I have had a great week birding locally.
I injured my back last weekend!. Can't sit, Can't drive, Can't even lie down for long. But, I can walk ( slowley ).
I have really only been birding for a short time ( about a year ) so virtually any bird I see is probably a lifer. But this week has been amazing. For those continuing to read, and not from this area. I live near Reading in Berkshire which is a small landlocked County in southen England.
I had seen on the Web that an Eider duck had been seen the previous day about a mile away from where I live ( 1st in the County for about fifteen years ), so, off I waddled. If you have ever had a bad lower back pain, you know what I mean. Eventually got to this new gravel pit, no-one else there, scanned it, no Eider!. But I did get another lifer!. A Little Ringed Plover, well two really along with 5 Redshank, half a dozen Tufties, 4 Canada Geese and 4 Gadwall and a bigger female Mallard. Just then another birder arrived, I ponted out the Plover and said the Eider must have gone!. He pointed out to me that the Mallard duck was not really a Mallard, but a female Eider. Seen through my bins from 250 yards away it just looked like an LBJ!. Through the Lens of a scope it was obvious. Aren't I a plonker?.
Anyway, who cares. Two Lifers!.
Two days later, ( I can now drive a short distance! ). Driven to whwere I fish to walk the dog. At the gate I see an LBJ, singing away from the top of a dead Alder. Scope comes out of car and I take several photo's of a bird that flies from a perch to another perch then back again, sometimes flying high and parachuting back down. After observing and taking piccies ( badly (no zoom on my digicam!)) I think its a Whitethroat, which is a first for me!.
That evening I called in a at a Local bird reserve and saw my second ever Little Egret ( with brown feet! ). Next day at same reserve I got a Sedge Warbler ( Another lifer ).
The next day a Wheatear, another lifer in a field next to where I fish and a Beautiful Male Reed Bunting, only my second ever, and then to cap it all, this morning on the Pit where the Eider was, 2 beautiful Shelduck, again a first.
Sigh!
, after visiting the physio and gobbling down "Diclofenac Sodium Tablets" things are less painful. So its back to work Monday.
Retirement looks so attractive!
Alan
What a great time you've had - I should do your back in more often! I like your honesty. Sorry you've got to go back to work, but I'm glad you're on the mend.
As someone who's had the occasional lower back problem, I can really sympathise... but every cloud has a silver lining they say, and in this case numerous silver linings.
Great to hear, thanks for sharing, and many congratulations!!!