Thursday 25 June 2009 - THE NEW RARE BIRD ALERT XR3i PAGER

The new X3 pager from Rare Bird Alert

At 7.00am this morning I found myself queing up outside the local Royal (that word is banned) Mail sorting office in order to take delivery of my brand new X3 pager.  It felt like Christmas Day, very sad I realise but what can I say, I'm just a freak when it comes to new gadgets.

Upon opening the package I was instantly impressed by the look and feel of the sexy little device.  It is a touch transparent on the back so you can see all the little workings that makes the magic happen and the front screen is surrounded by a black rubbery substance reminiscent of dear' little Britney Spears in that 'Toxic' pop video.  As I'm just an average bloke I didn't really take any notice of the instruction booklet but after a bit of fiddling about and a quick glance at the 'easy start up' sheet I soon managed to get it going and set up my local channels without any problems at all.

The NEW X3 pager from Rare Bird Alert.  You even get a free picture of a LITTLE SWIFT with it!

Apart from the update in hardware the best touch is without doubt the option of changing your subscriptions whenever you like.  With my Platinum option I get all the usual National News, MEGA Alert and Early Bird channels but you also get another few options thrown in with Breaking Rarities - information regarding all fresh 'BB' rarity arrivals and Rarities Only - forget trawling through endless messages regarding Wawings and Iceland Gulls in the winter, all the juicy stuff is here!  In addition you get another four local channels so if you're embarking on a trip anywhere in Britain you're guaranteed to receive news of every sighting in those specific areas you are visiting.  Another nice addition is the option of changing the alert tone for every channel so you can separate the news aurally of a MEGA alerted WHITE-WINGED LARK at Spurn from a local Osprey over your patch.... all without jumping out of the bath in a blind panic, slipping over and fracturing your cranium.  I'm just hoping that it works in those pesky Cornish Valleys, if so RBA may have reached 'birding information perfection'.

For more information please see RARE BIRD ALERT - New X3 Pager Offers!  

RBA Chief Executive Sir Dick of Filby tests the ruggedness of the new X3 pager by bashing it against a cliff.

Please DO NOT try this at home! 

Wednesday 24 June 2009 - Alvecote Pools SSSI - 24/06/09

Wednesday 24th June 2009

Alvecote Pools SSSI

Despite the sunshine and the long, warm days this time of the year gets me down for two main reasons - hayfever and a serious lack of birds...... hold on a minute though what the hell am I moaning on about, there's always beautiful stuff like this to stare at......... whilst sneezing....

 A Great Crested Grebe becomes an unfortunate victim of one of my hayfever related sneezing incidents... only kidding it's just weed... not that kind of weed... you know pond weed that's all.

Mill Pool, Alvecote Pools SSSI, Warwickshire - June 2009

On Mill Pool this evening there were 18 Gadwall with an increasing number of moulting Mallard as well as 3 male Common Teal and 14 Tufted Ducks.  A Common Tern was fishing and a Hobby was also spotted hunting dragonflies.  Like last year there are also good numbers of Grass Snakes around the reserve this summer with a number showing well around the Laundry Cottage ruins near the Old Orchard.

Sunday 21 June 2009 - Do I not like ORANGE....billed Terns! - 20/06/09

AFRICAN ROYAL TERN dipped at Llandudno, Conwy

I was moping around a bird-less Alvecote Pools when I received a call from Pezza Perrins to say that a probable AFRICAN ROYAL TERN had been seen at the Welsh, Victorian seaside resort of Llandudno.  About 30 minutes later the report was confirmed and off we went, picking up hernia patient Jule Allens along the way.  Now Pezza in his wisdom decided to take the 'tractor and trailer' route up the A41 to Chester rather than the longer but faster motorway route up the M6 and along the A55.  As it happens we would not have got there in time anyway but the language inside the car was reminiscent of a Roy 'Chubby' Brown show as we slowly made our way across country.  In the meantime the bird was being reported every now and again before disappearing occasionally either around Little Orme or Great Orme.  We eventually arrived on site at about 6.45pm, the last report being about 45 minutes before.  I was beginning to fear the worst!  Whilst scanning a number of Sandwich Terns were feeding in the bay and Northern Gannets, Razorbills and Guillemots passed by offshore but there was no further sign of the main prize.

Whilst settling down with a bag of the most expensive Haddock & Chips ever (seven fekkin' pounds and sixty bleedin' pence), I received a call from Mike Stokes.  He'd just had the bird between the pier and Great Orme.  The time was about 8.10pm.  Panic ensued, half-eaten fish suppers were binned and we ran around like headless chickens for a few minutes before realising most birders along the promenade had not even seen it.  The bird was spotted by just ten observers from a higher position between the Great Orme and the pier.  Despite hanging on until about 9.20pm we finally gave up and made our way back to the West Midlands full of disappointment and dejection..... this time the quicker way. 

STOP PRESS:  AS I WRITE THERE AS JUST BEEN A REPORT OF ANOTHER 'PROBABLE' AFRICAN ROYAL TERN AT LLANDUDNO..... I'M OFFFF!

Orange football shirts are pretty fekkin' cool....however 'orange-billed' Terns are right wankers!