BB2010 Day 2
2nd January Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day
Jethro Tull
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI-creXNMIg&ab_channel=WeAreThe70s
Awake early in my strange bed, too early for
John and Mary so I lay reading a book that I had brought along with me,
Birdwatchingwatching by Alex Horne. Interestingly written but I felt, lacking
in birds. Maybe you will feel the same about my little tome. I saw the last moments of a glorious pink
sunrise as I watched from their back-patio window, counting the passing birds.
Three large seed feeders were well positioned to one side of a large garden and
a regular procession of titmice, Great, Blue and Coal Tit [40], Robin, Blackbird, Collared Doves [41] and Starlings came to inspect and feed whilst
Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls
passed over. Even a Buzzard [42] was
seen, lazily heading west followed by attendant mobbing Carrion Crows.
Two inches of snow greeted me outside as I opened
the door but undeterred, I set off for Middleton Lakes. John had wanted to
accompany me on his bike but the snow and the ice prevented that. Photographs
were taken at the doorway; thanks were given and I was off. Not so great
navigation had me going in the wrong direction up the wrong street but kind
words from a lady motorist put me right and I was soon cruising downhill
towards Middleton Hall and through the rather posh entrance way into the RSPB
reserve there. With Rook [43] added to the list on the way and a Grey
Heron [44] seen on arrival, I walked around the immediate area near to the
imposing hall and, on finding the tucked away RSPB offices, I was soon joined
by Gary Jones, the warden, who I am delighted to say, spent a good two hours
plus showing me around this new reserve. We were soon talking away as though we
had known each other for years. So much chat in fact that the birdwatching seemed
a little intrusive. A party of those fabulous ball of fluff birds, Long-tailed
Tits [45], avian lollipops, were watched though. Oh, to one day see a
stunning continental race bird with its pure white head, an ambition bird.
“This field will be developed for families. A
sort of ‘do what you like’ area,” said Gary. Yet another RSPB warden met in two
days, with each one displaying the same passion for their chosen reserve. It
had been Chris at Sandwell Valley who thrilled about talking of future
developments there and now here was Gary delighting in each new habitat.
Now
here was habitat creation on a grand scale. Masses of reeds, Phragmites, thousands
of them and all hand-planted by hundreds of RSPB volunteers in one area. There
was also an area of wetland scrape. “Over there will be a broad walk,”
explained Gary pointing to beneath the trees that contained a large heronry,
each of the twenty or so nests with two holes in the bottom. An old joke I used
to tell my young YOC-ers (Young Ornithologist's Club, the now gone branch of
the RSPB for youngsters) which they, being gullible, believed were for the
heron’s long legs to hang through so that the sitting bird wouldn’t get cramp.
Back in 2004 I had cycled here from my place
of work at that time, a Special School named Castle School in Walsall, to what
was then called Drayton Bassett Gravel Pits in order to see a very rare wader,
a Broad-billed Sandpiper. It was not a lifer for me. I had seen one at Coton, just
a few miles to the south years before. Now the area of working gravel pits had
gone, to be replaced by what will be a fabulous, diverse range of habitats over
an expansive area, once the habitat creation projects have matured. The thought
of having such a reserve so close to my beloved Midlands was exciting.
Together we walked, Gary and I, birding a bit
and chatting. There were clear views towards Tamworth, with the vertical drop
of the Apocalypse ride at Drayton Manor theme park poking above the trees. I
remembered going on that a few times in the past with my children, Rebecca and
Joshua and my step-daughters Claire and Sarah!
As at Sandwell Valley the day before, birds
were restricted to small patches of ice-free water. Still there were good
numbers of Mallard, Pochard and Tufties together with a Great-crested Grebe [46] and a few Goldeneye [47]. Down to a pathway of sorts adjacent to the River Thame
where thirty-seven Gadwall had found
an area to their liking: the site for a future hide. Beside one large pool Gary
pointed out a few stubs of darkened wooden posts sticking up near the water's
edge. Here was evidence of a prehistoric fish pen which had been excavated by a
local archaeological group. Uncertain of how old it may be, Gary said they
thought it might be anything up to four thousand years old. What birds would
the builders of this have seen so long ago and which ones would they have eaten?
Back to the 12th Century Middleton Hall and into its café to warm up
and enjoy coffee and cake.
Other birds seen during the visit included Cormorant, Herring Gull, Linnet, Shelduck,
Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Reed Bunting, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch,
Fieldfare [48 to 57] and a male Kestrel.
(Remember this last bird when I talk about my final year list will you please?)
I will admit to being a passionate Aston
Villa fan and have in the past been a season ticket holder. Always in the
mighty Holte End, I have been there for the ups, like when we won the First
Division back in 1981, as well as at the European Cup Final at Rotterdam in
1982. Playing against Bayern Munich, midway in the second half, Gary Shaw put a
ball through to Tony Morley. Toney turned the full back inside out before
putting the ball on a plate to Peter Withe standing alone in the six yard box.
The ball came across and, via Peter’s shin, into the net it went after hitting
the right hand post. Into the net went Peter With and on turning he was floored
by the Villa midfielder, Gordon Cowans. Peter, Gary Shaw and Gordon all ended
up on the floor as we, the massed Villa fans behind the goal went ecstatic!
Better than sex, Villa held on to win the European Cup that day. I was there
and took the consequences of missing a couple of days from work on my return. I
did not take a sickie. Everyone in the school knew where I was! UTV. VTID.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJYoZ37SjDw&ab_channel=JustinRafferty
The rest of the afternoon was spent cycling to
Warwick, the home of my Mum and Dad, Mary and Brian. I had a brief visit of
Kenilworth Castle as I was passing. I had already decided that during the year
I would visit as many special places as possible whilst circumnavigating the UK
as well as visiting the RSPB and WWT nature reserves, castles, cathedrals, museums,
prehistoric sites and the like.
I
arrived home at 4.00 p.m. much to Mum and Dad’s amazement. I had not told them
that I would be calling in. “You’ve only just gone!” Said Dad. “I’ve given up,”
I joked.
35.25 miles 751 feet elevation up
1054 feet down
Photographs of birds were taken during BBIII 2016
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