3rd March: Winter is crap

Is it me or has this winter been the worst in living memory? Not just for the rarer specimens but also just birding in general. Even the wintering ducks and thrushes haven't bothered to put in much of an appearance this winter. A three hour yomp around Pit-house west yesterday produced nothing but 6 Moorhens, 2 Coots and a mixed party of L-t Tits, Blue Tits and Goldcrests. The only highlight (if you can call it that) being a singing Willow Tit.

So are the days of crisp winter birding a thing of the past? Do I need to discard the Damart's for a thong? Perhaps I should take up this new craze of Euro listing like the girlfriend less cheque book birders. Or should I just spend the entire winter drunk (like the Punks and certain Shetland birders) and stumble across 'rares' whilst birding/driving under the influence. Perhaps I should get some work done and keep my head down until the Spring.

3 comments:

davidearlgray said...

Mark,I do hope you know its British pie week this week.
Maybe you should go and look for decent pies instead of moaning about your non birding? ;-]

Mark said...

John: Unfortunately there seems to be very little pie action around here. It would appear that Shetland is not only the mecca for 'rares' but also pies. I will make amends in October.
As for you having a good winter, you're just a low listing euro ticking twitcher ;)

Dave: I am aware that it is British Pie Week but there seems to be little information regarding it. Perhaps the nanny state that we live in is supressing all pie related info.

The Drunkbirder said...

I'm a happy low-lister. I'm not so bothered about rarities these days though I will twitch madly with the best of them when a White-crowned Sparrow turns up in an accessible area. Surprisingly in recent years I didn't bother with the Gyr in Cornwall yet I've gone for a Wallcreeper in France. I reckon I will go for the next reasonably easy Gyr though.

I will inform Leigh of the Pie Week and see if we can't have a nice homebaked pie for tea. Just by way of coincidence we're off to the North West this weekend with the intention of watching Warrington play the pie-eaters of Wigan.