Mixed blessings

My eldest grand-daughter, Erin, turned 6 this week. Being summertime, the request to attend the now obligatory BBQ rendezvous chez No.2 son was forthcoming.

From my side of the marriage there were just three: grandfather (me), grandmother (ex wife Ann) and my partner, Jenny.

Chris and Ann getting away from the throng.

On the other side there was a grand gathering of 7: Ali's mum, dad, brother, sister, brother's expectant wife and two children.

Susan (Ali's sister), Jan (Ali's mum), & Ali taking a breather from "dishing up".

I spent much of the time entertaining the four children in the garden, with football using that huge blue thing above, playing tag, pretend fighting and pulling faces.

Birthday girl, Erin, talking to Jenny.

The next day

Having been summoned to go to Aylesbury, I got on my bike after an early breakfast to join Dave Short and another trainee, Bill, to check out and ring a few Barn Owls and Kestrels in the Aylesbury Vale.

The first three boxes contained Barn Owls: three were ringed in the first, there were two and an egg in the next and the third was deserted (reason unknown). A couple of Little Owl boxes were also checked, one empty, the other with a bird sitting. We tackled another four boxes containing Kestrels: six good, evenly fed young in the first box, four and an egg in the next (which I ringed), then two of very different sizes and one egg (which they were cuddled up to) in the next and in the last there was just the one chick and four very cold eggs.

The one I enjoyed most was the single Buzzard Chick (see photo). While we were climbing to this nest, a pair of Red Kites (the female was visibly bigger than her mate) circled nearby and the female Buzzard kept watch, mewing all the while. Later, she was joined by the male but he soon slid off west.

Common Buzzard chick (DNS)

Afterwards, we went looking for Swallows in various farm sheds and barns. On one farm we found eight nests (there may be more) and ringed one brood of five that was ready. There four young lady onlookers/assistants as we did them. Some broods will possibly be ready at the weekend. Another species which we ringed was House Sparrow - four in a box on a stable. There are also some Stock Doves and Collared Dove nests that we (Dave) are following up and the following day (today), Dave rang me about a Spot Fly nest!!! And another!!!

The day the Blue Tits came

Took my eldest grand-daughter to Norfolk for the weekend; we stayed at Jenny's with the object of taking her bird-watching. It also helped her parents who are "between houses" and staying with Ali's parents and her sister in their small house making 6 persons, sometimes 7, and a fat Labrador!

Here's the little princess with 'Floppsy Rabbit' ready to return home.

The weather was not good but I did manage to get in some ringing on the Saturday morning before more rain. The session was dominated by Blue Tits with 28 individuals out of the 47 trapped.

Totals were - Blackbird 1, Marsh Tit 1, Coal Tit 3 + 4 r/t, Blue Tit 13 + 15 r/t, Gt. Tit 3 + 6 r/t & Chaffinch 1 r/t. The oldest bird was a GT from September 2007 while another bore an NOA ring from March 2008. [They ring occasionally in Fred Cooke's garden at the other corner of the wood, Fred being the NOA president).

On Sunday morning, we set off early (for us) and arrived at Snettisham before the 9.30 high tide. Apart from Oystercatchers and Turnstones on the tide line and a few large gulls and a lone Cormorant, there was little on the seaward side. At peak tide, a mere 6.0 metre one, a flock of 50 Knot headed south towards the inner Wash and RSPB Snettisham. We prefered to stay in the relatively sheltered 'so called' country park.

The main interest was the Meadow Pipits along the outer sea wall and the squadrons of Starlings arriving from the continent. They numbered from 6 to 60 with many in the 15-20 range, coming over every few minutes during the hour we were there. We also noticed a few Linnets, the odd Blackbird, a small party of Redwing and several noisy Wrens. From the inner sea wall there was little to be seen; I suspect it had been shot over the day before. The Wigeon, numbering several hundred, of a month ago were gone.We did, however, find a group of 30 Curlew, some Mallard and a few Coot.

Next it was a trip to the nursing home to visit "the mother", who is coming 95. Here we could get close to some splendidly colourful Mallard, Coot and Moorhens in the grounds. The weekend was a bit of a 'wash-out', I'm afraid, but Erin made it safely back to mum

Watch this space

My grand-daughter, Erin (whose initials also spell Erin), sometimes known as Renee, has been pestering me for ages to take her bird-watching. She's just 5y 5m and keen to get going.
So this week-end I'm taking her to NW Norfolk. At worst, she can sit in the conservatory and watch the birds on the feeders. But, knowing her, she will want me to do some ringing - AND take her to the "seaside" which will mean a jaunt along the beach at Snettisham. Good job we have a 'freebie' parking slot at the caravan.
Just hope the rain keeps off for her.