The view from my front window
London and the south east received some of the heaviest snowfall since 1991. I remember that occasion very well, as I had to abandon my car on Tottenham Court Road and trudge home to Ladbroke Grove through the Westend underdressed (I had a suit on), trying to stay on my feet whilst avoiding random snowball missiles. I just can't get used to seeing London under snow when in reality, cold winters and all it entails should really be par for the course. Perhaps I've been spoilt by global warming - getting too used to mild winters and thinking that a few puffs of snowdust for around 10 minutes on a winter's day is a veritable blizzard!This time around I found myself squelching through the largely deserted streets of Soho dressed in full Lapland regalia. Well, walking boots, thermal jacket and Davy Crockett hat. Perhaps I was a tad over dressed. This was especially apparent when I saw the ever present Hare Krishna guys walking down Regents Street en masse in their shawls and trainers (no Jesus boots) uttering their familiar chant, only this time it definitely sounded like 'Hare Krishmas'!
Back at snow bound base I received an email from the editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine inviting me down to Bristol next week to meet with them to discuss the possibility of writing for them in some capacity. I'm really excited because it really is a prestigious magazine and one that I have always wanted to get involved with.
Meanwhile, I will be in Paris next Monday and Tuesday researching for my Bird Watching Magazine article. I still haven't got anywhere to stay, so I will be trawling The Fatbirder website to see if I can track anyone down.
Tonight, I finally emailed the article that I wrote for the Conwy RSPB reserve on Wormwood Scrubs as I stared forlornly at my to do list. I have to write a section for the 2006 London Bird Report, write the January 2009 Scrubs report, plan my assault on the BBC Bristol Natural History Unit when I'm down there to see BBC Wildlife and start researching for a documentary that I want to write and make about the vultures in India.
Here goes......
4 comments:
For Paris next week, your previous blog about going there had spurred me to do some digging and I discovered a French urban birding mailing list. You could ask there maybe, or I could ask for you if your French is not up to it (though english is tolerated)?
Nathalie, my French is shite!
What exactly do you mean by 'French urban birding mailing list'?
Is it a list of contacts or places?
Lesson No. 1
Bird = oiseau - pronounced wasoh
birds = oiseaux - pronounced as above
what more do you need!
My French may not be quite a flawless as it was before I moved over here, but if you need any help, don't hesitate.
Another good word to know is 'ornitho' which is what birdwatching is usually referred as. The mailing list I mentioned is like the londonbirders one on yahoo and is called ornitho_urbaine: http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/ornitho_urbaine/
The guy who started the mailing list, Frederic Mahler, also has a blog: http://lesoiseauxenville.skynetblogs.be/ (birds in town)
HTH
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