Thursday 17th November (A Promising Start and a Chopper)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window into a clear cold November sky. The air was still and the few leaves on the tree motionless. Looking down Mr. Kite could see a robin sitting on The Joint. Now Mr. Kite was tempted to open the bedroom window and tell the robin to go and sit in a tree just like any other bird but he thought to himself, 'why shouldn't a robin sit on top of a camper.

The road was increasing in traffic and people were walking the pavements towards work but Mr. Kite was looking for bird; not going to work like the unfortunate people outside. Now today Mr. Kite had a plan.

At mid-morning Mr. Kite and his birding companions were birding on a sunny and pleasant day. In Meole Brace a pair of wood pigeon were watched. Now in Meole Brace you might expect all birds to be in pairs but that is not true because five house sparrows were also spotted.

Near Condover The Incapacitants watched a congregation of golden plover and desert of lapwing feeding in a field. Today The Incapacitants were careful not to disturb the birds. However a kestrel did fly low over them scattering a few but they soon returned.

Just outside Condover The Incapacitants watched turkeys in a field. These big dark noisy birds were strutting around a field with a sign nearby advertising turkey for Christmas. So these noisy non-native cluckers were enjoying their last November before being stuffed with chestnuts, sage and onions.

With flocks of fieldfare flying over and mistle thrushes adding to a Christmas feeling The Incapacitants headed towards Lodge Hill. At the final few furlongs The Beast hissed and the rear tyre went flat. The bicycles were put behind a tree and The Incapacitants went bird-watching in the trees of Lodge Hill. Coal tits and goldcrests were in abundance in the warm sunshine and feeding hungrily they made good and easy watching. Oblivious to The Incapacitants the goldcrests gold crests shone like a crown as they foraged yards away upside down on the low shrubbery with a smattering of black and white stripey headed coal tits. Nuthatches sounded off, ravens croaked and a number of unidentified birds flew between the trees.

With the sun in the south The Incapacitants timed their walk to the summit of Lodge Hill so that the trees could be searched for crossbills. With woodpeckers calling the tension rose. Eyes searched the cones in the top of the firs and then one of those noisy damn helicopters appeared where the crossbills should be.  The blue and yellow flying machine circled, hovered and flew up and down the line of trees, Dropping down behind the trees the noise of the chopper increased as it then popped up just above the tree tops. The door opened and a flier in green overalls waved a white handkerchief at The Incapacitants before dropping down into the field by the trees. For ten minutes The Chopper made bird-watching impossible as the noise of the engines, the smell of the kerosene and the sight of a large flying beast scared every bird away for ten miles.

The Incapacitants returned to their trusty bicycles. The puncture was repaired and The Incapacitants headed towards home stopping to walk around a filed where greenfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch and yellowhammers fed in the hedgerow. With the sun dropping down in the west The Incapacitants called it a day. The competition was a draw with over thirty species spotted. A good day was had and Mr. Kite returned home for a tipple of Abbot Ale Green King. Cheers to all those turkeys waiting to be put on a plate.