11th April. Coal

Determined to do some birding this weekend Jo and I did a lap of Pit-house West early doors. Nothing of note just lots of Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and a flock of 60 Redpolls. With half an hour to spare I decided to have a quick look on the Orgreave Opencast where a splendid adult Kittiwake had mistook the shale and murk for the North Sea.

Another quality image from Orgreave.

"Dad What's Coal"

When I started birding the Rother Valley back in the early Eighties you couldn't move for the black stuff so imagine my sadness when Beth asked me, this morning, what Coal was! Not the true definition as in millions of years of compressed ancient wood etc etc but what is coal. Sadly I had to compare it with the nearest thing on hand which were the artificial coals on the fire - sadly this might be the nearest she ever comes to seeing the stuff that made this country great.

For the benefit of younger readers (or Reeders)