neil.baldwin – Page 60 – Neil Baldwin's blog : Warning contains walking, technology, photography, holidays.

Holiday bird list

Bar-tailed Godwit, Bearded Tit, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Common Sandpiper, Common Swift, Common Tern, Dunnock, Golden Plover, Greater Black-backed Gull, Greenshank, Grey Plover, Little Tern, Linnet, Redshank, Reed Warbler, Ringed Plover, Rock (Feral) Dove, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Sedge Warbler, Short-eared Owl, Spotted Redshank, Swallow, Wheatear, Whimbrel, Egyptian Goose, Barnacle Goose, Brent Goose, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Cuckoo, Hobby, Knot, Little Ringed Plover, Mistle Thrush, Pochard, Temminck’s Stint, White Wagtail, Wood Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail, Common Crane, Golden Oriole, Stone Curlew (101 YTD 129)

Stiffkey to Blakeney

Got the bus to Stiffkey Fen just outside Stiffkey. On the way to the Fen two bird watchers let us know that there was Temmerick Stint and Little Ringed Plover to be seen. We did our best but it took the help of a friendly couple to track them down. Whilst we were searching we could hear a Cuckoo then after a while it flew across right in front of us We headed on towards Morston where we heard a very vocal bird in a bush which we eventually caught sight of it was a Cetti’s Warbler. The coastal path is fantastic and the blue skies and southerly breeze made for a great day out walking, especially this time of year. We eventually got to Blakeney then got the bus to Cley where we had lunch at Cookes tea room. Later on we plan to walk down the north edge of the reserve hoping to see the Spoonbill on Billy’s Wash, and the Little Terns on Arnolds!

Walk to Weybourne

The plan was to walk from Salthouse, with the wind behind us, to Weybourne. Saw a seal in the sea but he did not hang around for long. Nothing much else to report so we headed into the center of Kelling, where we knew there was a tea shop. After coffee and cake headed back to the Quag via a conservation area. Helen spotted a Cuckoo. We passed what looked to be a weather/environment monitoring station. It had the usual wind monitors and slated cupboards that meteorologists use. There was also a parabolic shaped aerial (possibly microwave) pointing skyward, and a white box shaped instrument that made a strange whistle every 30 seconds. Further on we can across a load of Wheatear, Whimbrel, Stonechat, and a Mistle Thrush. Headed onto Weybourne to catch the bus to Cley NWT, for lunch.

A tank, a boat, a film crew and a Cockatiel

Off to Titchwell today because the weather seems a bit showery. Got some good spots including the elusive Spotted Redshank. Went on the Holkham (£3.50 parking!) and saw a tank on the sands, which seemed to be there to drag an acting boat in to position for the perfect shot at high tide. There was film equipment lying around all over the woods, as well as a railway for cameras, lined up to do a shot along a mossy path framed by vegetation. We popped into the hide over looking the marshes and someone pointed out a parrot like bird which seemed to be very tame, so tame in fact I was able to take a picture with my wide angled lens. Shame it is not tickable!

Bure Valley railway Aylsham

Weather a bit pants, cold and showery. Decided to go to the Buire valley railway, Norfolks longest narrow gauge steam railway. Journey took three quarters of an hour to get to Wroxham where Roy has a few shops. There is not much to Wroxham apart from Roys and a busy bridge. Got train back to Aylsham after walking round the village. On the train back we passed a large house with an impressive garden and on a fence post at the edge of the garden has was perched a Barn Owl! By the time we got back to Aylsham the sun was out but it was still rather cool. We plan to go out for a walk to the sea later.

Fire at work!

At 5 to 5 the fire alrams went off, it was was of those situations where it crosses your mind should I shutdown my PC before I go or get the hell out quick. One look out the window said quick, there was smoke!

When we got outside it did not look serious a box attached to a building was smoking. Even so I don’t think that it set a very good example when two people decided to go and have a look at the fire rather than congregating for the roll call as specified by the fire instructions, and the obvious danger of approaching a fire without the correct gear and training. Both the individuals should have known better.

Anyway the fire brigade turned up and put it out, luckily for me I got away in time to get to a game of squash I had arranged.

Tilt shift video

This is very clever timplapse photography, it uses a tilt shift focus (possibly a lens baby) to trick the human eye into thinkling that the video is made using models.

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

Barn Owl from the office window

Some of you may know that I keep a list of the birds I see from my office window. Well this morning a Barn Owl flew past along the hedgerow. Unusual to see one so late in the morning (09:00) perhaps it has young so is having to hunt into the day. It also gets added to the 2009 year list, which I need to tally up before we go to Salthouse on holiday.

Swine flu

It had to happen no sooner had the flu thing hit the media, someone comes up with a google maps mashup.

Take a look at the link to the Google swine flu mash-up it seems fairly easy to do you just need to find some example code, the difficult bit is finding some data worth mashing (is that correct English?)

What a life!

My colleague who works in sales, has an easy life. He sits in his office shed all day bird watching.

See picture he sent me of a pair of Bullfinches, shame he did not clean the window before taking it.