back for the season!

regrettably, with exams, school, and the fact I am a lazy, stroppy teenager have meant this little project hs somewhat taken a backseat while I wreaked havoc accross various branches of the bird-related internet, had many, many teenage strops and passed the exams I care about with flying colours while failing the rest in spectacular fashion.

However, autumn is tantalizingly close, my favourite time of the year, and I and reviving this blog, and putting the fox back among the chickens! The main difference now is that I am less a birdwatcher and more an angry adolescent. This means I may, through no fault of my own, spew untold quantities of faecal matter accross this previously well-meaning blog.

My first autumn migrant came on 8th July, a Common Sandpiper that flew over the house at 11:30 PM. I couldn't get to sleep alright! In fact I was so awake I managed to recognise the call from the last time I heard it, last autumn!

In the last couple of months, I have seen a few good birds, most notably a Red-footed Falcon at Cuckmere Haven. the point-and-clicker of course took a few photos, but compared to the excellent photos that can be found on the Cuckmere Ouse Bird-blog and Sussex Nature (see links down the side), Birdguides and Surfbirds, to name a few, these are poor photos to say the least.

I'm also hoping to go for this plover thingy that has so delighted many folks at Rainham and Slimbridge, if the damnn thing hangs around tomorrow! fingers crossed! although actually by the time this is posted it will be tomorrow, I may have already gone and seen it and have a long-overdue proper report for the people wondering what has happened to this blog!

But, getting back on track, autumn is here. I will spend as much time as I can t my local patch (Hope Gap) hoping against hope for some decent find. Last year the other regular patchers, one of which writes Sussex
Birding, managed to find two different Icterine Warblers and a Barred Warbler, while my dad found a Red-breasted Flycatcher. I checked whenever I could, but Icky no.1 was when we were on holiday in Mull and Icky 2 and Barred warbler on a school day. I still looked for the Barred Warbler twice later in the week, as it stuck around, but failed to connect with it both times. The only positive thing is that I saw the Flycatcher, but despite many hours of effort my self-found tally came up to a Ring Ouzel, some Grasshopper Warblers and not a lot else! that will change now! and I will document the trials of patching for all to see.

I'm also taken a three-week holiday in the summer to Canada with my parents. This will include a five-day stay at Long Point Bird Observatory in early September. It was here my Dad spent several years researching for the Helm Guide to New World warblers, in which he was author, nd he has spent the last few months regaling me with all sorts of incredible tales! The whole trip should be fantastic, and I hope to get loads of lifers, but Long Point in particular sounds absolutely incredible!

Right, thats me done for now, I may have news on a Plover when you next here from me, goodbye until then!

buyt