Wednesday 9th March (Walkabout)

Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window and saw some blue sky and some clouds. He felt a little lazy today so arranged a walkabout with his birding companion. The birding competition begun they met on the birding companion's doorstep.

In the sunshine, and cool breeze, the intrepid pair went walkabout through the village, past the business park and onto the public footpath that led to Sharpstone Quarry. The usual common birds were heard, spotted and ticked off. As they walked up the gentle incline towards the quarry they could see rays of sunshine, squally showers and rain in the local area. The wind speed increased and it became chillier.

To cut a long story short, the Spot of the Day was a Peregrine Falcon. This dark powerful bird appeared just as the intrepid pair came into sight of the working quarry. It glided past them about fifty metres away a little higher than the edge of the stone face. As it flew into the wind it gained height before dropping quickly into the deep hole created by the removal of the stone. Mr. Kite knows that Feral Pigeons and Jackdaws frequent the ragged ledges caused by the quarrying. Now Mr. Kite tries to be kind to Feral Pigeons so he hoped that the Peregrine took a fancy to a plump black Jackdaw not a multi coloured Feral   Pigeon. What happened next Mr. Kite and his Birding Companion will never know because the Peregrine was not seen again.

The birding competition was a draw. Mr. Kite went home for a tipple of Tetley tea. Cheers from a happy Mr. Kite; who will be traveling again tomorrow.