Tuesday 23 July 2013

Working Day

Last Friday a working party consisting of Alan J, Graeme B, Craig B and myself headed for the North Scrape on Big Waters intending to clear the mud off the front edge and to cut back the reeds to enable the scrape to be seen from the 1st hide and for those who are to lazy to head up to the hides to get their scopes out and peruse from the watchpoint at the public end.  Little did we know we had picked the hottest day of the year and even after an hour Craig and I were soaked in sweat although Alan and Graeme were standing in water and thus keeping quite cool or at least they said they did.  By midday I was just about finished so went over to the main hide to check on how things were looking from over there.  On my way back I met Craig who was leaving due to other commitments and being a bit knackered I think.  We took a break for lunch and then Alan and Graeme set to work with an unbelievable determination (I thought someone had stuck 4 new Duracell batteries in them) with me doing odd little jobs and clearing up as I only had little Wellies on as opposed to their waders (thats my excuse, personally my whole body was aching and I was just about dead on my feet).  Graeme was a tower of strength as usual and Alan wasn't too far behind him.  So in the future when you are all looking at those waders on the North Scrape think of the amount of work that went into it by the few for the pleasure of the many (sorry Winston for a bit of plagiarism).  Here are a few pictures of the day with the last one being a shot of the first bird we saw on the scrape, an adult Water Rail, if you cant tell.

The Planning with Alan telling us what to do

This sequence shows what Graeme did for most of the Day (Like an Automaton) 
The wight of the tubas and the stench was unbelievable




I didn't realise how daft this hat looks till I saw this, It now enters my 
Northumberland list of Daft Hats along with Tim Sextons "Yak Hat" 
from about 3 years ago and Tom Cadwallender's Lumistrocity which he
wore to the Cattle Egret Twitch

Craig fighting his way through the Reeds

Bit of a "Fisherman's Tale" here, "It was that deep"

No it isn't, when you get off your knees

BTW that isn't blood on his shirt, its paint as he hasn't washed his shirt
He said he was going to throw it out after today
(We will all wait to see what he wears on the next workday, don't tell him we are watching)

Lunchtime (Alan took the pic, I was too tired to take one back)


Back to work in the afternoon and the removal of an extremely stubborn tuba
(Alan will definitely never make it as an actor with his "I'm working hard look")

Nearly Finished


Finished and back in the main hide (note Water Rail in centre on the refurbished scrape)

I would have put an "After" photo here for you but unfortunately you will have to
come and see what it is like for yourself with Alan commenting
"PHOTOGRAPHERS WELCOME BUT PLEASE PUT YOUR SIGHTINGS IN THE BOOK"
(and if you don't know what it is you know where to send it, even I have to help Alan out sometimes with his identification with the odd Green Sandpiper, Reed Warblers etc)
Over and Out

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