Wednesday, January 02, 2008

New Year shenanigans

Despite being legless, I joined my team of Raptor Ray and Young Will Bowell and Helen Wilson to brave absurd fog in search of the elusive New Year's Day PBC day-list record. Despite the atrocious weather, as a group we scored 99 species and I hauled in a personal total of 95. Personal highlights were Merlin with prey, Peregrine, Short-eared Owl, a hard-worked yet strangely easy White Nun and Brambling at two sites (a birder I met said: " Did you? 'Cause they're short off the ground this year, aren't they?").

Worst dips were Bullfinch, Grey Partridge, and for me, the unforgivable Herring Gull! Red Kite would have easily fallen if it weren't so foggy, and surely we would have had time for Tawny Owl and Hen Harrier without that cursed miasma.

I hate to say it, but I am already looking forward to 1.1.09, for a chance at a weather-permitting, fully-mobile ton!

Here is the poor wounded lamb enjoying Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Treecreeper and Jay at Old Sulehay. Lord knows where the rest of the gang have got to!

No comments: