Wake me up when September ends.

And everyone else. I think the fact that people are crowding in to a Long-tailed Skua tells you everything you need to know. Is it just me, or is everything shit?*

*Title of a book I got given three times for Christmas. People know me too well. it's very good btw, and has a volume 2.

Anyway, roll up roll up for today's seagull count (Hi Liz!). Brisk SSW this morning, or even S, tbh, maybe chance of some passerines? Worth a go... but as it happened, passerines null points. Migrant ones at least, unless you count the large numbers of Barn Swallows that seem to have taken up residence in Newtonhill this week - families sitting on rooftops etc. And also unless you count butterflies, as we are overrun with Painted Ladies, Peacocks and Red Admirals. Ah, insects, the poor man's bird. There was a male Common Stonechat on wires bordering Cow Field at Cran Hill, which may have been a migrant, but equally could be a local. Apart from singing European Robins, local hotspots like Mill Garden etc. aren't just quiet, there's actually no peeps cheeps or anything. I mean, I'm not asking for much - maybe a Blackcap or Common Chiffchaff for a bit of encouragement, but nope. Nowt.

13 Ruddy Turnstones and a couple of Rock Pipits on the beach, with Eurasian Oystercatcher and Curlew. A flock of 15 crows feeding on Mount Doom that included 5 Hooded x Carrion Crows, some pretty smart ones at that. Another Redpoll sp overhead, this time over Cran Hill, and 6 Yellowhammers on wires over the stubble.

45 minutes offshore 08:25 - 09:10 - birds taking north at speed, but nothiong very interesting. No shearwaters, but 1 juvenile Arctic Skua (Parasitic) south, and 2 Great Skuas north. 409 auks (Razorbills and Guillemots (Common Murres)) north, 83 south, with a few Atlantic Puffins. 69 Black-legged Kittiwakes north negligently failed to pull a Sab's Gull along with them. 6 Common Scoters north, 2 Eurasian Teal south. 104 Northern Gannets north and 100 south clearly couldn't make up their minds.

Pink-footed Geese pouring through just now.

As if this wasn't excitement enough, when I got home in the afternoon I hoovered the car. Yes, hoovered-the-car. I started up the Dyson and the car went 'ohhhhhhhh shit! Am I being sold?' Next week, washing the driveway - welcome to your new middle class blog.

That reminds me of a funny moment from the ace 1970s/80s sitcom Porridge, starring Ronnie Barker. Involving the main character Fletch (Ronnie Barker) and his Glaswegian warder (sorry, forgot name).
Warder - You consider yourself working class, do you , Fletcher?
Fletcher - Well I did regard myself as working class, yes. That was until I visited Glasgow. Then I realised I was middle class, you know?
I've been waiting all my life to use that joke.

Diane - I'm really keen to be getting off to ASDA, but...
Martin - but what?
D - but the kids are still playing in the road.
M - well I can watch them.
D - but you're busy.
M - well I'm only busy cos I've got nothing else to do.
D - eh?

Soap Operas... it's about time Heroes of the Birding Revolution made a reappearance. Until then, I was reminded of this today while watching Channel 128 (whatever that is) at lunchtime.

Unsung babes of the soap- opera revolution with vague reference to birding no 2 (no. 1 was Emma Wray of Watching)

I give you Tessa Wyatt of Robin's Nest.


Robin's Nest had little to recommend it except Albert Riddle and the overtones of Class War between Robin and Vicky's dad. Blimey, I'm obsessed with class today.