Blokes ..

I ought to make mention of some of the people who are likely to crop up regularly in this blog. There are many others that I could list but these have been my main birding and mothing accomplices: Birding: John Hackett – joined the company I was working for in the early 90's and someone who knew we were both interested in birds (though probably not realising that the level of interest was at that time on different playing fields) got us talking. No idea where he is or what he's doing these days since he left Leicester. Brian Moore – aka the Wearside Whippet. No idea how Brian met John, but it was with these two that I ended up watching that Oriental Pratincole. Brian is (or at least he was) a Chef – very much like the one in South Park but with a higher-pitched voice and lighter skin tone. Richard Revell – came to Leicester from Hull. Joined John, Brian and me on numerous twitches and trips in between 1994 – c1997. Again no idea where he is or what he's doing. Dave Gray – claims to be Welsh, and spent many years in a perpetual state of studentdom. Is now also a psychiatric nurse. What is it this affinity between birders and the mentally ill. First met Dave on a birding trip to Norfolk with Brian in March 1995. Dave's greatest birding accolade is the unique ability to singularly fail in giving adequate directions to anything of interest. Basically. John Hague – hailing from Yorkshire, supporter of Sheffield Wednesday and a psychiatric nurse – no doubt meeting the same people at home games and on suicide watch at work. First joined me, Brian and John Hackett for a Black-throated Thrush in Jan 1996. http://drunkbirders.blogspot.com/ Rob Fray – local lad, started birding whilst still in short trousers and was for a long time the whole of the LROS committee, now lives on Shetland with his gay dog called Sparky. http://www.robfray.co.uk/ Richard Fray – Rob's younger brother. Prior to emigrating to Arizona, Richard was also Rob's fatter, nocturnal and work-shy brother. http://www.rpf-wildlife-photos.com/home.php Birding and Mothing: Andy Mackay – local birding luminary and internationally renowned illustrative artist (I think it says on his blog). Andy is chiefly responsible for kick-starting my mothing interest, and for rejecting my July 1994 Red Kite record whilst he was County Recorder (I'm not bitter and don't hold grudges). http://www.ajm-wildlife-art.co.uk/blog/ Mothing: Adrian Russell – eminent county lepidopterist and long-standing county recorder. Also the chief supplier of virtually all of the excellent moth traps in VC55. Keith Tailby – based in Ravestone, but thinks nothing of driving all the way to Scotland for a single tick and then all the way back (ludicrous, I'd never do that ….) http://www.mothshots.com/ Ron Follows – owner of one of the best mothing gardens in VC55, there have been more county-first macros in Ron's Barrowden garden that I could hope for. Ron has the luxury of being retired – so he also spends a fair chunk of his time doing voluntary and ringing at RW.