Blogging so that other people don't have to

There is news from the patch, as follows:

Whinchat

This means that I have now equalled my best ever "by end of July" total, and I have two days left in which to go one better. Let's see. I couldn't be bothered to go out this morning, too many early starts and, somehow, a painfully bruised heel have contrived to make a slow morning. But I have already vacuumed the loft, cleaned the shower, done a load of blue washing (I have been a vision in blue lately, all layers), and scrubbed the inside of the washing machine which is developing a nasty habit of depositing brown sludge on recently cleaned laundry, so it has not been a lazy morning.

I am hoping this may brush off once dry.... 

In related news from the patch, the Whinchat was Bob's 100th bird for the year, and shortly afterwards, James' 99th. He then went one better with a House Martin for his 100th, all in a very profitable smash and grab raid on the patch which also added Lesser Whitethroat and Swift and saw him accelerate past Nick, marooned on 99. Nick has not been birding so much as digging, and is now cruelly watching the water simply drain away from Cat & Dog in this extended drought. There is some rain on the horizon though, possibly not enough though. The nesting Mute Swans on Angel have the same problem - what looked like a pukka breeding spot a month ago has evaporated away and their mound will soon be high and dry. In the absence of interference they would probably be fine, however, dogs.

The combined patch year list stands on 113, slightly above average at this point. We have had better years, and of course some of what we have seen we might more normally get in the second winter season. So although a whopping four of the patch regulars are already on 100 species for the year we may yet collectively finish up below par. I know, I know, glass half empty.

Right, I'm off to pump a load of soda crystals through the washing machine.