Birding Since:  1978

First Twitch:  American Black Duck at Llanfairfechan, Conwy, North Wales in 1978 

Best Twitch:  Definitely the Mourning Dove on the Western Isles during November 2007.  Great bird, great company and great music by Archie on the long journey north and back south.  I was also initiated as Honorary Treasurer of the ASBO Birders Crew.... the highlight of my birding career to date.

Worst Dip:  Common Yellowthroat on the Isles of Scilly during 1997.  I went over on the Scillonian III on the ONLY day the bird failed to show!

Local Patch:  Stubbers Green, Chasewater, Drayton Bassett Pits and Blithfield. 

Favourite British Bird:  Ross's Gull  

Fantasy British Bird:  An adult White-tailed Plover at Drayton Bassett Pits, Staffordshire  Arch Sez:  Fisher's Mill, Warwickshire would be better!

Favourite British Birding Destination:  Western Isles, Scotland

Favourite Foreign Birding Destination:  California, USA 

British List Total (BOU only):  460 or thereabouts

Biggest British Blocker:  Golden-winged Warbler & Red-breasted Nuthatch

Biggest British Tart:  Buff-bellied Pipit

Motor: Renault Megane Scenic in Moondust Silver 

Favourite Football Team:  I'm not really interested!  Arch Sez:  I'm always suspicious of gentlemen that don't like footie!

Favourite Food:  Ginsters pasties and any Indian cuisine whatsoever 

Favourite Band/Performer:  Pink Floyd, Will Young, Coldplay and Jimmy Somerville

Favourite Sexual Position:  'Squeezing coconut milk from the veiny palm tree' 

Fantasy Sexual Partner:  Carol Vorderman.... giving me one of the above..... whilst Carol Thatcher watches on                                     

Most Likely To Say:  "That's a black mark next to your name you little c£$%!"  "Chasewater is better than Belvide!"  "No Tom I'm not pulling over at the next Little Chef!"  "I'll have 8 poppadoms to start with waiter!"  "Hello is that the AA?......Ermmmmm I'm stuck...... any chance of you pulling me out?"

Not Bloody Likely To Say:  “Belvide is miles better than Blithfield!"  "Tom, have you lost weight?"  "Arch, fancy going for that Snowy Owl in Cornwall?"  "Right it's my round, anyone fancy a drink?" 

Which of the Mr Men he most resembles:  Mr Chasewater x Mr Blithfield hybrid 

Amazing Facts:  

• Despite what Tom Perrins says Julian does not have ginger hair.... in fact the official shade according to the Dulux colour chart is 'sun-blushed orangutan'
• Julian once bought a round of drinks in The Dolphin in Penzance, Cornwall.  They have a photograph of this special occasion behind the bar there.
• Julian once found a drake Bufflehead at Drayton Basset Pits..... a County first.
• Julian once missed a Spoonbill (a patch tick) at Drayton Bassett Pits as he was twitching his 31st British Wilson's Phalarope in C*mbridgeshire.
• Julian once had the audacity to 'tick' an Ulster White's Thrush and add it to his British List.
• Julian's first British Alpine Swift was spotted clinging to a wall of a 'Ladies Toilet' at Sandwell Valley.
• Julian Allen is the nephew of Academy Award winning Director, Comedian and Screenwriter Woody Allen.
• Julian is predicted to eventually lose his patience with 'partner in crime' Tom Perrins and beat him to within an inch of his life.
• The name Julian is derived from the Latin word Julius which means 'sky'.
• Julian once got stranded on the Scillonian island of Gugh and had to 'doggy paddle' back over to St Agnes in just a pair of Primark Y-fronts (mustard in colour with brown piping). 
• Julian once became stranded at a well known second rate reservoir.... click here for the full story.... Bogged Down At Blithfield!

FREE GIFT

Absolutely Free with today's blog is a 'Child Safety Poster'.  Simply print off and cut out the picture below and affix it to your fire place, your cooker, your stash of booze or recreational drugs and Hey Presto those little ones will keep well away.  You can even laminate it, attach it to a cane, stick it in your garden and it will prevent pesky felines from shitting in your flower beds and raiding your bird table.... it's safe, it's simple, it's genius.....

Jules Allen reaches climax (in the back of my old Renault) after successfully connecting with a STEPPE GREY SHRIKE in Lincolnshire (November 2008).

'FMA' - The ASBO Mascot - MS CATHY BARRY