Tuesday 1st January (Let the New Year Begin)

In the dark early hours of that January morning Mr. Kite was awake and looking forward to a day of cycling and watching birds. Outside in the street the silence was only broken by an occasional car that travelled down the road. Not a bird sang, not a leaf stirred. Mr. Kite was listening and waiting and putting on the kettle.

This was unusual for New Year's Day because Mr. Kite did not have a hangover. Having only had a little brandy at midnight Mr. Kite was quite together and clear-headed. So just after dawn Mr. KIte stood in the garden looking at more than half of a moon as a flock of birds flew in front of it.

The only sounds were pigeons. Then a lone wood pigeon flew and fluttered and landed in the pear tree in the next garden. The first tick of the year. Looking onto the house roof Mr. Kite noticed that a black and white feral pigeon that likes the chimney was gazing at Mr. Kite.

So Mr. Kite made a cup of coffee and filled a flask before saddling The Bike and setting off to watch birds, identify birds and enjoy himself. Riding towards the Castle Walk Mr. Kite spotted starlings and blackbirds. Mr. Kite had cycled to the river to see the floods. From the bridge Mr. Kite watched blue tits and long-tailed tits feed in a tree.

On the way Mr. Kite took a detour to Springfield Mere. Here there were mallard, a mute swan, a goosander. 

Mr. Kite then decided to go to Venus Pool because of the swollen river and some flooded roads. On the way he spotted a magpie, dunnock, wren, jackdaw, collared dove, and in the sky about ten lesser-black-backed gulls flew over.

Reaching the country lanes Mr. Kite slowed down to scour the fileds that were sodden and ousing water. The gutters were a torrent of water racing towards culverts and drains. Often the flooded fields attract waders but toady none could be see. However two common buzzards sat in a muddy field picking at the sloppy surface. In the hedgerows Mr. Kite noticed chaffinch and great tits.

At Eaton Mascott Mr. Kite watched common pheasant, goldfinch, yellowhammer, house sparrow. Soon Mr. Kite was at V.P. where many bird-watchers were starting their year list. With nearly as many bird-watchers as birds Mr. Kite spotted coot, greylag goose, lapwing, teal, wigeon, gadwall, tufted duck and 40 common snipe.

On the reserve Mr. Kite ticked off robin, marsh tit, rook, great crested grebe and linnet.

Normally Mr. Kite would have cycled from Venus Pool to Attingham Park for a look into the bare trees for woodland birds but this year the plan had to be changed. Last year ended with the patter of rain and began with the sound of running water. So when Mr. Kite ignored radio warning of a road closure between Cross Houses and Atcham due to the flooding of the River Severn he got his new sandels and new socks wet before abandoning the plan and forgetting about Attingham Park until another day.

On the New Year's Day as usual Mr. Kite went to Monkmoor Lagoon for the last part of the day as the air cooled and the day turned to dusk. When he got there the pool was bare except a flying pied wagtail, a kestrel and six stock doves sitting on a pole.

At about 1630 the daylight faded, the owls were silent and Mr. Kite celebrated the start of a new year with an Old Speckled Hen. Cheers.

Monday 31st December (Back to Life)

The year of 2012 is drawing to a close. The sky is darkening, the light is fading and Mr. Kite is preparing himself for 2013 and another year of cycling and bird-watching amongst other things.

Today Mr. Kite cleaned his bicycle, checked his saddle-bags and put the finishing touches to his diary and planner. Tomorrow is the start of a New Year and new adventures. There will be birds to identify, roads to cycle down and a world full of nature. Mr. Kite will be there writing and recording his sightings and his thoughts.

So now that it is dark outside and the birds have gone home to roost Mr. Kite will draw the curtains and shut the outside world out until 'the new dawn'.