Diazepam and attempting to watch.

As per my previous entry regarding my injured back from moving a large couch into my house, it's no better.  4 days and counting and one visit to the walk in centre in Blackpool later, I am dosed on Diazepam and Ibuprofen.  Doc informed me not to sit around but to keep my back in motion, even though he asked me to lie on the bed in the surgery, to which I found impossible I then thought how am I suppose to keep it in motion when my stomach is currently curved inwards towards my back and am still walking like I have had an accident in my jeans.  5 minutes later I was told "bruised muscle which is now in spasm" SPASM!!! is that what you call this unbearable pain.

Back pain and garden wildlife

Well after a planned weekend of clearing the front bedroom, moving units and helping Liz continue her "nesting" prior to baby's arrival.  It turned out to be one where I am currently walking like Dr Frankenstein's assistant Igor, due to moving a new couch into our living room with my brother.  As I sit here typing on my laptop with pains in my lower back and tops of my thighs, I'm looking out the window wishing I was all wrapped up and walking round my local nature reserve, that being Marton Mere......... instead

Strike two on the Kingfisher!!!

After a hard slog of a morning in the office, (any work colleagues reading this don't try and be funny!!!) decided it would be best to once again get some good ole fresh air during my lunch break.  Luckily for me there is a fair few areas around Preston Docklands to go for a decent enough walk and as from previous posts you will probably notice I spend a lot of these breaks on the River Ribble close to Nelson Way.  

This time I did not forget the camera but with the sun glaring and not the correct sized polariser for my telephoto lens, it wasn't that easy to get any shots unless the subject was towards the docks and not towards the estuary.

Conservation groups and magazines... a rant!!!

Firstly just let me say two things, this is not a blatant slagging off of the RSPB and yes close friends I did have an RSPB membership so no need to laugh as its something I enjoy!!!

Anyway, onto my slight rant. Over 2-3 years ago I took out an RSPB membership because many moons ago as a child I was a member of the Young Ornithologists Club (YOC) and believed this helped me with where I am today with my interest in wildlife, especially birds. So I purchased the membership on a monthly payment scheme because at the time I could not afford the yearly payment. The pack arrived in the post a few days later with membership, magazine and numerous pieces of paper with masses of information... all good!!!

The lunch break pick me up!!

River Ribble (Nelson Way) - 23/11/2010

Once again headed down to the quiet spot near Nelson Way(river side) on my lunch break, this time with Eric a colleague from work to prove to him that there was some Bullfinches around there (see am not the only one who thinks they aren't common!!!).

Sunday fresh air and an interested wife!!!

Fairhaven Lake - 21/11/2010


Just remembered at 22:00 tonight that I took a few photographs over the weekend while myself and my heavily pregnant wife Liz went out for a walk.  We currently can't go far as Liz is ...well, basically due any day to be honest, so was surprised to hear her ask me to go show her the Waxwings while we were on our way to her Mum's for Sunday Roast (you gotta love a free home cooked roast haven't you!!!).  On our way I decided we should head to Fairhaven Lake for a few reasons.


1.  We needed a bloody good walk
2.  Take some photographs of the coast
3.  I hate being stuck indoors


One thing made me smile, that was the female Goldeneye that was diving for food non stop and was luckily able to get a decent enough shot (below) and one thing made me annoyed.  That being that in the discovery centre on Fairhaven Lake there was a photograph of Waxwings that wait for it.... had been taken right round the corner from my house.... I mean come on, why had I not checked this earlier and then I could of saved myself a 30 mile round trip to Preston to see them.

Goldeneye @ Fairhaven Lake

Bullfinches...are they becoming commoners!?

Ribble Docklands - 22nd November 2010

Strange title I know but hey in all my time of having an interest in birds, I have seen Bullfinches only 4 times and that 4th time came today.

While on a lunch break from work I decided to head towards Nelson Way at the top of the Docks in Preston. Spend most lunch breaks around there either having a kip or reading but on this occasion because it was quiet and the weather was decent I decided on a walk down the River Ribble. The usual suspects were about with migratory Redwings and Long Tailed Tits skitting around in the trees looking for as many bugs to stuff their little faces with. While watching the Long Tails I noticed what at first I thought was a Chaffinch and then thought no chance as there never that bright, quick look through the binoculars proved that there was both a male and female Bullfinch within the trees.

The first post of many.... and WAXWINGS galore!!

Well here it is, the first post of hopefully many and one that I am quite happy about, all due to the fact that I have been into wildlife for god, must be nearly 30 years and last week I finally saw my first Waxwings. And not just a few but at least 150+, all thanks to some great info over at Birdforum.net and a mate at work telling me he had planted eyes on them. This then resulted in breaking the law by driving over the speed limit to fit them in before my lunch break ended at work.

Was happy as a pig in the brown stuff, when I saw Eric waving me over to a flock of around 50 Waxwings going hell for leather on a Rowan tree, taking their fill and then flying up high to another tree to digest. I fired off a few shots with the camera and 300mm lens and possibly got 1 or 2 shots to use (maybe below maybe not!). Was surprised not to see the usual masses of hardcore birders firing off endless shots with ridiculously large camera lenses but from what I read they were all there earlier than me LOL.

All in all for a 10 minute viewing it was a great chance to see these beautiful birds and hope to see them a lot more often over Autumn/Winter. In fact read my later posts and you will see that I have seen them quite a few more times, plus missed them closer to home!!!