More ramblings...

I never spent much time in school,
but I've taught ladies plenty,
It's true I hire my body out for pay, hey hey!
I've gotten burnt over Cheryl Tiegs,
Blown up for Raquel Welsh,
But when I wind up in the hay, it's only hay! Hey hey!
Shite.

The Fall Guy is on just before my Sky+ series-linked-recordings of The Professionals so a little bit of it gets 'taped' due to Sky+ Series Linkage.  I've told you all about this before but I lied really as I don't really watch repeats (what you say?*) of The Fall Guy as I think it's a bit shit.  It's easy to know when The Fall Guy is about to end and Professionals is about to begin because you always see Colt Seavers in the bath smoking a cigar at the end of the Fall Guy.  And Colt Seavers always has loads of people around his bath whilst bathing!  What's all that about?  And Colt Seavers always raises an eyebrow and looks at one of the people gathered around his bath and the camera freezes that portrait as the credits roll.  I press 'play' at this point, thus coming out of 'x30' mode and watch the beginning of Professionals.  I told you I'd show you a video of the beginning just to show you how good it is.  It just starts.  No titles, no introduction, it just starts,and gives you a three minute taster of the episode to come.

Here is a beginning bit and you've got to admit that even though it's dated (they were made 1977-1981) it's still pretty fucking cool:

Action!

Now just watch the beginning of the music again. It's that split-second pause just before the Cortina comes flying through the glass building that does it even though it's not that obvious in this clip, you might have to watch it on TV or You Tube or summat, not that anyone is remotely interested. The glass building is actually the one on the corner of Anlaby Road and Ferensway in Hull.  Or did I just make that up?

Thrills!

Anyway.

Water's Edge Country Park was devoid of Slavonian Grebes on Saturday when I took the girls for walks and talks and sandwiches and slide action.  I managed 3 Swallows, several Chiffs and at least 6 Willow Warblers holding territory, one of which sat atop a tree just near to our chosen sandwich and boiled egg resting place.  I set my somewhat dated scope up on a tripod which dates from Medieval times (it is carved from only stone and iron) so that Ruby could have a look at a few things.

 I showed this to her school friends and they all pointed and laughed

at her for being a nerd and will now continue to mock her

throughout her childhood just as they did me. 

This is why I'm scarred.  Scarred! 

My whole life ruined due to ornithology and Ben Sinclair's dad

who took us to Spurn every bastard week. 

I hope you're satisfied, Brian Sinclair you bastard.
I could've been somebody.

"Did you see it?" I asked.

I think that means yes.

I had a raptor go over our house, going North yesterday.  I ran in the back garden and had reasonable views but mainly from the rear.  It wasn't a Buzzard, my unaided views from the front of the house confirmed that, with wings slightly narrower and tail slightly longer in proportion than (Common) Buzzard.  It flew with wings held back, ala Buzzard when they do their kind of 'stoop' but the wings were still flapping, creating quite a distinctive wing shape.  I don't know what it was.

There.

After a distinct lack of pictures on this blog lately due to me updating from my phone, I thought I'd make it up to you with 2 Videos, 2 Pictures and a FREE dot-to-dot of The Fall Guy for you to print out and complete.  You could even print it out life size and wear it as a smart mask on completion just like the Ian Beale mask I gave to you all FREE back in April.  Click HERE! to take advantage of this extraordinary offer.

Colt Seavers starred in The Fall Guy as Lee Majors

which is a stupid made-up name.

* just for Big Neilo

..................

I've been out and about but I've not got much to tell you really. Chiffs are the only summer returns locally, still no hirundines or other.

As I've mentioned before there was a regular Spurn threeball years ago of Benny, Adam and myself who used to bus it down to Spurn at weekends and school holidays. We took quite detailed notes which included weather, wind and of course the days sightings. It was Benny who kept the notebook for the three of us. Unfortunately Benny emigrated to Australia and took with him our records. It would be good to see these but I don't think I ever will again. Post-Benny, I have a few entries of my own including a couple of decent days at Spurn:

15th May 1994
Tree Pipit
Redstart
Wood Warbler
Golden Oriole
Bluethroat
Jay (uncommon at Spurn)
And Short Toed Lark. Not bad. But then this:

21st September
Redstart (14)
Black Red (3)
Pied Fly (8)
Ring Ouzel
Then it gets better....
Barred Warbler (2)
Red Breasted Fly
Red Backed Shrike
Then it gets better again....
Woodchat
Ortolan
Little Bunting
Then it gets a bit blurred.....
BLACK MOTHER FUCKING GUILLEMOT!
Which is not exactly mega but it's rare all the same at Spurn. This is where it gets a bit blurred. Was there really a BLACK MOTHER FUCKING GUILLEMOT? Can anybody tell me? It's 17 years ago and I have vague memories of being on Clubleys and some bloke putting me onto it but before looking at my notes I didn't think I'd seen BMFG at Spurn.
So:
1 Was there a BMFG recorded for that date?
2 I'm just going to drop a sledgehammer off at a job.




............

lists....

1 Chip
2 Sauce
3 Frying
4 Griddle
5 Wok

I'm into pan listing at the minute.


[groan]


...........

Rant.........

I've added some links you bastards. Some of the authors are Leeds fans which is a bit unfortunate. The fucking Merrion Centre white shite Hull City wannabes. Now here's an interesting bit of football trivia for you, Ellend Road is the only ground in the country that is spelt with a silent 'B'. They're all just overspill from City really. How about a City / Leeds Wembley play-off final, with the Tigers just nicking it 5-1? Don't worry, City just aren't good enough this year really, I know that. Leeds sing a truely appalling song that shows their true mentality. It goes 'champions of England.....champions of Europe...' whilst spinning their scarves in a 70s stylee. The 'champions of Europe' bit relates to the European Cup Final from the seventies when they got BEAT (get it, Leeds?), yes, BEAT by Munchen I think it was. Now how the fuck that makes them champions of fucking Europe I'll never know. They say that they were denied a penalty or summat. For fuck's sake. Do you think Bayern sing 'champions of Europe' about the 99 final when they were robbed by the Mancs bastards? Don't think so. The Mancs? Don't even get me started on them bastards, I hate them more than I hate Leeds. Much more in fact.

So, how are you all? Good? Oh I'm fine thanks. Thanks for asking though. When reading one of the posts from one the new links, it reminded me of something that happened last year at the Wheldrake American Widge. As I walked towards the hide a bloke passed me going back to the car. 'Any good for the American?' said I. 'Not sure yet. I'm just going home now to look through my photos to see if I've seen it' said he. What? So what he's done is taken a super zoom photo sweep of all the wildfowl then toddled off home to zoom into them and ID the birds at his leisure! Makes a new meaning of the phrase 'Armchair Tick' doesn't it? Utter shite birding skills you stupid twat. I hope you're reading this.

Fuck me, I having a right rant today aren't I? Ha ha ha.

But hey, Spring's here, migration underway, England play the leeks today, it's Ollie's 40th, so we're all up town. Reasons to be cheerful. Part three. England also play Sri Lanka in the Cricket World Cup. The CWC has lasted somewhere close to 4 years. In fact I think they start playing the next one straight after this one. The day after the final.....right lads we've got a big group game tomorrow in the 2015 CWC against Zimbabwe.......


Said Strausso.




.................

East Park Hull

With Nicola working all day both children were with me for the day. A jaunt to East Park was implemented. Perambulator, bottles of drink, diapers, bins and baby wipes were loaded onto carriage, carriage laden with diesel fuel, carriage pointed Eastwards, carriage driven. On arrival it was packed. Bastard packed in fact. I was expecting a Chiff or two singing but the gathering of smackheeds Burbed-up to fuck with chav-encrusted earrings down to their shoulders soon put a stop to any hope of that.

I like doing new paragraphs now, It's easy.

I should've known how to do it in the first place.

Slide fun was followed by Pirate ship fun which, in turn preceded swing fun, after this came climbing frame fun which was abruptly ended by Mega Tufted Duck and icecream fun.

There I go again. East Park is fairly regularly watched, more so in Winter months I believe due to lack of Chav action and increase in Wildfowl / possibility of decent inland bird action. Today's highlight was (I know I usually add something made-up like a pile of horse shit or a trainer or something like that, but this bit really is true, this really did happen) something on the lake that had it's tail lifted, almost like a Ruddy Duck! Jesus! It IS a Ruddy Duck, surely? On optically-aided inspection, the 2-litre Lilt bottle drifted 'round so that the sun shone through it revealing it's green sheen on the mantle, tertials and primary coverts, a 'Lilt' logo across it's breast complete with copyright symbol, and totally tropical taste.

I'm off now to take a patio out, put down 120 bricks in it's place then a new window above, create a stoothing wall on the inside, board it, skim it and finish with uPVC windowboard, clean and seal.





.....................

Spurn

Well I never. A White-spot Bluethroat at Spurn. Hardly mega news. But it is mega news. It's not mega news from a national outlook, no way Jose, but from the observatory's outlook this is the first record of this form for some 55 years! Local Mega! Local Mega sub-species actually. Not here today though, no way. In fact all that was here today were some Meadow Pipits, a Goldeneye, some Skylarks, a dead trainer on the beach looked like an Adidas, 5 Cockerels, loads of old blokes in waxed jackets, a Hercules flying about, two disgusting toads that were doing disgusting things to each other right out in the open for all to see the disgusting perverts, and two cheshire cheese sandwiches in baps that I'd made and took along with me. I am now incredibly ashamed of my actions. Why the fuck did I take pre-made sandwiches with me? What was I thinking? Have I turned into a packed lunch / flask of tea / 'ooh look it's a lovely Reed Bunting' brigade? Fuck me, I won't be doing that again. I'll carry on with the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants style of birding that I'm used to where making sure I've got enough petrol, roadmaps, and pre-made sandwiches are definite no-nos. It is ironic that fish are now eating raw Japanese though.

Word up, honkies. After being inundated with messages (none) to update my blog from my readers (two), well here I am! So where have I been? The family hibernated in early December, the kids were wrapped in dead bracken, put in shoe boxes and put in the gas cupboard. Of course not. I've been watching re-runs of The Fall Guy with Lee Majors all day every day. Not actually WITH Lee Majors, I simply meant that he's in the programme but I suppose watching the Fall Guy actually with Lee Majors would be pretty cool in itself. A bit like watching Starsky and Hutch with Paul Michael Glazer or The Professionals with Lewis Collins on the single chair having a beer. Lee Majors is my favourite actor. Well, after Clint Eastwood and Tim Brooke-Taylor of course. And how come there's no swearing in The Professionals? I've just watched an episode where Cowley says 'goolies' instead of 'hairy bollocks'. He says to some new CI5 recruits 'Kick them in the goolies before they do it to you'. Goolies? Fuck off. No bloke says that to another bloke, especially policemen. A real man would've said 'kick them in the hairy bollocks' without a doubt. Bodie and Doyle don't even swear. They drive around in their Capri hunting international terrorists and are shot at at least 6 times each every episode and never ever shout 'Fuck off' or 'Cocks' when they return fire which is definately what I'd shout if I were firing my gun. I can't suss out how to go to a new paragraph. My computer's down so I'm on mobile. Anyway, imagine a new paragraph: Isn't this meant to be a birdy blog? Yes. Yes it is. I went to Allerthorpe last Friday for the Coues's to no avail. I had a candidate in the fields behind where people watching but no real chance of nailing it at that range. Did you have a nice Christmas? Oh, quiet, you know. When my PC is up and running I'll post you a video of the beginning of the Professionals and describe how brilliant it still is after all these years. Does anybody have a clue what I'm talking about? No, me neither. Been some rare fucking things around hasn't there? I haven't seen them though.