Comes with the Territory!



Yes it really has happened before. Being visited by the Police after someone has reported you as being a suspicious character and you are left having to explain and prove to them, that you are simply doing a bit of bird watching.  Also whilst birding the odd dog or sheep has sneaked up and grapped things out of my butty bag.  I have also been used as a “lampost”, I have been surrounded and almost attacked by four chunky Rams (at first I thought they were heavy duty sheep)  It also is so funny that so many passers by think all birders are "twitchers", which is definately not the case.  And one of the regular greetings is "Are you one of those twitcher fellows?" and then go on to say "and have you seen anything special.  Sometimes I want to reply with yes I have!  I've had one kangaroo, four rattlesnakes and one hippo flying past on a broomstick"  

  



This is down in Aylesbury were the Peregrine nest on the County Hall. Down there they are monitoring the various bird species catches made by the Peregrine has it hunts during the hours of darkness by using the city lights. So far the following species have been recorded: Woodock, Golden Plover, Lapwing (regular), Snipe, Fieldfare (regular), Wheatear, Arctic Tern (possibly taken during the daytime), Song Thrush, Black Tailed Godwit, Ruff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swift, Woodpigeon (regular) and Pipistrelle Bat.

There is also another one hunting the City of Bristol and this is known to have taken Corncrake and Leach's Petrol during the evening hours amongst a varied species diet.  Just shows you what must be passing overhead (probably quite a lot of the species would be on migration).