23rd January. That Was The Week That Was

A frustrating week at work, not because of work but because of the three days of cracking sunshine. Sunshine that would have washed away my winter blues or SAD as we like to label it these days. Frustratingly with no leave left I would have to wait for the weekend to satisfy my birding urges. However my frustrations were nothing compared to birders living in Leigh, Greater Manchester. If you've been living in the middle of an Essex dump during the last week or avoiding the mud chucking on Internet based forums you probably wont know what happened in Leigh on the 10th December. You would probably shit your pants if you opened the curtains and THIS was looking back at you - I know I would!

Not to be outdone the Yorkshire Coast hit back with a Gannet showing characteristics of Australasian Gannet off Flamborough Head.

Meanwhile back in Essex. Rumours were abound that Dominic Mitchell hadn't slept a wink since his star find and had in fact been living among the human detritus and making good use of the things that the everyday folk leave behind.


Back Home. Despite two dawn raids at Orgreave I failed to pick anything of interest out of the post gull roost apart from a couple of yellow legged argentatus Herring Gulls - ooh get me!!
6-700 large gulls have been roosting most nights with up to 2,000 Black-heads so at least I've got something to get me through the winter (well that's what I keep telling myself).