Christmas Goose

Wednesday 24th December, Uttoxeter Quarry, 12:30 - 14:30.

Quite a successful couple of hours at the quarry on christmas eve. Firstly, a personal site tick in the form of a Jack Snipe that took off out of the sedge, and very nearly gave me a heart attack! Even though I saw where it landed nearby, could I find it again? Nope.

On the far side of the main gravel pit there is a field. Usually there are Canadas and Greylags grazing here, as well as the three grown-up Cuckoo Geese (remember them?, they're still alive). Today however there were a small number of Barnacle Geese with them.

Imagining myself being on Islay, for a bit of a laugh I decided to count them (16 in the end). However, in amongst the geese was something much smaller and darker. "Bejaysus!" I thought (or words to that effect), that's a Brent Goose!

Certainly was, of the dark bellied race, and that is a site tick. It never ceases to amaze does it? You get towards the last few days of the year, you don't think there's going to be anything new to see (and thoughts are turning towards the new year).


At the time of writing I'd hoped to get out birding again. But ever since christmas morning I've had this rotten cold. I don't know where this "man flu" nonsense comes from. Even this cold I've got, which is quite a bad one, when you've got flu you really know about it!

I managed to visit family on christmas day and boxing day, but for nowhere near as long as I would've liked. I probably should've stayed at home, gone and spread my germs around now.

Hopefully I'll be out again soon. I must be improving if I'm on the computer again. In the meantime I've been catching up on some quality telly. I've just watched "Carry On Up The Jungle" on G.O.L.D. Then later on, on BBC2, the best ever episode of "The Young Ones" is on later, Bambi! I think I'm on the alumni at Scumbag College.