Those were the days

I just found this screen grab of blog statistics from my stay on Corvo, the Azores. This blog was getting up to 1000 page views a day and made it in the top 5 on the Nature Blog Network. Nowadays it is getting around 70 page views a day and hovering around the 65 mark on the Natue Blog Network. I can't possibly understand why not so many people are interested in a landfill site in Croydon. I don't get it:-)

Local Guardian Article- Beddington Farmlands

Click on to read.

Pretty good I thought overall- I like Mike scoping the Short-eard Owl (Roger's photo)- nice touch.

Looking good Mike- bastards left me out of the photo- I did some good poses- wasted. Glad they got the Tree Sparrows in and hopefully the return of Short-eared Owl will be a marker that the restoration has been successful.

Waifs and strays

Went looking for a storm blown waif at Beddington but instead saw three Bullfinches, two Redpoll, 10+ Redwing, 8 Fieldfare, 30+ Goldfinch, 4 Linnet, 1 Reed Bunting, 10 Long-tailed Tit and 15+ Chaffinch along the footpath. Also Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker together and two Kingfishers on the lake.

Very pleasant little dudey morning.

Oh yes, I had a Tawny Owl wake my up at 0330 three nights ago- calling along the railway line. That's Bullfinch, Woodcock and Tawny Owl in the last few days- can be very difficult birds to get at Beddington. Haven't seen three Bullfinch over there in over a decade.

Beddington Farmlands- Winter

Restoration works are well under way now. The Southern and Northern Scrapes are being landscaped into wetland habitats (image one and two) but progress slowed by rain .

Teal on 100 acre (images three to five). About 200+ Teal so far on the 100 acre sludge beds. Also 10+ Green Sandpiper today, and a handful of Snipe.

In the trees around Hangman's there were 20+ Fieldfare and 15 Redwing, 4 Chaffinch, 30+ Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting and 1 Redpoll. Blackbirds and Dunnock seem to be numerous.

Beddington Farmlands- Photo-shoot

Had a photo shoot today with the Sutton Gaurdian local newspaper. They are doing an article on Beddington Farmlands and wanted to get a Beddington Farmlands Bird Group photo but they sprung it on us yesterday and most people were working. Therefore it was just me and Mike Spicer. Looking forward to the article.

Woodcock- Beddington Farmlands 11th November

Flushed a Woodcock from the old hay field. Last time I saw Woodcock at Beddington was in 1988!
Spent the rest of the time trying to find a Firecrest in the bushes around the Old Hay Field and Old Gravel Pit and then a failed attempt at flushing a Dick's Pipit or Snow Bunting from the Bikers Field.
I need a few Beddington tart's ticks which are gettable this time of year- Snow Bunting, Hen Harrier and White-fronted Goose so need to put in more on the daily grind front.

Beddington Farmlands- BIRDS

Oh yer- better put some birds on here. Tree Sparrow- the Beddington mascot.

Beddington Farmlands

A bit of vis mig today. 150+ Woodpigeons, 50+ Fieldfare, 6 Skylark, 10 Redwing and 15+ Chaffinch over. 40+ Goldfinch and 10+ Greenfinch around the old hayfield.

After a couple of hours out there it was back to the obs for some sky watching from the window (image one). Check out the sheep skin.

P.S The Beddington farmlands birder infighting has gone online:

www.patchpigs.blogspot.com/?spref=fb

Beddington Farmlands

Had a look for the Long-eared Owls on Hangman's bridge with Bedzedder Gillian but no luck- too early I guess. We had a Golden Plover flying around the lake towards dusk and I had an adult Mediterranean Gull from the obs window during the day.
A good day- I sorted out a sheepskin rug and coffee table for the obs front room and spent the evening going through the Beddington Farmlands plans with Gillian (poor girl).

Environmentalism now

Trying to get down some thoughts on the relevance of environmentalism within current affairs and the global economic/social/climatic crisis.

Starting with 'The Fall of Capitalism'???? Here:
http://www.peteralfrey.blogspot.com/