The Safari hasn't been able to get out much this last week and when we have early doors on Patch 2 there's been a lot of thick low cloud, almost fog, over the sea not far beyond the water's edge so our best sighting has been limited to one Great Crested Grebe out there. Nearer, in fact overhead, was a small blob going north which called a call we didn't recognise, a resonant 'chleuu' a coupe of times...hmm not sure - Lapland Bunting perhaps???
Evenings have been taken up watching Autumnwatch, OK there's a lot of 'filler' in there for us 'more experienced' naturalists but as ever we learnt at least one new thing about our brilliant wildlife each night, some of it new science and some of it just down to the superb technology available these days allowing us to see things previously hidden from view.
Talking of technology we were able to catch up with youngster GL's interview about her amazing camera tapping escapades and what a great ambassador she is for other youngsters to encourage them to get excited by the natural world. And that enthusiasm and passion doesn't seem to have been dampened by the despicable activities of an absolute pillock at her school. Catch her interview while you can.
Everywhere we turn on the interweb at the mo we seem to get the same shocking red hair and smiling face peering out of the screen at us - is there no escape from FW? He too was on Autumnwatch being interviewed about the travels of Harry and his significance in bringing into the limelight the continuing dreadful illegal persecution of Hen Harriers by the Grouse shooting numpties - one must go to jail soon! He's become the 'pin-up' boy for the #weseeyou wildlife crime campaign. Again you've got a moth to watch the interview. We also sot of by accident watched another youngster, this time a little older Lydia Johnson (@EnviroEmpower) who back during Springwatch had the fantastic idea of asking people to post their wildlife pics on the interweb via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for the next 100 days until Autumnwatch and thus she developed #100DaysofNature which proved immensely popular and there were a not insignificant proportion of absolutely superb wildlife pics to enjoy. We managed about 30 - shoulda done better! But then we had the idea of continuing the meme as #100moredaysofnature taking us through the winter months.
Here's our first offering
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| Elm leaves beginning to show their autumn colours here at Base Camp |
We also got wind of a local birder BY, not such a youngster this time but an experienced vis migger and easily as equally passionate as any of the youngsters, there is something special about watching and recording migration 'as it happens' as our Young Un AB witnessed yesterday being part of a crew that counted well over 8500 Fieldfares 1001 Redwings, 1270 Starlings and loads of other assorted birds going over their watch point...and we were stuck in the office all day with not even a sniff of a chance of looking out of the window. Think BY's interview was on the sdame day as GL's but in the lunchtime session of Day 2 Part 1 - there is a little icon to take you to it.
No Fieldfares over Base Camp today although we have to say we didn't look out too much and a spell in the garden was spent bashing noisily with a hammer and a bag of nails so we weren't listening too hard. Redwings were heard ging over at 06.00 when Frank woke us up to be taken out. We tthrew some mouldy bread on the garage roof and that attracted the usual gulls, a few Black Headed Gulls and a gang of Herring Gulls, could really do with a Common Gull, really rare here but hundreds on the playing field along the North Blackpool Pond Trail not half a mile away!
Where to next? Exciting day tomorrow, we're doing a guided walk around the nature reserve and have previously aforementioned interweb sensation FW and family coming but not only him also our new AFON mentoree AH and her family and she's promised to take loads of pics and write a guest blog again - can't wait! Hopefully we'll find loads of fascinating stuff for them all.
In the meantime let us know what's not been flying over your outback.
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