; and a nice bowl of spicy soup in town.

The 'See-see' wadi near Birecik. Which lived up to its name and produced possibly the sighting of the trip when we bumped into birding Jedi/mystic Arnoud van den Berg coming the other way.

For the original Turkey tales click here.

Can you count Goosanders?

Next Sunday (13th) all manner of people without anything better to do will be undertaking Gwent's first co-ordinated Goosander Winter Roost Survey. The method is very easy, shouldn't take more than an hour and a half and participation will be rewarded with a warm inner glow resulting from knowing one has contributed. So far, 17 sites will be surveyed during the evening but observers are still required for Carno Reservoir, Cwmtillery Reservoir, Shon Sheffrey’s Reservoir, Waun y Pound, etc.

If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in taking part please contact Richard Clarke via email by clicking here who will provide all the information you need; or, failing that, click here to email me and I'll pass your email address onto Richard. Failing that, leave a comment below including your email address.

OK, steady on, form an orderly queue.

Oooh, look down there

No, not here, down there. Yes, about six inches down the page, a back-dated post. Keeps everyone on their toes doesn't it.

Shhhrrrrike one!

A couple of hours on the falling tide at Goldcliff Point produced very little, a single Fulmar being the highlight; then to the pools to double-check a seabird hadn't snuck past to seek respite on the lagoons,... nope. Next stop Wentwood Reservoir for a Mandarin mit Mallard flyby and variety in the form of Wigeon, Gadwall and Pochard. Saving the best till last, parked at Cadira Beeches and pottered westwards towards the reported shrike. On arrival at the clearfell the rain was coming across in horizontal waves and, surprise surprise, the shrike wasn't showing. Did a circuit, started back round, rain stopped, up popped the shrike and my abysmal record of bagging shrikes in the county was finally put to rest.

Excellent bird, crappy light,... and rain,... and wind.

ROATH!

... or at least, I think that was what he said. Difficult to tell mind (despite repetition), he was on the other side of a door and seemed to have had something in his mouth.

Another few days at sea. Another team member yawning in glorious technicolor. Pretty sure 'thermal shock' was the cause this time though, as opposed to the standard rock 'n' roll. The sea conditions were perfect, certainly the best experienced thus far. Perfect small cetacean weather, even post-sunset, when their gaspy breaths were easily audible above the slappy laps of wavelet on bow. It was -3 before windchill though, probably nearer -8 after; and it would appear that, if you've plumped for sou'westers, oilskins, gumboots and 'Fisherman's Friends', instead of Goretex, etc., the temperature to which your body will drop will contrast enough with that experienced on re-entering the living quarters, that all manner of anatomical reactions will occur, mostly resulting in the projectile repositioning of your lunch to a place much more visible than it was before.

Birdwise it was, predictably, all rather quiet just a few divers and scoters disturbing the 'I-wonder-if-I'd-look-like-Ophelia-if-I-threw-myself-overboard' line of thought.

[NB. The above is a woefully late post for which I, lacking in all humility, refuse to apologise.]

Dim and distant,... but mainly dim

Going through some scans from the golden age of birding, back in ye olde times of yore. The Atlantic(?), St. Marys, Scilly, October 2002. Ooh, look! An ashtray in a pub. Now you don't see those much nowadays,... or Trinovids,... or cameras with film in them,... or hordes of birders on Scilly. Something to tell the kids about eh?

PS. Is that fizzy pop in that pint glass?!

Totally tropical

Lilt,... Li-ilt,

Pine-apple and grapefruit,

Lilt,... Li-ilt,

Lilt, with the to-tal-ly tropical taste.

NB. Note the lack of birds, the total lack of birds.

Variation in light, camera and pipits

Some piccies, too tired for words (literally). Night-night.

Colour-ringed Curlews

Had five in Glos today, didn't nail all the codes (too little time, too long grass,... I got all the excuses) but there certainly appears to be more than enough to go round. Keep 'em peeled.

Igor, blimey, I don't know

Igor took this photo from the bell tower today. He delivered it to the drawing room in a breathless state of excitement (having run the whole length of the west wing's auxiliary corridor) and, beaming from ear to ear, exclaimed "Schir! Itsch schnowing!" He's just a big kid at heart,... a fact quite lost on the local villagers,... enough with the pitchforks and burning torches already!