Biking Birder I January 19th 2010 More RSPB Reserves and More Year Tick Birds.

19^th January                                              Substitute                                                                 The Who

 

              I left the panniers in a storeroom at the hotel and made my way into Rochester crossing the large bridge over the river. The weather was dry again, cloudy and cool and after finding out that Rochester Castle would not be open until 10:00 a.m. I made my way to Rochester Cathedral and put the £3 suggested donation into the offering box. No chance of a quiet ecclesiastic visit here as workers were hammering away in a back corner. Then it was to the cycle shop where I paid £21 for the new back brake and a cleaned and sprayed chain.

Past ten o'clock, so back to the castle, a superb high walled square keep with dark passageways. The cube-like keep is actually the tallest of its kind in England! Well, I explored every nook and cranny of the castle, eventually getting to the top where there were fabulous views over the town and the river. It was an absolute gem of a castle with lovely, extremely helpful staff. Another great English Heritage site visited.

                Back to collect the panniers, I loaded up the bike and cycled to Riverside Country Park, from there to view Nor Marsh RSPB reserve. There I met Dave Saunders and Dave Rolfe again and also the RSPB wardens for coffee in the large visitor's centre. Out onto headland to view the actual reserve and to do some birding, Nor Marsh is actually an island in the middle of the Medway, viewable from the end of the interestingly named Horrid Head. Brent Geese, [99] were swimming along the salt-marsh edge and the hundredth bird of year turned out to be a Turnstone [100]. Quite a few Red-breasted Mergansers [101] were out on the water together with larger numbers of commoner duck such as Wigeon, Shelduck and Mallard. Lots of waders were there too; Oystercatchers [102], Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover and Redshank with a few Curlew.

              A local press photographer arrived to take photos for the local press. Strange that. I had not expected this but Dave Saunders had organised it. With we three lined against the RSPB notice board and with Nor Marsh just viewable behind us, the photographs were taken.

On leaving, mid-afternoon, Dave Saunders said “See you later.” A puzzling comment as I would not be back this way again this year. Anyway, Dave Rolfe accompanied me on his bike to the next RSPB reserve, Motney Hill. Arriving there we locked our bikes to a fence and walked over the grass to get views of the reserve's water edge from adjacent a large sewage works. From the top of the rise there were misty views over the Medway water to a power station made famous by a Greenpeace protest some time before.

               More waders were here at a high tide roost and similar duck species too. Then skirting the creeks of the saltmarsh was a winter-plumaged Black-necked Grebe [103]. There were very few passerines around with just a few House Sparrows in neighbouring gardens. Dave and I set off on a long cycle ride along the back lanes eventually reaching the Bobbing Apple restaurant near Sittingbourne. Rarely has gammon and eggs been so keenly appreciated, as I tucked in. We got to Dave's house eventually. Coincidence occurred when upon entering his house, a house with birds everywhere, paintings, books, magazines and ornaments. Well some of the paintings were by a friend of many years ago who I had lost touch with, Steve Cale. A number of beautiful, framed pictures of Green Sandpipers, Red Kite and Little Ringed Plovers by Steve adorned the walls in both front and back rooms.

              The rest of the evening I thought was to be spent in the company of Dave Rolfe at his house but after having showered and shaved I was whisked off by carbon transport in a car back to Rochester, there to attend the local RSPB's meeting and talk. A well-attended meeting it was too, with an excellent slide show. At half time, I perused a used bookstall, the proceeds from which were to go to the RSPB. From it I bought three great Rock music books; books about The Who, Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan. Dave Saunders kindly posted them back to my parents’ house. Then I was introduced to everyone and had to give a small speech about my trip and plans. Well received, I sat down again. So that's why Dave Saunders had said “see you later.”

The Who, Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan, well in the past I had seen all in concert. Let’s start with the WHO.

 

A band I saw many times yet two concerts from the Seventies stick out in my memory the most. At an appalling venue, Bingley Hall, Stafford, on a Saturday night, October the fourth 1975, The Who played their skins out. 

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-who/1975/bingley-hall-stafford-england-63d76e3f.html 

From the same ‘Who by Numbers’ Tour I saw the Charlton gig. Stated by The Guinness Book of Records to be the loudest gig, it rained for most of the day but The Who came on stage with Roger and Pete with brooms to mop the stage and Keith standing on his drums introducing everyone. 

Laser beams and a nutter swinging from the football stadium’s high floodlights and incredible music.

https://www.ukrockfestivals.com/who-ptbin-76-recordings.html 

 

17.69 miles                                                                                                649 feet elevation up   607 feet down