Patch work

The natural world is a source of great wonder to me.  I enjoy being out there with my wellies on and binoculars around my neck.  I enjoy thinking about species I may see or learn about in future. And I like re-living those special wildlife experiences. And I like having a local patch, Stanwick Lakes,…

For all that’s sacred…

I had a brief and pleasant walk at Stanwick Lakes one lunchtime this week.  The sun shone and there were lots of birds around. A common sandpiper meant that it was either autumn or spring.  An adult yellow-legged gull made it more likely that it was late summer as that is when I see most…

Clockwork?

The sedge warbler has a stuttering song – it starts – it stops – it starts again – it speeds up – it slows down – it trills – it chatters – it clicks and it churrs. It sounds like a mechanical toy which has been wound up and explodes into song until it runs…

In praise of Birdtrack

I am a great fan of Birdtrack.  I can see lots of value in the data that are accumulating there in terms of looking at future changes in bird distributions and numbers. But also it allows me to check changes at my local patch at Stanwick Lakes where I go scores of times each year….

Biggest flock of linnets in Northants?

I have been more than usually aware of the cold weather this week – for several reasons. I had been looking forward to the fact that there was racing at Newbury as I had a friend’s member’s badge as he was in Rome watching the rugby – but Newbury was off because of the weather…