Today I did not blow off my Course to go burning off for 3 or more hours up to wales in search of a monochrome Dartford. Wasn't I good?
I did succeed in adding two species to my 'Birds Out the Window at my Course' list - Chaffinch and a shock Jay! Yes, you read right, a Jay amid the cliffs of limestone and concrete. Not even on my Garden list, is Jay [they're up the hill, but don't come down - though middle of town is fine, it seems! I'll have to keep my eyes peeled, they must have some very hungry chicks is all I can say..]
Tomorrow I am not going burning up 3 plus hours to wales. I've had a long think about it, and decided that while Marmora's Warbler is a lovely bird that I'd dearly like to see, there's just too much against it. Not only is it outside the twitch envelope, but the hot muggy weather, most likely a hundred-plus fellow twitchers, and roads packed with grockles coming off half term holidays mean it'd be a less than enjoyable twitch. I'm not at 100% either - I pinged my knee when I fell on my arse yesterday, [really, it was a classic; mud, water, legs and kit flying...] and the thought of holding it tense* for 7-odd hours doesn't appeal either.
[[*My knee! Shame on you. ;) ]]
Oh bugger. I just realised I forgot to text Joe back - if you're reading this mate, I am so sorry!
::Text break::
Ahem.
Ok, enough moaning and general pathetic-ness...
Well, it's better than being all vague and cryptic, isn't it?
No?
Ok, Plan C; try to write like proper intelligent interesting and funny bloggers.
Better read up the NotQuiteScilly archive.....
Where are you getting 7 hours from?! It took us less than 2 from Exeter... not many people there, stunning views, bonus Iberian Chiffchaff, not alot of traffic, pleasantly warm but not too hot etc... I reckon that was a bad mistake Tom ;)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on getting it, Joe!
ReplyDeleteI had it from someone who drives faster than me that it's 3.5 hours to Abergavenny [thus 7 hours total]. Now that I've had a couple of nights' decent sleep [I like gin...] I'm feeling a lot better, so if it stays put after all this rain tomorrow [and the last inland one stayed for what, 70 odd days?], I'll have another think about going up for it.
Google maps reckons it's 2 hours, 32 minutes from Torquay Town Centre to the road running through the moorland on which the bird is holding territory... And that's if you stick to the speed limits! Not sure who you got your info off, but they must drive awfully slow ;)
ReplyDeleteI think Google Maps calculates time as linear distance divided by speed limit - no accounting for traffic lights, roundabouts, toll booths, volume of traffic etc.
ReplyDeleteI also think my informant went via a lunch stop at Usk and forgot to mention it..... :/
I was chatting to a local birder who was there on Saturday - he said there were about 150 there at 7:00, rising to nearly 500 by 12:00. That's 'not many', eh? ;)
All in all, I think I made a very wise choice. ;)