Lowering the tone somewhat

When I was wondering what I might write about today, I considered a few things. For instance I thought that I might break the mould and write about birding. Then I remembered that I hadn't picked up binoculars all week, and despite being an incredibly amazing birder, had consequently seen almost nothing. Then I thought about photography, which actually I think about almost constantly. Then I remembered that I hadn't picked up my camera all week either, and so have taken no photos since the ones of the kids playing cricket on Bank Holiday Monday. Hmm, no good blog material there then. I wondered briefly about rolling out a post on how lovely spring Black-eared Wheatears are, but that would have been about four words (Black-eared, Wheatears, lovely & are, in case you were wondering) and about a million photos, and thus would have made rather dull reading. Col over at Galley Head has spent the day birding Heathrow Airport, and suggested I write that up for him as he won't have time. I liked the idea, kind of like a guest post but in reverse, and was just about to start when I remembered that I had been called a C*** face (with a capital C no less!) on Twitter at 5.30am this morning. Now that's pretty special isn't it?

DB: Oh leave it, he's not werf it Jono.

Soothing Panda

This is very true. Just like James A the other day, my first reaction was to laugh, and in fact I've been sniggering for most of the day. Except, that is, for when I've been in meetings, which was most of the day. You see I have to work for a living, just like most people do. My chosen career may not be especially in favour or particularly worthy in the charitable sense of the word, but it's a job, and for a variety of reasons I get up every morning and I do it. Meanwhile my sweary admirer spends his day sleeping on the side of a reservoir being the best birder on the face of planet Earth. But he objects (vociferously, as above) to being labelled a lazy bastard. And quite right too, how I ever got that impression I have no idea.

So, I am now all set for one of my customary right-wing rants, but do you know what, I'm going to pass it up. Bradders has suggested, quite correctly, that I should think happy weekend thoughts (i.e. the BIG one!!) and not waste my keyboard. Probably for the best. All I will say is this. People may think of me as some kind of Toryboy (do I recall a comment suggesting I was the lovechild of George Osborne?) but actually that couldn't be much further from the truth. I am about as apolitical as they come and I view all of them with equal disdain. I disagree with many (perhaps even most) things that the current Government is doing and has done, but also what the bunch before them did. I'm not pretending I'm Mother Theresa either, but she and I agreed on one thing, which is that we both hate scroungers. People who take advantage of the system and who spend their days enjoying themselves doing what I would like to be doing (i.e. birding) really, and I mean really rile me. In other words it's pure jealousy, and twattish (and by the looks of it, deleted) comments on Twitter are neither here nor there.

Oh, what could it be?

So, with that largely off my chest, what will the weekend bring? A couple of weeks ago I said that the two weekends preceding this one, including the three-dayer, would guarantee me my 400th tick. Slavering, I would move heaven and earth to get there, and revel in the glory of seeing a bird that somebody else found. Needless to say it didn't happen. A brief Rock Thrush could have been a contender, but as I was working (note I'm not asking for a medal, plenty of people in my position) I couldn't get there and it did the time-honoured Friday night bunk. As I type this, two different Collared Flycatchers have turned up, as well as a smattering of Red-backed Shrikes and other European scarcities. It bodes fairly well, and the weekend is largely free according to my diary. Bring it on. First thing on the agenda is a Common Whitethroat on Wanstead Flats though, where I reckon I can get pretty close to its singing perch. Not to photograph it you understand, but to go through the suite of ID features....