Poppy's success

Poppy took and passed her Kennel Club Good Citizen Bronze award yesterday. She did very well and was one of the best in the test out of 8. One big wooly dog failed, because it wouldn't sit and stay, or recall. Poppy just managed a minute in sit and stay but was excellent on her recall. Well done Poppy.

Wirral Wander

Thought I'd have a look at the Wirral coast, the only time I'd been before was with the 'Birding and Beyond' trip to Hilbe Island.
I went specifically to look for Leach's Petrel, and did some internet research as to the best spots.
High tide was about 1.30pm and there was a strong NW wind blowing, good omens for Leach's.
I thought the best idea would be to head for New Brighton, so I took the old Birkenhead tunnel, I never remember it being so twisty !! The new one is much straighter.

Anyway I found Perch Rock in New Brighton and drove down the prom. towards the Wirral Countyside Park at the far end. Didn't encounter many birds though !!

I found Gun Sights Car Park, apparently one of the premier sites for Leach's on the Wirral.
There were a few birders there already peering at the foaming brown Irish Sea. But very few birds were obvious, just the occassional Gull and a small Cormorant roost on top of a breakwater marker.
Eventually a flock of Oystercatchers landed on the beach, a small wader with them was, I think, a redshank, but it didn't hang around for me to be positive.
After half an hour staring at the foam, I did get one Leach's halfway out to the horizon, a tick, but not a very convincing view, just a flash of it's white rump against a dark grey body, shearing between the wave crests. The chap next to me couldn't get on to even that. According to the internet when I got home 20+ had been past, but not whilst I was there !!! Typical !!!

I carried on to Hoylake, stopped first at Dovepoint, nothing there except a toilet, very useful though !!
Continuing up the promenade, I was looking for King's Gap, not realising it was 'one way' until I noticed all the parked cars were facing to other way !!! Luckily I'd only gone about 50 yards, quick 'u' turn !!!!
So I had to go through the centre of Hoylake to find the other end of the prom. How peculiar !!
King's Gap was awash with waders right next to the prom. as the tide was now up. Big flocks of Knot, Dunlin ans Sanderling, all in their various plumage patterns, interesting to pick them out. A few Bar Tailed Godwit were mixed into the Grey Plover flock and Ringed Plover were plentiful.
A flock of Oystcatcher huddling together on the edge of the water had some Sandwich Terns in it.
Shelduck mixed with the Gulls floating just off the beach, Lesser Black Back, Black Headed, Common and Herring Gulls were the ones I managed to identify. No Skuas though that I could find.

I thought I'd have a look at West Kirby marina for Geese, but it was inundated by the sea and the waves were crashing over the prom. So I called it a day, thought of trying Gun Sight again on the way home, but got on the wrong road and ended up at the new tunnel before I noticed.

Called in at Crosby Lifeboat one the way past, just in case there were any Leach's there, but nothing except the odd Cormorant, Lesser Black Back, and thousands of Starlings.

A frustrating day in some ways, but now I know where to go next time.
   

Meet the family

Sunday saw us driving to the Hamsterley Forest in County Durham to join the sponsored walk in aid of the British Legion, organised by June, Poppy's breeder.
It was a fun day where we walked about 2 miles along the River Bedburn, a beautiful spot.
We met Simon, eventually, after some fun looking for him in a very busy carpark, and the fact that he only had £2.80 and it cost £3 to park !!!!
We were lucky enough to meet Poppy's brother Oscar, there was no mistaking him, just a bit bigger and broader than Poppy, but otherwise identical.

It was wierd to find he didn't like cars (put him in 'like a wheelbarrow' his Mum said, just like Poppy) or wheelie bins and like to pull on his lead, as well as 'hoovering' up his food, must be in the genes !! 
We had a good chat with his Mum and Dad, and, before we set off on the walk, we met June again.
It looked like Poppy recognised her, she was so gentle and snuggled up to her. June was pleased to see all her charges together, and such good looking gentle dogs all of them.
Along the way we met another Golden Retriever, a big beautiful dog called Finlay, who turned out to be Poppy's half brother from South Shields. What a giant he is, just like his father, enormous paws and full of fun. He liked to pull as well and was unsure of cars, wheelie bins and things that fluttered like flags. But what lovely friendly dogs her family are, well done, June !!!
At the end of the walk we had a fun dog show, where we entered 'the prettiest bitch' and the 'sit' categories.

 Needless to say we won neither !!!

Although we think she's the prettiest anyway !!!

More than can be said for the little portly bloke on the left, more exercise required ??
(am I standing in a hole ??)
A lovely day, in a lovely part of the world, with lovely warm people, what better way to spend a sunny Sunday.
  
 

Reasons not to

I've not done much birding this summer, apart from holidays.
That's because of the following :

Poppy, our Golden Retriever pup, arrived from County Durham at the end of April, just at migration time !!
So all my time has been taken up settling in our baby. Feeding three times a day and daily training.
She soon found the pond !!! and her way around the garden.

She's been going to training at West Lancs Canine Centre in Formby every Tuesday night and has made lots of friends, canine and human. Boot, the bearded collie, Ira, and Noodle, the poodle just to name a few !!!
She's learned to sit (sometimes) lie down (occasionally) stay (she's good at that) and to walk to heel (if I can go as fast as her)
She's hopefully going to do her Bronze Kennel Club award at the end of September, she should have done it in June but she broke a bone in her foot during 'rough and tumble' with the other club pups.
 She's six months now and well settled down, Jet has learned to tolerate her boisterous moments and they love to lie together.

So my annual total this year looks unlikely to exceed 170 !! so much for 200 in a year, and the local birds I've missed !! Hopefully they'll be back next year.
Maybe, next year, she can help me find them ??!!??