Monday 25 October 2010

Chilly

The Safari awoke to a crispy cold morning. Hardly surprising as the frost was already settling on the grass on Patch 1 last night.
Anyone else old enough to remember the Jack Frost patterns on the inside of their bedroom windows? Ahh the memories of scraping away the ice while still in our jim-jams and peering through the glass to see if there were any Redwings feeding on the berry bushes or fallen pears or apples at the bottom of the garden - still got the daily notes somewhere. (Late edit - see below)

The almost full moon sent a beautiful cold blue light through the park, we really hate street lights as this morning they totally ruined this natural spectacle until we got well away from them.
A small number of Robins ticked in the gardens, overhead we heard only three Redwings passing by on their way to who knows where.
No Peregrines this morning...wonder where they've found to roost out of the cold.
Due to the supposed early arrival of the boiler engineer there was no Patch 2 safari which was a pity as the sea was pancake flat. He eventually turned up x hours later than promised!!! Makes up for Friday's chap who was bang on time.
Whilst waiting for him we heard the sound of Pink Footed Geese going over and dashing outside counted 75 heading north. A large flock of Corvids away to the east drifted south eastwards while small numbers of Carrion Crows then Jackdaws went over heading south with a larger mixed flock a little later, followed by another 80 or so Jackdaws wheeling round. It was just after these had gone out of earshot when we heard Base Camp's first and Patch 1's second Skylark, saw it disappearing in to the blue too.
Being at Base Camp during daylight hours at the weekend revealing the disheatening sight of exactly how many trees have gone missing from neighbouring gardens in recent weeks. It would seem that there has been a purge on anything that sticks up above fence height. We now have open vistas in to every body's back gardens and beyond. It's very sad.

Where to next? Hopefully Patch 2 will produce something worthwhile in the morning.

In the meantime let us know how frosty it's likely to get in your outback.

PS Our Extreme Photographer has disappeared to the other side of the planet, just nipped to Aus for 3 months lucky devil

4 comments:

Monika said...

I love the old bird notes, that's great! You started at a young age I see.

Warren Baker said...

Monika,
Daves older than you might think ! His hand writing hasn't changed at all :-)

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Monika - I was quite old when I made those notes, mid teens, couldn't find any earlier folders - born in the fifties.

Warren - you're right I'm at least 157 - certainly feal like it afterthe boiler fiasco - still not sorted will need another day off unpaid probably!
Hand writing is now atrocious cos can't hardly hold the pen anymore.Cheers

Davo

Anonymous said...

Wowzers Dave. Notes from 1977, i can`t even find mine from last year.