Sunday, September 04, 2011

September 4 2011

At last, a day out birding. After a month of inactivity, it was nice to be out and about today!

The first stop today was in the far distant reaches of northern Northumberland, at Fenham le Moor. We arrived to a falling tide, with plenty of Grey Seals “bottling” in the water, approximately two hundred over the expanse of the flats.

The birds of note were 48 Brent Geese and then an Osprey perched on one of the poles of the Pilgrims Causeway and then five Little Egrets together in flight. Then the Osprey flew towards us carrying a fish. By this time, the tide had dropped, and waders were starting to fly past, mostly Dunlin, but also a Curlew Sandpiper and three Whimbrel.

We left here and started back south, stopping at Budle Bay. Lots of birds here, mostly gulls, but also 17 Greenshank (that were all Greenshank, not a Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs or Marsh Sandpiper here) and another Little Egret.

Monkshouse was given five minutes, but it was very quiet, so we headed onto Low Newton. Three Ruff on the flooded fields, two Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper on the beach were the pick here.

A quick stop a Boulmer gave us two Yellow Wagtail and a distant skua that was probably Arctic.

Foxton had the usual; 2 Goosander and 3 Greenshank (funnily enough, these were Greenshank as well).

Chevington was heaving with birds, lots of geese, including two Pink-feet, loads of Teal, with at least seven Pintail in with them. A Sparrowhawk flew through and flushed the Lapwing flock and when they came back they had 12 Ruff with them, and another seven Ruff were on one of the islands. Nothing of note on the south pool until a Marsh Harrier passed through.

Cresswell is brim full, in fact it might be more than brim full as some of the pond is on the road. Can you remember when they used to take sand from the beach, and the Wildlife Trust bods whinged and whined that they were destroying habitat by removing the sand, so that particular practice was put an end to. Now the its the Wildlife Trusts turn at destroying a habitat; by doing no management at all when it comes to water levels. We all appreciate the fancy  hides and the cut grass and the lovely new fences and all the huge numbers of feral geese we can see at the star reserve, but it’s about time they got their bloody fingers out and pulled the plug that lets the water out; c’mon fix that problem!

A quick look at the sea at Newbiggin gave us a few Mediterranean Gulls and loads of Gannets, but that was about it.

It was good to be out and about

Saturday, September 03, 2011

Money

 

I have just got this totally unsolicited email today, from my new best friend; I’m rich, I’ll never have to work again!

FROM THE DESK OF MR. SALIFOU SAWADOGO.
THE SENIOR AUDITOR IN CHARGE FOREIGN
REMITTANCE UNIT, BANK OF AFRICA (BOA).
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO.

Dear Friend,

Good Day,

I know that this message will come to you as a surprise. I am Mr. Salifou Sawadogo, "THE CHIEF AUDITOR IN CHARGE OF THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE UNIT here in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. I hope that you will not expose or betray this trust that I am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both families.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of (us$14.3m) Fourteen Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars to your account within 14 banking days. This money has been dormant for years in our bank without claim. I want the bank to release / transfer the money to your account over there as the nearest person to the deceased customer, the owner (the deceased customer) of the account died along with his supposed next of kin in an air crash since 2003.

I don't want the money to go into our bank treasury as an abandoned fund. So this is the reason why I contacted you so that the bank can release / transfer the money to you as the next of kin to the deceased customer.

Please i would like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete it if you are not interested. Upon receipt of your reply, I will give you full details on how the business will be executed and also note that you will have 45% of the above mentioned sum if you agree to handle this business with me and 55% will be for me.
I await your urgent communication.

Best regards,

Mr. Salifou Sawadogo.

 

I’ve crossed out the name so that no one else will get a share of my millions, now to send him my bank account number and all my personal details…

I really do need to go birding!!!