HELLO REMEMBER ME

Mr Gates has really cocked things up with his latest 'update' to Internet Explorer....blogging on Blogger.com necessitates composing ones blog images before adding text. Millions of bloggers worldwide are completely flummoxed (or is it just the Podster a true technophobe) and seeking solice elsewhere.
Anyway enough ranting and on with the blog. Firstly I must apologise to my new readers (two hits from Oz...yipeee!) I've been so pre-occupied with furthering my wealth (working) that the birding has suffered. Not that I've missed much anyway as the Marbury/Neumann's Patch and Moss Side Patch have been literally Kieran Dyer (thats CRS (cockney rhyming slang) for not very good). Most Cheshire stuff predictably has been off the Wizzal, flying by no doubt so no chance there. Countrywide as its August all eyes venture South West to Devon and Cornwall for the seabird bonanza that 99% of UK birders only see on their pagers.
So an invite to join are friends the Suttons for a birthday celebration camping fest at Church Bay, Anglesey was just the tonic we (Debs the boss, Mia the mutt and Pod the birding blogger) needed to break the manotany of hum drum 9 to 5 living. Piccy up top is are palatial marquee thats done over twenty trips now and still going strong.

First new bird for the year list was this Arctic Tern, found at THE tern magnet of the UK (and probably the WesternPal) namely Cemlyn unfortunately I could not find its most special breeder the Roseate and attempts at stringing 1st summer Common Terns said it was time for a sharp exit and back to camp for a fryup.....nice!!

Above the awesome spectacle of the Ellen's Tower auk breeding ledges at South Stack timed just right by myself to miss the plethora of ornithological aukness as they've all done one and fecked off !!! or so it seemed but if you look very very closely theres a lone Razorbill still defying gravity by the big boulder on the middle ledge god bless it...whap! year tick. Will have to get Mr Sutton to hold his birthday bash a month earlier next year me thinks.

Our new pooch Mia (as in Budworth Mere but not the posh pronunciation) is overawed by the South Stack spectacle or is it the exciting anticipation of her forthcoming second ever night under canvas, where she has her own eiderdown enhanced sleeping arrangements I'll have you know....spoilt...not!!
What a night though, after a quality BBQ laid on by our host we retired to bed just before the heavens opened and it rained constantly for twelve hours non stop, oh the joys of camping what happened to that Met Office's BBQ Summer (they've now changed their minds again!) so I think B&Q will be suing them....fancy a cheap B&Q BBQ anyone? buy one get two free.

Sunset over Church Bay a really nice part of the much maligned Welsh island of Anglesey its location is top secret and out of bounds to anyone from Merseyside or Birmingham especially those into raptor watching or train spotting.
One more bird to the list and quite unexpected was the Puffin I found floating just offshore from of all places Puffin Island, have they over come the rat infestation at last? or spurred on by that RSVP sponsored 'global domination is our aim' Exocet, got their act together, I do hope so as the RSVP magazine that takes 1/10th of a Brazilian rain forest to produce would be lost for piccies without it (not to mention fecking SpringWatch etc etc..). Excuse me I've gone off on one of my proverbial tangents again (rant rant rant...) doh!

As one queer said to another...''you can't beat a good Puffin''....

Scores please...UK Year List 231 +3 spp