Wednesday 7 March 2012

Tufted Duck and Eurofighter Typhoon

Went for a walk again lunch time and in a moment of madness carried on all the way to Merry Hill and collected my lens from Jessops. Hurrah!

This entailed walking along the canal from Old Hill, through Netherton, past Netherton Reservoir, down the Through Saltwells LNR and out the otherside at Merry Hill. Was walking at a pace so didnt have much time to look around.
Huge numbers of Canada Geese along the route, these all seem to be pairing off and making lots of noise. Anyway picked my lens up and headed back, allowed myself a few moments at the reservoir to look for the Great Crested Grebe, couldn't see it any where, but was surprised by a solitary Tufted Duck amongst the Black Headed and Lesser Black Backed Gulls, then a thunderous roar as an RAF Eurofighter came in low from over Dudley. In addition to Birding I'm also a bit of an aeroplane nut! So was well pleased if somewhat puzzled as the Eurofighter hung around. I could hear it all the way home, circling Dudley! Actually whilst I was out yesterday, I could hear a low flying high performance jet, so I guess it was doing it yesterday as well.

Apart from that just the usual along the canal.

4 comments:

  1. Hey
    Nice blog, and have been following for some time :)
    Ive been watching the Eurofighter for the last couple of days over the Gornal area of Dudley, over my 6th form and house, flying very low, and like you, as well as wildlife, i do like my military planes, so gerat to see!
    Apparently its been seen over bewdley aswell, and has been doing a massive loop down to the malverns and back!
    Keep up the good work!
    MB

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    1. Cheers. Will be off air for a week, off skiing! Taking my small bins though, you never know what you'll come across

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  2. The Fighter Jets flyovers were/are a familiarisation exercise in preparation for July's Olympic Games!!! It will happen in other areas across the country. I watched and certainly heard them from my home this afternoon. It reminded me of holidays years ago in Saundersfoot/Tenby when Jets were a familiar occurrence flying low...very low!!!

    The article about them is in this evenings Express & Star on page 5.

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    1. We don't get the Express and Star, so thanks for the update.
      Wont be posting now for a bit off skiing in Italy. The valley where we are going has 250 recorded species, so you never know, whilst hurtling down the hillside might see something worth mentioning when we get back.

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