Non-stop Birding X

Unidentified sp?

2012-01-10T04:23:00.000-08:00

Plume moth sp?

2011-12-20T13:00:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen any moths in ages so was pleased to find this one at my mums house. Some kind of plume moth is the furthest I can take it?

?

2011-11-25T09:14:00.000-08:00

Is this even organic?

More Mush

2011-11-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

November moths

2011-11-19T09:39:00.001-08:00

More Corvo UFOs

2011-11-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

RVD?

Corvo UFOs

2011-10-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

Convolvulus Hawk Moth ?

Any help with identifying these greatly appreciated.

More Micros

2011-10-05T13:17:00.001-07:00

I need help!

PUFOs

2011-09-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Here are a series of partially unidentified flying objects (PUFOs- pronounced pooeffoes) from the obs over the last few weeks.

Obs/Beddington Moths June to November 2011

2011-09-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

English Name/ Frequency
Orange Swift 1
Oak Hook-Tip 3
Buff Arches 2
Maiden's Blush 1
(Cream Wave/sp? 1)
Least Carpet (Many in July)
Small Dusty Wave 1
Riband Wave (Many particular in high summer)
Small Scallop 1
Flame Carpet 1
Garden Carpet 10+ (more in September)
Common Carpet 4
Yellow Shell 5+
Green Carpet 1
Slender Pug 2
Lime-speck Pug 4
Common Pug 5+
Cypress Pug 5
Double-striped Pug 3
Brimstone Moth 6
Swallow-tailed Moth 3
Willow Beauty 20+ (more in September)
Mottled Beauty 1
Light Emerald 2
Dingy Footman 1
Scarce Footman 1
Common Footman 2
Hoary Footman 3
White Ermine 1
Cinnabar (Loads)
Turnip Moth 4
Heart and Dart 6
Shuttle-shaped Dart 6
Flame Shoulder 1
Large Yellow Underwing 30+ (many in late September)
Lesser Yellow Underwing 25+
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 4
Setaceous Hebrew Character (one of most common especially in September)
Double Sqare-spot 1
Sqaure-spot Rustic (very common)
Bright-line Brown-eye 2
Tawny Shears 1
Clay 8+ (June mainly)
Smoky Wainscot 2
Common Wainscot 10+ (June/July mainly)
Deep-brown Dart 7+
Brindled Green 2
Barred Sallow 5
Sycamore 1
Miller 1
Knot Grass 5+
Tree Lichen Beauty 4
Copper Underwing/ Svensson's Copper Underwing 30+
Old Lady 1
Mouse Moth 1
Straw Underwing 3
Angle Shades 2
Dun-bar 10+ (June/July)
Dark Arches 1
Common Rustic 2
Flounced Rustic 2
Rosy Rustic 2
Bulrush Wainscot 1
Large Wainscot 5
Vine's Rustic 40+
Pale Mottled Willow 30+
Dewick's Plusia 8!!!
Silver Y 4
Spectacle 1
Red Underwing 1
Mother Shipton 1
Snout 5

Additional species from 20th September
Black Arches 1 (Retrospective tick from 2010)
Nut-treee Tussock (Retrospective tick from 2010)
Hummingbird Hawk moth (seen at Beddington in past)
Large Ranunculus 2
Beaded Chestnut 5
Mallow 2
Blair's Shoulder Knot 2
Orange Sallow 1
Pink-barred Sallow 1
Black Rustic 5
Sallow 1
Herald 11
Cypress Carpet 6
November Moth (sp) 2
Scare Umber 1

87 macro species identified/stringed

Micros
Light-brown Apple Moth,
Eudonia angustea,
Pyralis farinalis (Meal Moth),
Orthopygia glaucinalis,
Small Magpie
Green Long-horn
Mother of Pearl
Garden Pebble
Golden Triangle
Small Purple and Gold
Bee Moth
Plume sp
sitochia vesticalis
agonopterix alstromeriana
blastobasis lacticolella
Bramble shoot
Platyptilia gonodactyla
Emmelina monodactyla
New Zealand Light Brown Apple Moth
Diamond-back Moth
Plume Moth (Amblyptilia acanthadactyla) 25/12/11

108 moth species in total (June to December 2011)

Additional Species 2012
Macros
Winter Moth
Northern Winter Moth

Micros
Ypsolopha ustella 12/01
Agonopterix heracliana 10/01

112 species

Moths early September

2011-09-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Obs Moths

2011-09-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

August Moths

2011-08-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

End of the warm spell

2011-04-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

This could be interesting tomorrow. A cold front quickly moves into the warm cell that we have been experiencing for the last week or so. Could be a bit of a shock to the migrants?

'American Herring Gulls' on the Azores 2003-2010

2011-02-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

Some more discussions and photos of birds from 2010: http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/2010/02/bird-forum-gull-photos.html

Northern Gulls

2010-12-22T16:16:00.001-08:00

It is probably relevant that the mystery gull below turned up during an influx of 'high latitude herring gulls'- a few examples here of presumed first winter argentatus which are often in juvenile plumage through a lot of the winter.

Beddington Mystery Gull December 2010

2010-12-22T15:06:00.000-08:00

Pic 6-9 from Roger Browne : http://dodge007.blogspot.com/2010/12/answers-on-post-card-please.html

BEDDINGTON ON ICE

2010-12-20T09:09:00.001-08:00

MORE ON VARNA GULLS

2010-12-17T08:12:00.001-08:00

http://larusfuscus.blogspot.com/2010/12/gulling-in-varna-again.html

VARNA GULLS

2010-12-13T00:38:00.000-08:00

A very interesting group of large gulls around Varna- attracted to the hot springs on the sea front and also there is a tip nearby with bathing pools.

Highlight was a possible Heuglin's. http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/2010/12/hueglins.html A large long-winged and slate-grey mantled 3rd/4th winter gull which out here is as likely (or more likely) to be Heuglins as graellsii.

Also a fascinating assortment of Yellow-legged and Caspian Gulls with a bewildering array of variation. I have attempted to classify them into:

a) 'Good Caspians' : http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/2010/12/caspian-gull.html

b) 'Good Yellow-legged Gulls: http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/2010/12/yellow-legged-gull.html

and

c) 'Unassignable Variants/hybrids': http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/2010/12/only-god-knows.html

Also here is a great link to more Caspo's in eastern Europe including lots more photos from Dimiter Georgiev (from Neophron Tours) and Gabriel Martin taken at Varna earlier this year :

http://larusfuscus.blogspot.com/search/label/Larus%20cachinnans

Hueglin's ??

2010-12-13T00:37:00.001-08:00

Caspian Gull

2010-12-13T00:33:00.001-08:00

Yellow-legged Gull

2010-12-13T00:27:00.001-08:00

Only God Knows :-)

2010-12-13T00:18:00.001-08:00

A Good Life

2010-12-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

Spent today on Paul's eco-home farm (pic 1) discussing the ethics of composting toilets (pic 2). Then did a bit of sustainable farming (pic 3) followed by some sustainable shopping (pic 4) and ended up with some sustainable drinking.

More on Paul and Co's eco-experimental project here:

https://sites.google.com/site/permaship1/Home

WnNKA !!!

2010-12-05T12:46:00.000-08:00

I was reminded today that the local alphabet bears little similarlity with the alphabet I am more familiar with.

Pic 2- Great Grey Shrike victim

Pic 3- Farming and wildlife as it should be. A reminder that farmers dont have to be WnNkAs.

Mission Planning with the locals

2010-12-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

JACK SNIPE FLUSH

2010-12-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

WINTER WONDERLAND X

2010-12-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

Top to bottom: The Northern Lake, The Beddington troops, Me and my new knitted thermals, The canal.

Big Society??

2010-11-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

Just incase anyone hasn't noticed yet but central government is about to commence the process of washing its hands from controlling the country and handing power to anyone who will grab it. What's that got to do with birds? Well control of nearly everything is up for grabs including 'the environment' . It's going to be f##kin chaos but a necessary and inevitable part of our evolution towards true democracy and a post growth and sustainable future.

I was asked recently 'what are the biggest obstacles to local community groups in achieving their goals'. Well I've been dealing with this shhhhhhhh....situation for years so I gave my 'informed' answer. Aside from money and legal matters the biggest problems are quite simply people. At the end of the day the only society is the local community - (anything bigger is impersonal and abstract)and that local community is made up of individuals and.... there is nothing quite as queer, difficult and challenging as average folks.

So what are some of the biggest problems with local community groups?

A) Lack of expert knowledge within the groups (the Meddling Amateur syndrome)
B) Poor Management of the Groups (the Little Hitlers )
C) Lack of committment from project participants (the Lazy Bast#d Effect)
D) Opposition from the establishment (The Big Tyrants e.g. Big Business and Government)
E) Exclusion of other community members (e.g. Dog Walkers!! e.g. e.g. Birders hate them and dont want them near their projects)
F) Lack of support from the Big Pressure Groups (The 'We are too busy having glamarous conferences and writing magazines about saving the world and simply dont have time or any money left to actually save the world' Brigade )

So what to do about it? Well..... I have a plan. But fear not.. I also have a plan B. Plan B is to buy myself a little place in the country and build my own paradise and tell the whole world to go and ####!!!!! . But first... Plan A.

Articleography

2010-10-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

Exploration on the Azores
American Vagrants on the Island of Corvo, Azores, in October 2005, Birding World 18:11 by Peter Alfrey

The best locality for American vagrants in the Western Palearctic: Corvo, Azores, in 2006, Birding World: 19:11 by Peter Alfrey

Eye of the Storm, Birdwatch, October 2006 by Peter Alfrey

Die Azoren als Rettungsanker fur verdriftete nearktische Vogelarten- Herbst 2005 by Jens Hering and Peter Alfrey, Limicola 2:2006

Birding on Corvo, Azores, and Nearctic Vagrants in 2005-2009. Dutch Birding. 32:05 2010 by Peter Alfrey, Simon Buckell, Vincent Legrand, David Monticelli & Birding Azores

Vagrancy theory
The Pioneers. Birdwatch: 196, October 2008 by Peter Alfrey

Fate or Free Will. Birdwatch 197, November 2008 by Peter Alfrey

Seabirds in Surrey, The Surrey Bird Report 2001 by Peter Alfrey

Beddington Farmlands
The Birds of Beddington Farmlands by Peter Alfrey, Brian Milne, Derek Coleman and the Beddington Farm Bird Group. Self published. 2010.

Building the Reserve of the Future. Birdwatch. 219. September 2010 by Peter Alfrey.

Raptor Migration at Beddington Farm, the Beddington Bird Report 2000 by Peter Alfrey

A Review of the Scare Migrants Recorded at Beddington Farm 1987-1998, The Beddington Bird Report 1998 by Peter Alfrey

Exploration in the Middle East
Birding the Greater Caucasus, Georgia, 2003 Birding World 17:6 by Peter Alfrey and Darryl Spittle

Eastern Black Redstart at Kazbegi, Georgia, in May 2003, Dutch Birding 28:2 by Peter Alfrey

Pilgrim Road Trip. Birdwatch; World of Birds 2010 pp 11-13 by Peter Alfrey

Gull Identification
Short-billed Gull on Terceira, Azores in February-March 2003 and identification of the ‘Mew Gull complex’, Dutch Birding 29:4 by Peter Alfrey and Mushaq Ahmed

Also contribution to : Winter gull gallery 2002/2003 by Chris Batty, Tom Lowe and Richard Millington, Birding World:16:3

AZORES STINTS

2010-08-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

1) It has been suggested that this stint (centre bird) is a Little Stint. The photo was taken on 18th October 2005 at Cabo da Praia Quarry, Terceira, The Azores and I identified it as a first winter Semi-Palmated Sandpiper in the company of a White-rumped Sandpiper (left) and a Least Sandpiper (right). Several pro- Little Stint features have been suggested including the moulted mantle feathers (typically Semi-P does not moult until it reaches the wintering ground), the thin bill, neat buff fringes to the retained wing coverts, split supercilium, breast pattern (?) and the amount of primary projection (30-50% on Little Stint with 2-3 primary tips beyond the tertials with wing projection beyond tail: 20-30% on Semi-p). Patrick Lonergan also suggested that it could be an adult because of the pointed greater coverts.
Let's have a closer look :-)

2) The first question is 'what bloody age is it'? Well there are clearly two generations of upperpart feathers- the light grey scapulars and the brownish remiges (also the brownish rump and odd mantle feather). If it were an adult in winter plumage we would not see this kind of contrast (check out image 6 of a bird I identified, indeed, as an adult Little Stint the very same day). What about an adult with retained summer remiges and some moulted scaps.....could be (check out image 7) but I would not expect to see such uniform remiges- adult summer feathers in stints are generally a mix of different patterned feathers- also surely more wear ?? )
So- I think it's a first winter (for now) .

3) Stint sp. as above. Here it is again- with a Least Sandpiper (on right).

4) Turn round.

5) Now this is what I call a first winter Little Stint- taken in Cabo da Praia quarry on February 15th 2004. Look at those rusty fringes to the tertails, scaps and mantle and also the deep brown colour to the tertials. Also look at the large diffuse centres to the new moulted feathers (single dark shaft streaks to the bird in question). Interestingly there is very little primary projection on this bird and no sign of a split super (or any super for that matter) but on balance I would go for Little Stint .

'Grey' juvenile Little Stints do turn up from time to time in Europe but when I have come across them in the past they look grey and not 'brown'.

6) And this is what I call an adult winter Little Stint- taken on the same day and also seen alongside the stint in question. No contrast between mantle/scaps and remiges, diffuse centres to scaps, split super, thin billed- all point towards Europe.

7) Adult Semi-palmated Sandpiper at Cabo da Praia by KT Haataja, July 2010 (no permission obtained- don't sue me- no point I'm broke- spent all my money going to the Azores)

8) Semi-palmated Sandpipers on the Azores are rather variable. I attribute this to certain aspects of vagrancy- sourced from populations across a wide geographic range and also that anamolous plumages may be linked to vagrancy processes- an indication of trauma, mutation, etc. Image 8 shows a juvenile Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Cabo da Praia, 16th October 2007. This is a very dark semi-p. No sign of any anchor marks to the scapulars and also it has a very dark ground colour to the upperparts.

9) A fairly typical Semi-p (photo by Tobi Koppejan without permission- see note to plate 7) complete with anchor marks, cold tones, short primary projection but there is a hint of a split-super and also that bill could be stouter (no one is perfect).

10) Juvenile Semi-p taken in July 2009 on the Azores. Another brown 'bird' and I am not too impressed by those semi-palmations (can't actually see them). That super also looks split.

11) More Azores Semi-ps (October by Staffan Rodebrand)- remiges being a pretty good match for the bird in question.

12) This looks good for a Semi-p but look at that blinking primary projection- looks long. (19th October 2008). This was also quite a rufous individual.

13) Birds 12 and 13 were feeding together- we decided one was a long-winged and short billed Semi-P and the other was a long-billed and short winged (this bird) Semi-P. This bird has got the jizz of a Western (the primaries barely project beyond the tertails and the bill is long and curved) but I am not happy about that being a Western with those dull scaps and cap.

CONCLUSION: If you fancy getting very confused by stints than go the Cabo da Praia, Terceira, the Azores. Nowhere else in the world can you readily compare Nearctic and Palearctic counterparts side by side at extremely close range. Due to the vagrant context too it is quite possible that anomalous plumages/ moult and indeed a wide range of plumages (representing sources from a wide geographic range)- are linked/associated to (Azorean) vagrancy adding another layer of complexity to the matter.

The bird in question? It confused me for hours. In the end I flushed it to hear it call- the call was a very short and harsh micro-trill and I had the Little Stint flying round calling too (a single high pitched note). On balance (colour of remiges lacking rufous tones to the fringes, single dark shaft streaks to moulted winter feathers, bull necked appearance, rump colouration and the diagnostic call) I decided it was a thin billed, early moulted (early brood bird?) Semi-Palmated Sandpiper.

More pics of Semi-Palmated Sandpipers on the Azores here: http://www.birdingazores.com/index.php?page=commonbirddata&id=549#NotFirst

Comments very very welcome.

Glaucous-winged Gull at Beddington Farmlands?

2010-06-26T05:14:00.001-07:00

Photo by Garry Messenbird

Photo by Kevin Guest

CASE FOR: A worn first-summer female Glaucous-winged Gull: A relatively fine bill and herring gull like structure consistent with size variation of GWG. All dark tail (darkest part of bird), heavily barred upper and under-tail coverts, worn dark mantle/scaps and overall uniform bird with bright pink legs and all dark bill consistent with GWG. The eye also appears in some photos to be high in the head. The pale tips to the uniform (with the rest of the bird) primaries is a typical function of ware. Some similar birds are shown in the post below.

CASE FOR: A first summer 'west coast (Glaucous-winged Gull) hybrid': The fine bill and short secondaries are structural inconsistencies with GWG. The combination of these two atypical features is very unusual (1.4% of birds in a quick analysis). The herring gull like structure to the Beddington bird could indicate the presence of American Herring Gull genes suggesting a GWGxAMHG or even a GWGx(AMHGxGWG). There is an inconsistency of acceptable variation within GWG between published literature (scientifically approved) and the Internet (uncensored). There are unanswered matters concerning the full nature of the extensive hybrid swarms on the west coast of North America and identification criteria for various hybrids and inter-species variation of this complex has not been adequately documented. Is it therefore impossible to rule out a hybrid with certainty/high degree of confidence?

Glaucous-winged Gull at Beddington Farmlands- similar specimens

2010-06-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

Photos of specimens which recall structure an/or some plumage characteristics of the Beddington bird.

For credits/source of photos : http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/2009/05/gull-monster-strikes-again.html

Glaucous-winged Gull at Beddington Farmlands links

2010-06-26T04:31:00.000-07:00

Glaucous-winged Gull gallery:
http://www.pbase.com/jpkln/glaucouswing
http://www.martinreid.com/Gull%20website/gwguinx.html
http://tertial.us/gulls/gl-w_d.htm
http://home.bway.net/lewis/birds/Japan/glauchart.html
http://larus.hp.infoseek.co.jp/a_g_winged.html

Hybrid gallery:
http://www.martinreid.com/Gull%20website/gwweinx.html
http://larus.hp.infoseek.co.jp/a_hybrid.html

Bird Forum discussion:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=139630

Discussion on Lee Evan's Blog:
http://uk400clubrarebirdalert.blogspot.com/2009/04/arctic-gull-rears-its-ugly-head-again.html

The Same Bird?:
http://steveblain.blogspot.com/search/label/Possible%20Glaucous-winged%20Gull
http://steveblain.blogspot.com/2009/03/white-winged-nightmare.html
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/londonbirders/photos/album/1836179525/pic/list
http://www.michaelmckee.co.uk/regionview.asp?ID=984&Region=Berkshire

Graciosa Pelagic May 2010

2010-05-31T13:39:00.000-07:00

Silly bugger- I brought two bottles of sun tan lotion!

BIG DAY

2010-05-01T13:04:00.001-07:00

A WANDLEFUL WORLD

2010-04-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

This was my favourite part of the conference today- a trout dance after lunch- only in the environmental industry! Love it.

AZOREAN/ATLANTIC/YELLOW-LEGGED GULL (construction site)

2010-04-06T03:19:00.000-07:00

THE IDENTIFICATION OF AZOREAN GULL

2010-04-01T05:34:00.000-07:00

Some outstanding questions:
1) Is Azorean Gull a genuine taxon? Is there are diagnostic suite of features which can seperate Azorean Gull from
a) other Atlantic Gulls
b) Yellow-legged Gull
c) Lesser Black-backed Gull

2) How reliable is the 'shin pad' feature as a tool in the identification of Azorean Gull?

3) If a diagnostic suite of features can be found, can Azorean Gull be identified in all age classes?

Information required:
1) Descriptions and specimen photo collection of Madeiran, Canary Island and Continental European Atlantic Gull populations in all age classes.
2) The de-limitation of the contact zone between Atlantic Gulls breeding on the Iberian Peninsula and Yellow-legged Gulls breeding on the Atlantic coast? Where is the boundary. What is the nature of this boundary.
3)Extensive photo specimen collection displaying a very large sample of the variation shown within Yellow-legged Gull across it's entire range.
4)Genetic data from all populations
5)Vocalisation and behavioural/ecological data from all populations

THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL PROBLEM

2010-03-31T05:46:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular belief Lesser Black-backed Gull is a common winter visitor and passage migrant to the Azores.

Images: Lesser Black-backs or Azorean Gulls? Or Yellow-legged Gull/Atlantic Gull.

ADULT AZOREAN GULL

2010-03-31T04:47:00.001-07:00

ADULT AZOREAN GULLS. Bottom taken in September and top two photos in February.

THIRD CYCLE AZOREAN GULL

2010-03-31T04:24:00.001-07:00

THIRD CYCLE AZOREAN GULLS. Bottom image taken in September and other images in February.

SECOND CYCLE AZOREAN GULL

2010-03-21T11:19:00.001-07:00

Upper two photos: February birds in alternate plumage (first summer). Lower photos: September birds.

FIRST CYCLE AZOREAN GULL

2010-03-21T02:52:00.000-07:00

Upper two photos: Birds in February towards end of first cycle, showing moulted mantle, scapulars and outer coverts (tertial also replaced in top bird).

Bottom four photos: Birds in September towards beginning of first cycle showing mainly juvenile plumage with the odd moulted scapular and mantle feather.

LIFE IN THE FREEZER

2010-03-17T15:14:00.001-07:00

I turned to page 57 in this month's Birdwatch magazine and was surprised to see a familar 'face'- it's the Glaucous Gull in my freezer.

2010-02-27T01:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest song from our band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFKD-2L9Z6g

BIRD FORUM IMAGE Adult #2

2010-02-26T15:14:00.001-08:00

BIRD FORUM GULL PHOTOS

2010-02-26T13:25:00.000-08:00

Top to bottom: 1) Adult 'Herring gull' bird one left wing, 2)Adult 'Herring gull' bird one left wing/inner webs, 3) Adult 'Herring gull' bird one right wing 4) Presumed second cycle American Herring Gull 5) Under-tail coverts of presumed second cycle American Herring Gull 6) Adult 'Herring Gull' bird two right wing and 7) Adult 'Herring Gull bird two.

DISCUSSION HERE:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=164438

HERRING GULL SP- THE AZORES

2010-02-25T13:29:00.000-08:00

THE AZORES

2010-02-24T15:35:00.000-08:00

http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/

OPERATION LYNX

2010-02-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

Top to bottom: Vincent,Rafa and me.

Vince has some great shots of Iberian Lynx- far too good for the net.

MORE HERE: http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/

Strange white?-winged gulls in Essex

2010-02-05T10:10:00.000-08:00

Following on from this thread relating to the gull we saw in essex this weekend: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=162793
Here are various unusual gulls from Essex. Image one: presumed 2nd win Glaucxherring, Image two: 1st winter glaucxherring, Image three: same bird as image two, Image four: very pale argentatus or glaucxherring and Image five (photo by Steve Arlow): multi options- 'leucistic' herring gull/hypothetical herringxiceland/multi generation herring/glauc etc.

THE BLACK DOG

2010-02-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

Here is our latest creation from thee bryans- our eco-music/art project.

Essex Weekend

2010-01-31T09:55:00.000-08:00

From top to bottom: Knots, mystery gull, 1st win Glaucous Gull, 'Rossi'- the Ring-billed Gull now in it's eleventh year and the Vange Wick Slavonian Grebe.

LITTLE OAK

2010-01-29T08:31:00.001-08:00

Okay I don't actually bird non-stop and do have to work. All of my work is in the environmental sector under the company name Little Oak in which I am a partner. We mainly do tree work, grounds maintenance and also landscaping. We also sponsor and get involved in various pro-environmental projects.

Most days with tree work are pretty routine but we had a particularly challenging job recently removing a giant of a Beech tree which had unfortunately succumb to the fatal and dangerous pathogen Meripilus giganteus. The infected tree can look reasonably healthy but below the surface the roots are being eaten away and eventually the tree falls over. It is important to look out for this disease on Beech trees, particularly near houses and its presence is betrayed by the growth of huge fungus brackets at the base of the tree during the autumn.

This particularly challenging tree was leaning over two very nice houses, a shed and a fence. We couldn't use a crane as the tarmac area would not withstand the weight so we (Hysni- the lead climber on this job) had to dismantle the giant manually, branch by branch and slice by slice- four days in so far!

0.1% Growth?

2010-01-26T11:24:00.000-08:00

The fixing of Broken Britain can only be done piece by piece and that means street by street. As far as I am concerned, investment in socio-environmental projects at the local level is going to be a main thrust of the economic/social recovery. SME's (Small and medium sized business) will play a pivotal role in rebuilding the neglected parts of Britain which fell through the cracks during macro-economic reforms of the 80's, 90's and 00's. A renaissance of local society is intrinsic to solving social and economic problems and that means the further development of the socio-environmental sector .

I personally don't think we have reached the bottom yet of this 'correction'. This has already been the longest recession since the 2nd World War. I think it is more than a simple V shaped recession. I think this is the end of the road for the widening of the social inequalities that have arisen over the last 30 years. I think the way out of this recession is by closing that gap- by closing Britain's cracks and concentrating on development and improving our social and environmental conditions. In other words creating modern, free and open sustainable societies.
I hope so anyway.

Experiments have already begun. The Hackbridge Project is such an experiment and things are slowly but steadily getting off to a start.

More Beddington Gulls

2010-01-19T12:49:00.000-08:00

Pic 1: Caspian Gull in flight (click on it)- even from this range, the white head, dark shawl, broad pale fringed-discretely dark centred mantle/scaps, dark based/pale tipped coverts and secondaries and contrasting rump with black tail band can be visible in flight. The long winged, long-billed and long necked posture makes it distinctive in flight and readily identifiable in a melee of flying gulls.

A 'Caspo'- didn't see much on it.

The pale end of the 'argenteus' spectrum

'CASPO's' at Beddington Farmlands

2010-01-18T09:01:00.000-08:00

Four particularly interesting gulls today at the farm.

BIRD ONE (pic one): A 'Caspian-type??'- this bird recalls Caspian gull but I would prefer to see a whiter head, more distinct shawl, paler underparts, more pronounced wing bars formed by white tips to greater coverts and secondaries, longer primary projection and more discrete marking to the mantle and scapulars.

BIRD TWO: This seems to look okay, especially structurally but didn't really see enough on it to scruntise.

BIRD THREE: A fair cop I reckon.

BIRD FOUR: Even though this photo does not do it justice another fair cop.

Beddington in the news again

2010-01-15T10:07:00.001-08:00

Here's the on line version of the recent hard weather report:

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/4852382.Twitcher_fears_Beddington_birds_will_die_if_weather_does_not_improve/

THE HACKBRIDGE PROJECT AND BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS

2010-01-15T10:04:00.000-08:00

We attended the Hackbridge Plan community meeting yesterday evening- there was a good turn out- over 100 people. Hackbridge is the 'village' in which I live (pic 1), overlooking Beddington Farmlands. As the Farmlands is being developed into a major urban nature reserve something equally exciting is underway for Hackbridge. The Hackbridge Plan is to create the UK's first sustainable suburb.

Hackbridge is already world famous for being the site of Bedzed-(pic 2) a futuristic zero energy housing development project which also features in Al Gore's latest book. The wider concept now is to extend the principles of Bedzed to the wider Hackbridge area and regenerate the village to form a flagship model for future living- based on the idea of sustainable futures. Within that masterplan Beddington Farmlands will be an area for wildlife where the local community can connect with their wider environment and nature.

More here:
http://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3989
http://www.oneplanetsutton.org/hackbridge

Non-Stop Birding

2010-01-11T15:04:00.000-08:00

Just as a reminder, Non-Stop Birding X is the overflow for Non-Stop Birding which can be found here:
http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/

Snows from the obs

2010-01-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

More Beddington winter shots

2010-01-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

9th January 2010 X

2010-01-09T08:33:00.001-08:00

The continuing and worsening cold spell has had profound effects on the avifauna of Beddington. Here are some counts made today of almost everything on the farm (most birds have gone):

Sightings:
15 Reed Bunting, 25+ Skylark, 200+ Linnet, 2 Chaffinch, 50+ Redwing, 70+ Fieldfare (SW), 600+ Jackdaw, 200+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Lapwing, 40+ Teal, 5 Common Snipe, 40+ Teal, 15 Coot, 54 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant (over), 1 Little Grebe, 5000+ gulls, 20+ Carrion Crow, 8 Woodpigeon, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail

Highlights:
12 Jack Snipe, 2 Yellowhammer,
1 Wigeon, 1 Brambling, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Buzzard

The first casualties of this hard weather have been noticed including some gulls and passerines such as Robin and Reed Buntings are feeding on the path desperate to find food.

Beddington in context

2010-01-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

Interesting some of the regional differences in these hard weather movements:

A steady trickle going past Spurn:
http://www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/sightings/january10.html

Little in the way of visible migration at Dungeness:
http://www.dungenessbirdobs.org.uk/lateframe.html

Influx of Woodcock and some oddities at Sandwich:
http://www.sbbot.co.uk/sightings/avian/index.asp

A major concentration occurring at snow-free Portland:
http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/aa_latestnews.htm

And my mate Jaffa, posted at Budleigh Salterton is having a bit of what Portland is having:
http://creamteabirding.blogspot.com/

Looks like birds are concentrating in the south-west where they are finding snow free areas. Also looks like visible migration is more evident at some inland sites than at coastal sites.

ICE AGE COMING

2010-01-08T00:22:00.000-08:00

!!!!!!!!!

Snow at the obs

2010-01-06T23:31:00.000-08:00

Arctic Beddington X

2010-01-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

2nd winter Caspian Gull (photo by Kevin Guest) from a few days ago. Longer-billed, more barrel chested and longer-legged than today's bird and in combination with a fairly typical 2nd winter plumage I would say this is within the goal posts of a Caspian Gull.
Internal heat from the landfill cells is keeping areas unfrozen and passerines are using these areas as a lifeline through the freeze.

There has been an influx of juvenile plumaged gulls (presumably northern latitude).

Weather chart for 060110. That high pressure over the North Atlantic is pulling in north and easterly air on its eastern flank, effectively bringing the Arctic to the UK and cutting of the mild gulf stream airflow.

KYMATICA

2010-01-04T09:03:00.001-08:00

Seems to be a trend of this sort of thing- pseudoscience-religious hybrid stuff (aka a load of shite but good to listen- nothing is all nonsense- the truth has been scattered and is hiding all over the place)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6736722752013377089#

Here and Now

2010-01-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhLxSfUJAlY&feature=related

NON-STOP BIRDING REVIEW 2009

2009-12-29T02:24:00.001-08:00

2009 was all about the development of the main projects I am involved in- Beddington Farmlands, The Azores and a pro-environmental music project A good year overall with the usual disasters thrown into the mix.
The Azores

As for the foreign patch it had to be the best year yet for American vagrants and also record numbers of birders present . A September pelagic exploration trip by Simon and I was another highlight. October was incredible but despite finding some okay yanks the French and Swedes whipped our sad arses in the 'Eurovision Rare Bird Contest'.
Some 2009 links:
Corvo Blog by Olof Jonnson
http://corvo2009.blogspot.com/
Azores Rarity Photo Exhibition by Vincent Legrand
http://www.facebook.com/people/Vincent-Legrand/689917570#/album.php?page=1&aid=104065&id=1074672044
Corvo Birders Photo Gallery
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=153217&id=701232517&ref=mf#/album.php?page=1&aid=153217&id=701232517
and as always the main source of info:
http://www.birdingazores.com/
2010 Outlook: Further winter exploration, new spring seabird exploration, new publications and the overall continuing contribution to development of birding on the Azores.

Beddington Farmlands

Pretty much all good on this front. New community birding tours, the Beddington Book is in its final stages, a new improved Beddington Farm Bird Group, new promo material, visits from new groups, the odd TV personality, new bird group members and some great birds. On the other hand first year ever I haven't had a Beddington tick and haven't found anything really decent since 2005.
New promo stuff here:
http://www.beddingtonfarmlands.org.uk/

2010 Outlook: Publishing of the 'Birds of Beddington Farmlands', Beddington Farmlands at the Carshalton Environmental Fair, more birding tours and of course the continuing development of what will become London's largest urban nature reserve.

Eco-Music Project
Overall a roller coaster. This experimental pro-environmental music and art project is a rather chaotic little side line. However we got the album recorded, picked up a few fans (over 250 in total now) and by the end of the year got a new venue, new equipment and a Xmas track.
Promo stuff here:
http://www.theebryans.com/

2010 outlook: Who knows. Be warned more of this coming.

In addition to the projects also got some Middle East WP birding in. Soooooo.... the year started with my brother Paul and I on a soul searching road trip from Bulgaria to the Holy Land. We ended up falling out and he abandoned me in Southern Turkey . For the full story see this months Birdwatch supplement World of Birds 2010 from pg 11.

We spent some time in Syria including a visit to see the Arabian Oryx- looking wild in this photo but being fed like a cow in reality because its natural habitat is drying up.

We recieved a warm welcome where ever we went- this bunch of kids ended up stealing our car but in fairness to them they did bring it back- but stole our bird guide- which I didn't mind too much.

I made it back to Blighty in time for the spring. We finished stage 1 of our pro-environmental music project:

A good spring at Beddington with highlights including a Sandwich Tern, a Spoonbill and an impressive Buzzard migration. Highlight was the controversial 'white-winged Gull' which some experts believe is Beddington's second Glaucous-winged Gull.

Spent a couple of weeks of the summer back in the Middle East with Darryl. This time it was eastern Turkey on the border of Iran. Closest to death we came was not from terrorists but from the local kids, local dogs and electric storms. Photos below are Bald Ibis (more feral stuff on the verge of extinction) and Spur-winged Plover.

We started our community birding tours at Beddington during the autumn with the help of the Urban Birder- David Lindo:

In September I made the best 'move' of my life. I moved onto my local patch with a view of the northern lake and Irrigation bridge. I call it the Beddington Observatory.

Then came the autumn!! What an autumn. I spent nearly the whole of late September to October on the Azores. Highlights included the best year ever on Corvo for American vagrants and a pelagic trip where Simon and I discovered some rare seabirds including a new colony of Madeiran Petrels. Photos below are Fea's-type Petrel, Bottlenose Dolphin and Wilson's Petrel.

CORVO was mind blowing. Below are Dotterel, Yellow Warbler, Ovenbird by Rafa Armada and Bobolink and Black-throated Green Warbler by Vincent the Great.

Managed to get a main article in the Local Guardian about Beddington but failed in getting my photo in there. This is an old enemy after a friend of mine called Squeaky got his photo into our local paper after spending two months in our family home and I have still failed to achieve that- despite living here forever.

And the year ends with the beginning of stage 2 of our pro-environmental music project and a flop of our first track cyber-release.
http://www.theebryans.com/

And the plan for 2010- full steam ahead into the unknown.

HARD WEATHER MOVEMENTS AT BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS

2009-12-27T07:55:00.001-08:00

Looks like things have calmed down out there but..... the cold weather is set to return later on in the week.

Its been an interesting little spell of bird displacement. Typically Lapwings, Golden Plover, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Redwing and Fieldfare have been the main species affected with day highs of 181 Lapwing moving south and west, 24 Golden Plover moving west, 40+ Skylark (on the mounds as well as similar numbers flying over), 150+ Redwing, 75+ Fieldfare and 80+ Meadow Pipit.

We haven't seen these kinds of movement at Beddington since the early 1990's which could be attributed to a general warming of the climate. If regional temperature rise continues this could be the last one of these movements that we experience for a very long time.

Through most of the recording period of Beddington Farmlands, hard weather movements were a regular feature. On January 17th 1932 1215 Lapwings were recorded in hard weather. In 1955 over 3000 were present following heavy snow and on February 1st 1956 2000 Lapwing were part of a cold weather displacement that also involved 170+ coastal waders including 5 Sanderling, 23 Knot, Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, up to 54 Curlews, 57 Ringed Plover and 22 Dunlin. The same day Beddington's first and only Purple Sandpiper was found.

Skylarks have featured strongly in past hard weather movements. During a severe cold spell from December 17th to 26th 1938 several thousand were present on the farm and many hundreds died. In 1963 between January 23rd to 25th there were 3000 present but the largest hard weather concentration occurred on March 8th 1970 when over 5000 were recorded.

There are some interesting points here. Firstly it is interesting to see how Lapwing and Skylark numbers were so much higher in the past hard weather movements. These birds are from the north or the near continent and the much lower numbers involved in our recent movements reveal how although these birds are quite capable of surviving the worst conditions that our bleak northern winters can throw at them- they cannot survive environmental changes which are human induced. Both of these species are farmland birds which have suffered severe declines in the recent past decades due to agricultural intensification. I guess one saving grace is that due to human-contributory temperature rises these species don't suffer so much in hard weather. Could be nature's life line- keeping these populations going while we sort our act out.

HAPPY XMAS DAY

2009-12-24T23:26:00.000-08:00

Here's an alternative Xmas song from our music project 'Thee Bryans'. The projects' concept is to highlight that humans are part of Nature and to display the critical connection between awareness/acceptance and environmental/social decay- (or put another way- the connection between 'ignorance' and environmental destruction). This song is an attempt at 'a Christmas song for everyone' which both offends and celebrates differences between human groups, trying to make the point that reality does not have to be offensive or a cause of conflict between groups once differences are accepted. The ultimate acceptance is being able to mock something without offence caused. In a wider theme this is relevant as unmanaged conflict (personal and inter-personal) is suggested as a root cause for social and environmental decay and awareness and acceptance holds part of the answer to social and environmental improvement.

Lyrics to this song here:
http://theebryans.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_24.html

Here's a website: http://www.theebryans.com/

HAPPY XMAS FROM THEE BRYANS!!!!!

2009-12-24T08:29:00.000-08:00

Participation Government

2009-12-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

We all know that our modern democracies are not democracies at all but are indeed elected aristocracies. As a consequence, interests of a minority are expressed at the system level, resulting in an unfair and uneven playing field- rigged against the masses and the 'common good'- one symptom of which is environmental destruction.

Everyone knows that the answer lies in people empowerment to stand agaisnt tyranny but the problem of mobilising that power has always been the limitation on fulfilling that ideology.

Technology is the major driving force behind revolution- ideas have to wait until the technology has arrived.
The technology has now arrived.

This okay film helps to explain:
http://watch.usnowfilm.com/

RISE UP!!!!!!

2009-12-20T16:15:00.000-08:00

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/rage-against-the-machine-take-christmas-no1-slot-1846247.html

Spanish Glossy Ibis in Trinidad and Tabago!!!!

2009-12-18T07:24:00.000-08:00

Vagrancy mega event:

www.btoringing.blogspot.com/2009/12/spanish-glossy-ibis-in-trinidad-and.html

INTERESTING WEATHER

2009-12-15T10:19:00.000-08:00

I will be surprised if this weather doesn't cause some disturbances.

Beddington Birders Curry Night

2009-12-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd9t-tqXleE

Birding: A Lifestyle- Not a Hairstyle

2009-12-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

Birding is a lifestyle for me and not just a hobby. All aspects of the world around us are connected to birds directly or indirectly. Even political decisions and changes have fundamental effects on bird populations. In my opinion there are fundamental political changes occuring at the moment as Britain is going through a restructuring- a redistribution of wealth and a redistribution of power. Part of that restructuring will involve local communities and local businesses stepping up to the plate in terms of solving both environmental and social issues which are affecting their immediate environment. As central government resources are depleted I think we will be left with no choice but to sort things out ourselves at the local level.

The environment is now top of this political agenda and this is my main area of interest for my local area. In the past local authority has failed Beddington Farmlands by not enforcing the terms of the planning conditions set out in our public enquiry, the RSPB and the WWT have not been in a position to get deeply involved, the corporations running the site have delayed restoration and the conservation management plan has been widely ignored, target species have been lost, there has been encroachment by industry in the disguise of recycling units across the east side of the farm and we lost a whole area of protected woodland which was illegally felled in the hope of utilising a planning loophole. In the last ten years there is evidence to suggest that nearly 50% of species at Beddington have been adversely affected.

Beddington farmlands is not an SPA, is not a Ramsar site, is not an SSSI- it is simply a great place to see birds near to where we live. It's a local patch. The national conservation bodies simply need to concentrate on preserving the most important national areas- they really do have bigger fish to fry first. The local areas need to be protected by local birders, who hopefully through inspiration and advise from conservation bodies like the RSPB and WWT can build up local interest in birds from a wider community, help to conserve the area through working teams, run birding workshops, tours and events to educate the local people about birds and help them to appreciate what it is we appreciate about birds.

If people in a local area value birds, they will want them to be part of their local environment and they will contribute and support efforts to build local nature reserves. Building local nature reserves (or other social and envioronmental projects) by local people also builds community and helps to address wider social problems. Helping out to bring about positive change in our own immediate environments, is the best thing that any one can do in addressing the social and environmental problems which plague our generation. In short, for me a love of birds and birding is the answer to everything!

The Birding Far Right

2009-12-12T09:04:00.001-08:00

Just enjoyed reading the latest BB, I couldn't help thinking that it read a bit like 'a far right' publication. 'Progress of the UK Ruddy Duck eradication programme' was one of the main articles and the best line was in the 'What makes a good alien' paper which read........ 'Quite apart from the ecological and economic damage that they may or may not do, I simply do not like to see alien species...they represent some kind of litter (and in many cases self-sustaining, increasing litter at that)'. The author, Tony Fox also goes on to say 'We must be ready to eradicate these escapes where their presence represents a clear threat to native biodiversity..'

Well I think the level headed quite understand that homo-centric ecosystems need to be managed well. The majority of the UK environment is either farmland (75%) or urban; man-made environments which are comprised of a majority of introduced and genetically modified organisms. Fundamental crops and livestock (cows, sheep, potatoes, chickens etc) are introduced organisms and our urban gardens are packed out with introduced species, even the Sycamore is an introduced tree (introduced by the Romans). The word 'native' is a perplexing term and really should mainly refer to the temperate forest ecosystem that would cover the UK if it was not for human modification. All waterbirds on gravel pits, farmland birds, garden birds etc are all utilising man made environments- often either introduced or escaped organisms themselves or feeding on introduced plants and organisms.

If Fox were to have delivered a balanced argument he would have also pointed out the ecological and economic benefit that the over whelming majority of introduced organisms bring to a homo-centric ecosystem. Eradication programmes and describing organisms which have been invited into our country as litter- well we all know what that sort of language is- very naughty when it is applied too broadly. In fairness to Fox and acknowledging it also important to overstate a point to make it-eradication is a legitimate conservation tool in certain scenarios because extremes measures are required for extreme cases. My favourite one is the shooting, poisoning and killing of domestic cats in New Zealand to protect the flightless endemics.

My point is the introduction of organisms is a fundamental part of being human. We have the privilege to choose, design and create what these homo-centric ecosystems are to look like and the introduction and modification of organisms is all part of it. Getting the balance right is what it is all about. Eradication is an extreme measure that should be applied on an case to case basis if so required and sweeping statements and broad policies based on ambiguous concepts like non-natives or aliens leads to poor management.

FINAL MOVES

2009-12-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

I made my final personal finance moves today well in advance of any major developments. I spread my moves out but are based on some of the following events occurring over the next few months: A significant devaluation in the pound, another fall in house prices, another stock market significant down turn, a huge rise in unemployment, social unrest, more bank instability, the declaration of bankruptcy for the UK or emergency intervention by a UN body and a gold price crash. The false dawn that I also predicted is soon to be over and the darkest hour is on its way.

In short my survival strategy is to transfer all available funds into tangible assets, euro based investments, hard cash (get some out of the bank to cover temporary freezes) and getting recovery business ideas ready to be launched at bottom point.

There is nothing clever about all this. It is based on a simple fundamental principle- nature moves towards equilibrium and global interconnectivity and management is the only way of achieving that.

We will see. It's just a game. I've been pretty right so far over the last three years by investing in a deep down turn (and made some reasonable money for a small time flutterer) but that doesn't mean I will be right in the short term future. That's the fun in all this. We will get there in the end but nobody knows how and over what time frame.

NEW DOGS

2009-12-07T04:00:00.001-08:00

From spaceship earth viewpoint, there is no such thing as alternatives. There is only one reality.
That reality is comprised of ideas of itself but there is no consensus at ground level- just opposing and conflicting ideas. That is reality- it is a constant conflict. A constant battle.

Leaders use the seduction of peace and the tyranny of fear to control herds but every sheep dog has it's day and when peace becomes an illusion and is then shattered and the tyranny of fear is challenged- it's party time. It's time for some new dogs.

The question for individuals conscious of that battle is a simple one- how can I get what I want. The answer is simple also. Whatever it takes- one way or another.

Chaos reigns. But out of it comes order. And then chaos.

BONUS BULL

2009-12-05T01:12:00.001-08:00

God!!!!, this is sooooo boring. Waiting for the end of the world has got to be the most drawn out affair on earth. It's worse than Lord of the Rings!

Now they are all arguing about bonuses. Of course they have to pay RBS bankers huge bonuses. These banks are looking for socio-types who put short term profit before anything and the only way of attracting these people is by feeding their compulsion for more bangers. If RBS don't give them what they need they will go to HSBC for their hit.

Devoting life to short term gain requires a person with a personality order. Short term gain works exactly like an addiction and requires increasingly larges doses and shots to sustain it. The only way of propelling this banking system forward is by increasing the 'money heroin' to the perpetrators of it. The end result is cataclysmic collapse as the perpetrators get more and more, reckless and desperate to sustain the negative feedback loop i.e. they totally loose it. It's Scarface banking.

Long term vision- investing in people and the environment for sustainable positive futures. Long term investments, stability and order. Regulated banks which serve the interests of society, that operate in an open, transparent and fair arena. Benevolent bankers that look after people and help them flourish in their personal financial lives. That's what we will move towards in the end because that is all that works over time.

There is nothing more satisfying in this world than watching some twat cop it. These bankers are going to cop it big time (best to get your money in tangible assets mofos).

There is a God (a force that moves towards equilibrium)- she just likes winding us all up but it all comes good in the end- (before it all starts again). Soooooooo- strap up cos when this pendulum starts swinging back the other way it could be travelling at quite some speed and will probably overshoot- could be carnage.

Wake up

2009-12-02T04:06:00.000-08:00

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL AWAKENING
Evolution has a branch that long ago has taken the epic form of 'the Battle of Ideas' . In this pitch battle, contestants prove or disprove their ability in understanding of our selves and the natural world around us. Understanding gives power in controlling destiny and the course of evolution- the power to create environments- to create realities that we choose and want. This will in many ways be the ultimate achievement of evolution. To defeat the slavery of chance and probability and achieve empowerment and control. It will be in terms of survival, the most optimum state that can evolve. Since evolution began it was probably destined to arrive at this answer- because this is the end game- ultimate survival and optimum conditions by defeating the cruel indifference and endless suffering and impartiality of the natural world- only humans can create a parallel world and design a system where cruel indifference is replaced by an advanced and improved condition. Ancient spiritual and religious texts speak of this ultimate achievement of evolution-perhaps there is a deep ingrained blue print within everyone to reach this goal.

We are all taught the answer lies in unification, in wiring up, in managing planetary systems, in taking over from randomness and chaos, overcoming our basal condition, defeating the tyranny of chance and imposing order- an improved reality. A reality that humans choose.

So we have a choice:
a) Live in a world where economic growth is put as priority above quality of life. Economic growth is finite in a finite world and in attempting to pursue continual economic growth will result in destroying the environment around us. Money as God and the pursuit of individual gain over and above quality and health of the system, will result in a diminished quality of our natural environment, inequality which breeds social chaos, physical and emotional malnutrition which breeds impoverishment and sickness- a world devoid of dignity and honour where we descend to our basal human condition-one of constant apprehension, mistrust and uncertainty.

b)Create a world where quality of life is the main goal. Where the end game is to create an environment which is inspirational and amazing. Where individuals are nurtured and given what they need to prosper in order to fulfill their tasks in creating this world. A world where we share our space with animals, birds and plants in a symbiotic relationship of well managed homocentic-ecosystems intricately interwoven into the natural world. A reality where trust and community replaces mistrust and individualism. As individuals focus on engagement in a positive, enlightening and fulfilling environment there is not so much need for symptomatic control as the root cause of social and environment ills has been tackled. Instead of a constant engagement in cures- there is a constant engagement in positive and inspirational pursuits.

The choice really is a human choice. Choice is a funny thing- it often involves punishment and redemption when we make the wrong choices which forces a reappraisal and then a correct choice (not much choice in that). Money is not God and Economic Growth is not the raison d'etre for human existence. An advanced state of consciousness is God, creating an improved human condition is the raison d'etre for human existence.

There are consequences to all actions- watch the world over the up and coming months to see the consequences of our post war actions. Apocalypse now, well hopefully- the end of the world- yes hopefully. The end of an unsustainable and money centred world- well atleast our immediate world. There have been many worlds in history across time and space- just alternative realities which we choose to create. It is a series of cycles. It is time for a new skin. Hopefully it is time for some major ground to be won in this environmental and social revolution.

Weeble wobble

2009-12-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

Middle East looks a bit shakey.

Weeble wobble soon they'll all fall down.

TRANSITION TO THE NEW ORDER

2009-11-08T00:49:00.001-08:00

It is often said that saving the planet is about saving ourselves as a species. Well that bollocks, it is about saving yourself as an individual. Unification, wiring up, switching on and forming advanced colonies- next generation societies, gives you a much better chance of survival and well being than pitching yourself in a lone pitch battle (economic fighting) agaisnt all other individuals.

House price arm races, working more for less to get up the ladder, extra tuition for your child to beat your competitor into the best school, scrambling for houses in good school catchment areas, cosmetic enhancement to look better than your competitor, marrying someone you dont love just to keep up appearances, getting into huge debts to keep up with your competitor- its a scramble for resources like throwing a bag of rice to a bunch of starving people who have lost all dignity, push and punching eachother out of the way to get something for themselves because there is not enough to go round.

Hahahahahahahhaahhahaahhaahhaha. Now there's even less to go round. Hahahahahahahahahah.

We are all fucked.

Advanced, intelligent societies- based on an effecient distribution of resources (so there is enough to go round), the generation of a true level and fertile field- where individuals are free to flourish and grow is mathematically the optimum condition for continual survival.. Like I say, it's not about the human species, it is about those individuals that form these colonies. If you like, if you are truely selfish than it is better to stop clawing the eyes out of your competitor (you have a one in six billion chance of winning that game) and start thinking about ways to stop being a c##t (note to me).

The colonies are already rooted, forming the foundation for the next order. Self employment, small businesses with conscience and style, private enterprise, social minded businesses, environmentally minded businesses, conservation bodies, housing Associations are the socialist/capitalist fabric of the UK that is basically holding it together. Indeed socialism in its earlier and extreme forms is a waste of time so it is important to understand that any social or environmental venture must run with a good profit margin to sustain itself- incorporating the aspects of 'good capitalism'. Individuals working for these organisations must be able to live healthy and very comfortable exsistences (thats more money for the goodies).

As far as I'm concerned that's the future. Unregulated greed, environmental destruction, social inequality and ostracism, lack lustre human environments and lack lustre culture- lack lustre individuals- TWATS------ your days are fucking numbered.

THE NEW ORDER

2009-11-07T03:03:00.000-08:00

So if Capitalism falls within our region, what will replace it?

I don't know what it will be called, Intelligent Democracy perhaps. The Golden Mean is the point of equilibrium. A balance between capitalism, communism, fascism, religion, science, between the right and left etc etc. There are only so many variables and every group of The System has valid and vital input. In essence each of these compartments are organs of The System. However each organ of society is only that- the MIND of society should rule and not the organs. The MIND is the group consciousness, the global consciousness that theoretically should evolve as evolution continues its inexorable and relentless journey to creating the global 'conscious' homo-centric organism. The World Government is emerging- the G20 continues to grow in power, super regions are emerging, the EU treaty has been signed, the global village is wiring up (Internet), old orders are collapsing and new ones are emerging and evolving. The embryonic and evolving Gaia is kicking in the womb and we are cells within her. Maybe it's time to 'wake up', to 'switch on' . Cells that don't switch on, will presumably be at high risk of becoming obsolete.

THE FALL OF CAPITALISM????

2009-11-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

Image one to three- the front line, image four- one of my neighbours.

Chin up- it's not the end of the world. Or is it?
Human social systems are governed by the same laws of nature as any natural system. The system is held together by co-operation and symbosis and can tolerate cheats and parasites while remaining healthy (the goodies and baddies just fight it out). There are generally enough fair players to maintain and absorb the cheats. However there is a threshold that once crossed is impossible to return from. Once the number of cheats in the system pass a critical point, a cataclysmic landslide occurs- where game theory predicts that in a human system (capeable of making choices) most members of the system will cheat because if they don't someone else will and they will go without. This results in social disintegration and the collapse of a social system.

Well the cheats have built up in the UK system- benefit fraud, self certification of mortgage loans, loan default, insurance scams, expenses fraud, disability fraud, sick pay fraud, tax evasion, over-pricing- the list goes on and on. The greatest financial cheats have sold worthless pensions, endowment policies, worthless insurance packages and worthless investment packages to absolutely millions of people. Bad and toxic debt has built to immense proportions and now Britain exists from one day to the next by printing money, pumping liquidity into the money markets and absorbing immense toxic debts incurred by banks. HAS THE SYTEM ENTERED MELT DOWN?

Capitalism suggests that humans should exist in a pitch battle between individuals, to get ahead and 'win' by controlling more capital and resources than your competitors. In it's most raw and fundamental incarnations capitalism is plain aggression, bullying, greed and individualistic. It draws on examples in nature to suggest that this is nature's way- with reference to the great wastage that nature exhibits in creating perfect organisms- finely tuned to their environments, having overcome all odds to survive, as opposed to their weaker and less fit competitors. The fittest and finest survive. In human societies this is represented by the emergence of the super-elite, the oligarchs and the mullahs of greed. 'Stepford' humans have evolved- elite and pseudo elite females with cosmetically engineered bodies and faces, porcelain teeth, silicon breasts and botux lips- products of 1970s science fiction- which has now become fact.

Well this is all well and good- and what a funny and interesting world that it has created. Fundamental to capitalism is a huge wastage of human life, those who are not the winners. The losers- these grow in number as time passes. As the wealth and power moves into smaller and smaller number of dirty hands as this pitch battle rages on, the number of looses increase. A human being that is deemed a failure or looser in a society is basically being given a low value. Undervaluing human beings is also known as neglect or abuse and symptoms of this include mental illness, aggressive and sexual behaviour, self harm, compulsion, addiction etc. All are symptoms of being deprived of basic human respect and value. What a great story- millions of people in pitch battle, ripping each other off, fucking each other over, beating each other up, using each other for shagging, divided, crippled and insane- deliberately and systematically turned on each other to keep them powerless while they are used by the super elite to run their call centres and businesses. Hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahah. I love it. It is comedy.

Don't get me wrong- it aint all bad and I am not that cruel revelling in it all. Losers (me included I guess) find a resilience and a humour, they develop sub cultures, they develop tribes and they live in these sub-groups- disconnected as much as possible from the battle that rages on. However, as time passes and the battle increases in intensity, its effects start intruding on the tribes who start being deprived of basic employment, money and resources that they need to maintain their parallel existence. As more and more resources pool into the super elite- the people at the middle and bottom of the pyramid get more and more deprived- eventually the whole system collapses as the foundation is starved and finally fails to co-operate any longer.

OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTT.
The financial system has melted down, unemployment is rising, Britain is printing money to survive, the BBC is tightly controlled, social disorder is increasing, sexual and aggressive anti-social behaviour is exploding, the unions are urging strikes, the corporations are buying each other up (leaving more and more power in the hands of fewer and fewer), house prices are not rising for much longer, the stock market is quivering, the pound is depreciating and the heat is rising.

Is it coming? 20 years behind the fall of Communism? Will a transition to a more environmental and social minded system be cataclysmic or will it be a gradual evolution. In essence, there is no choice, human systems must become sustainable- its a question of how and when????

NUMBER TWO

2009-11-03T15:20:00.000-08:00

THE AZORES MOVIE

2009-10-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/Waderwatcher

Click here to view Simon's video of over five weeks on the Azores from pelagics off Faial and Santa Maria, to waders in the Cabo da Praia quarry and vagrants on Corvo- the premier location in the Western Palearctic for Nearctic Landbirds.

Operation Canada Warbler

2009-10-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

BIRDING CORVO

2009-10-23T03:18:00.001-07:00

The Rock

Bosse Carlsson

Vincent Legrand

Manuel Rita- Mayor of Corvo

Rafael Armada

Olof Jonnson

Manuel campaign

Peter Alfrey

Team Corvo 2006

Seawatching

Corvo 2006

Searching for the Dark Gadfly

2006

Frederic Jiguet's therapeutic repsonse to not attending Corvo 2009

2009-10-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

Vincent Legrand

Darryl Spittle
Frederic Jiguet

Simon Buckell and Darryl

Simon, Vincent and David Monticelli

2008

Legrand

Gilles Willem

2007

Simon Buckell and Vincent Legrand

Staffan Rodebrand (right) and Eric Didner

Shark Tagging

2009-09-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Petrel liquer- final stages

2009-09-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

This gear did the trick- we pulled in 70-80 Wilson's Petrels (a European record?) and on another occasion 2 Little Shearwaters and 10+ Band-rumped Petrels.

Photos of some Wilson's here:

http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post.html

Traditional Buckles Chum

2009-09-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: Box of sardines, tuna oil, cod liver oil, sunflower oil.

Allow sardines to rot for several days, then bung it all in an onion bag and then pour and stir in a mix of fish, cod liver and general oils. Tie onto side of boat and if you are in the Azores the sharks will attack the boats. After several days of this hanging off the side of the boat the smell is nauseating.

Petrel liquer

2009-09-24T17:23:00.001-07:00

Ingredients: 4kg of margarine, 2 kg of tinned tuna and a splash of cod liver oil.

Melt the marg in a marine biologists saucepan and kitchen and then bung in the tuna. Boil it up and then wisk it so that there is boiling burning tuna and marg all over the freaking place. Let it cool down and take it on the boat in a bucket. Either melt it with boiling water or stick it in the microwave (if you have one on board) and then pour it over the side. The Petrels loved this stuff- they were licking it off the ocean. It doesn't smell bad either and really is weak constitution friendly. I think Shirihai invented this but he didn't invent this:

Petrel liquid gold

Ingredients: 1kg of tinned tunna, 4 bottles of 330ml cod liver oil, 3 litres of sunflower oil.

Bung it all in a bucket, wisk and then pour in the ocean. It is failed to attract anything yet.

A Prophecy

2009-09-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

I thought I would have a go at a bit of prophecy. How hard can it be?

Right, in April 2007 I predicted (well I backed the doom and gloom merchants) that a deep recession was coming. I based this on numerous independent sources including friends telling me what their monied clients were doing or what my monied clients were doing . So I followed the leaders- people who I respect for their business sense and simply copied them.

I sold my house, pocketed a tidy sum and went into a recession bunker in May 2007 (six months before the first wave and a good 18 months before recession was official). I contracted my business by simply not replacing people moving on and cut advertising to minimalise costs and passed the cuts onto customers- to remain competitive to see out the financial storm.

Following an intial wave in late 2007, by the summer of 2008- it all kicked off. The entire world banking system went into meltdown and house prices began to crash. Unemployment started rising and businesses started folding.

So basically, so far, my strategy has been pretty good and I managed to successfully back the right horse- which is this case was one of the worse case scenarios. I just picked up a property bargain (a saving of 25% from peak price) and the business is ticking over nicely. So far I have managed, by calling it well before it happened, to have incurred no significant losses- yet!

Now I have a new prediction. That prediction is this:

We are all fucked.
Within 18 months.

I reckon the worse of the recession is yet to come.

Non-stop Birding X

Unidentified sp?

Plume moth sp?

?

More Mush

November moths

More Corvo UFOs

Corvo UFOs

More Micros

PUFOs

Obs/Beddington Moths June to November 2011

Moths early September

Obs Moths

August Moths

End of the warm spell

'American Herring Gulls' on the Azores 2003-2010

Northern Gulls

Beddington Mystery Gull December 2010

BEDDINGTON ON ICE

MORE ON VARNA GULLS

VARNA GULLS

Hueglin's ??

Caspian Gull

Yellow-legged Gull

Only God Knows :-)

A Good Life

WnNKA !!!

Mission Planning with the locals

JACK SNIPE FLUSH

WINTER WONDERLAND X

Big Society??

Articleography

AZORES STINTS

Glaucous-winged Gull at Beddington Farmlands?

Glaucous-winged Gull at Beddington Farmlands- similar specimens

Glaucous-winged Gull at Beddington Farmlands links

Graciosa Pelagic May 2010

BIG DAY

A WANDLEFUL WORLD

AZOREAN/ATLANTIC/YELLOW-LEGGED GULL (construction site)

THE IDENTIFICATION OF AZOREAN GULL

THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL PROBLEM

ADULT AZOREAN GULL

THIRD CYCLE AZOREAN GULL

SECOND CYCLE AZOREAN GULL

FIRST CYCLE AZOREAN GULL

LIFE IN THE FREEZER

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BIRD FORUM IMAGE Adult #2

BIRD FORUM GULL PHOTOS

HERRING GULL SP- THE AZORES

THE AZORES

OPERATION LYNX

Strange white?-winged gulls in Essex

THE BLACK DOG

Essex Weekend

LITTLE OAK

0.1% Growth?

More Beddington Gulls

'CASPO's' at Beddington Farmlands

Beddington in the news again

THE HACKBRIDGE PROJECT AND BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS

Non-Stop Birding

Snows from the obs

More Beddington winter shots

9th January 2010 X

Beddington in context

ICE AGE COMING

Snow at the obs

Arctic Beddington X

KYMATICA

Here and Now

NON-STOP BIRDING REVIEW 2009

HARD WEATHER MOVEMENTS AT BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS

HAPPY XMAS DAY

HAPPY XMAS FROM THEE BRYANS!!!!!

Participation Government

RISE UP!!!!!!

Spanish Glossy Ibis in Trinidad and Tabago!!!!

INTERESTING WEATHER