Trip to The Lodge

Brambling (Anthony McGeehan)

I've practically become a hermit recently, shunning any public engagements and I'm probably also suffering from S.A.D due to the distinct lack of sunlight recently. It's just been so grey and often wet outside plus it's turned decidedly nippy recently too. I am most certainly a summer bod who loves to lap up the rays like a basking lizard.

I've been spending time at home nursing a decapitated telescope that was smashed in transit when I went to The Azores last October. The baggage guys were almost certainly playing drop the parcel when they chucked my case into the back of the Jumbo. I should really get it fixed at some point. I've also been writing profusely recently which is the main reason why I haven't even made it to my beloved Scrubs, apart from a brief site visit yesterday to point out were our new ground feeders should go.

Today I tripped up the A1 to visit the boys and girls at The Lodge, the RSPB's headquarters. The main purpose of my visit was to meet the new editor Mark Ward and the magazine's designer Joel. They were both great guys and made me feel totally welcome. Apparently, according to the reader research my column is one of the more popular sections of Birds Magazine and as such the guys are keen to pimp up my page to make it more urban. That was brilliant news for me because it means that I can also delve into writing more about urban wildife.

Mark and I went for a stroll around the reserve for a spot of birding and to chat further. He's a pretty hot birder having been into it all his life and he certainly knew his stuff. The thing I liked about him most was his passion for getting people at all levels of interest involved with the wonderful world of birds and conservation. We watched a large flock of roving Redpolls. There must have been over 200 that included at least one Mealy and a Coue's that has been floating around with them. Needless to say, I dipped on the regular Waxwings and didn't see a Brambling.

Hey ho, it back to the writing I go with MTV Dance and the occasional switch to the news on BBC...