ASs some regulars may know I sometimes have a few health problems that at times restricts my access to the countryside so many of the restrictions that we have endured, and are still enduring, do not feel strange to Chris and myself. My immune system is pretty shot up at times so I'm quite good at avoiding numbers of people, I'm maybe not as anti social as it seems, and I've never been a lover of shopping unless its books. When we were recommended to shield in our own homes we actually realised we could walk the riverside fields with permission from the owners and had little chance of meeting anyone so we felt quite happy there. When restrictions eased we have four small nature reserves within a couple of miles of home with plenty of space to avoid close contact but still both watch birds and talk about birds with others doing the same, quite a little anti social bird club we are. There has been good birds aplenty and as winter has drawn closer the wintering Thrushes arrived we have been doing counts on them. One of our local reserves has got a wonderful Starling murmuration,60,000 birds at least, which we managed to social distance the grandsons to. We have found by visiting the busiest of the reserves late afternoon most birders have gone home and we enjoy the spectacle of birds going to roost. We do miss visiting our local moorland but they are outside the 3 mile radius we put on ourselves, they will still be there when all this is over and we settle down to our new normal. Because I am in that at risk category we seem to be swimming in hand sanitiser but Chris keeps an eye on what I get up to. I just hope other folk are coping as well as us and getting the support we have been getting, take care out there we will beat this lot somehow.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
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Regards, Hazel
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
I hope the jam went well Paul, acoustic guitar music sounds great in the open air. Chris and myself met through folk music and we had many musical weekends in the Dales, I can't have been that bad as she is still putting up with me after over 46 years, poor lass lol
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
Thanks the two Hazels.
An enjoyable evening was had. The wood burner kept the chill at bay.
Unknown said: I see the garden owl took the seat closest to the bar
For some strange reason it doesn’t surprise me that you spotted the seats closest to the bar.!! ;-)
I wasn’t working this morning so two cans of beer were consumed instead of the usual single one.
I have vague memories of attempting to start a Heavy Metal mosh pit, but Mrs A assures me that I was only running round and round the garden pond, alone, and waving my arms in the air.!!
I awoke this morning in an unfamiliar part of the garden, smelling faintly of wood smoke and farmyard manure ….. A successful evening I believe.!!
My bird photos HERE
Hazel C said:I hope the audience keep their social distance too!
The Sheep enjoyed the performance, but upon hearing a rumbling sound from the other side of the fence we looked over to see them all rolling down the hill together.
Nothing to be concerned about though, it was just a minor Lambslide.!! :)
Wendy S said:Chris and myself met through folk music and we had many musical weekends in the Dales
The guitars sound great outside, Pete, perhaps not so much the singing though.!! :-)
I do miss the folk clubs though, the sooner we can all get back to some sort of normality the better.
We also played here and there in the local care homes which has also come to a halt just now. It’ll be good for the residents once they can start having some live entertainment back again.
seymouraves said:I see a Taylor ( jumbo?) What's the other with the cut out?
The cut away is an old Tanglewood TFCA-E which I’ve had since the early 90’s (or thereabouts), and the Taylor is a 714e (2016), Lutz spruce top with Rosewood back and sides, lovely tone and playability.
I’ve had a play at a few Seagull’s over the years, also very nice instruments, but I haven’t had the pleasure of playing a Faith.
I still have an old Japanese made Terada copy of a J200 Gibson bought 1970. I sold the Gibson when the trio broke up and kept the Terada which is still used,well battered after being carried round many Yorkshire folk clubs. Im afraid I play uke and banjo uke nowadays teaching grandsons