Blogger On Strike ?

Ok, so I haven't been keeping the blog up to date. Well, it seems I am not the only one ok ? !

The principle reason is that I am really, really busy just now - I am out doing loads of fieldwork and quite a bit of ringing and it is taking a lot of time to 'process' sound recordings and log field notes (which is always best to do right after a site visit). I sleep the rest of the time that I am not working eg. earning a living. These sort of things really make me wish I was a 'desk ornithologist' after all..................well then again, maybe not !

As far as crossbills go I am afraid it is that time of the year that if I tell you anything I will have to kill you, or get that little Geordie fella Daniel Craig to do it for me. However, lots of good stuff recently including definitive evidence of crossbill monogomy, Scottish excitement calls recorded twice in one day (!) and some more potentially worrying evidence of uncoupling in association between Ec's and Fc's. Crossbills, don't you just love 'em ?

Another good bit of dogged and determined stubborn fieldwork on Sunday produced a song from a male that I recorded singing pretty much a year ago to the day over his nest. I haven't compared the sonograms yet but it will be interesting when I do ( he is colour ringed BTW). This is exactly the stuff I have been after - just need more of it now.

I also had crippling views of a Capercaillie ( female unfortnately) last Monday, only 30 yards away gritting on a forest trail at a very popular pinewood in a section very popular with walkers ! She just ignored me initially then got a bit nervous of a six foot potential predator holding a parabola and flew of. Stonking bird, and the closest I have been to one - normally I just see them crashing out of trees heading the other way or across my path. When I say 'normally', seeing Capers is not a normal occurence even for someone like me spending a lot of time in the pinewoods. Shame, really.

Nearly got to the bottom of the "WTF are these masts doing to my Telinga ?" thing but that is going in as a proper article on my new website which will be launched soon. Klas is working on a possible solution (a new Telinga handle !) now that we know what the problem is, and it is a problem......if in doubt, as always, blame the government and the police - all will become clear ( it really is their fault) ! The Telinga is IMHO still the best portable, quality and affordable system around.

More to come.

Hasta la vista...........or should that be "Do we get to win this time" in respect of action heros that are currently in vogue ? (yeah, yeah, I promise to keep taking my tablets)