Friday 2 January 2009

This day in history

Thinking back over the years and inparticularly this day it suddenly dawned on me that Jan 2nd was for various reasons a memorable day and as ten years has passed I guess I should 'celebrate' still being here!!
Jan 2nd 1969. I was only 2 years old had a very small bird list and probably was watching 'Watch with Mother' on the black and white TV
Jan 2nd 1979. I was now birding but have no bird notes for then!!
Jan 2nd 1989. A trip to Theale in Berks for 4 American Wigeon hybrids !!!! Why. I also saw a Red necked Grebe at Wraysbury, 4 Waxwings at Burnham, wherever that was and an adult Med Gull at Footscray.
Jan 2nd 1999. Panajachel, near Lake Atitlan, Guatemala and a stroll down the hill from the viewpoint found us Rusty Sparrow a much wanted tick and then feeling the barrel of a gun in my back as some bleeding Guatemalans decided to rob myself and Keith of our bins, tape recorder and cameras!! Neil fortunately dipped Rusty Sparrow thereby saving him from this 'trial of life' and found us running down the hill in pursuit of the first vehicle we saw having been released unhurt. I'd like to think that those 7 X 30 Swarovski SLC bins are still in good working order and hopefully being used for conservation purposes in Central America therefore hopefully some good will come of them.
What will Jan 2nd 2019 hold I wonder?

3 comments:

Tony Morris said...

Don't bird on Dartford Marsh, I could be more dangerous thsn Guatemala!

Barry said...

DARTFORD MARSH.History now,though I do miss the old place, and I did learn a great deal about birding there as well as dumped cars, affairs in parked cars, illegal activities, and of course, Yellow legged Gulls!!!

Anonymous said...

It was almost a year ago that I got a kickng and had my optics smashed by some bikers on Dartford Marsh. So, I was a little worried when two bikers approached me today and stopped a few yards away as I scoped the Thames. At this point one of them said "do you mind if we pass in front of you...."

See, they're not all bad!!

Andy L.