The Lyons Share

Anyone who has spent time with me in the field in the last nine years will have seen this bag. I bought it whilst working for the RSPB on Anglesey from a shop in Bangor for about £25 and it's served me well. Very well in fact. The zips have gone, the clips have broken twice but now the draw strings and the lining are coming away so I needed a replacement. I know this is a boring post but I suddenly realised that the cells in my body have almost been completely replaced over the lifetime of this bag. In other words, it's actually been more consistent in my life than I have! It's also the one piece of kit that I use every day but I rarely acknowledge that.

I asked Mum for a new bag for Christmas and guess what I got? Exactly the same bag! It's not that I don't like change but if it ain't broke, don't fix it! It has a few new improvements, like a built in water proof cover that folds out of the top of the bag which is gonna come in really handy.

The last year has been incredible. I have seen so many new species and places. It's also been incredibly testing at times. So, what's in store for 2012 I hear you say? Well I am going to carry on with the listing, blogging and podcasting but it's all going to be a little less targeted and a lot more opportunistic so I can free up some more time for writing my novel and other such unnatural history activities. I'm also going to be going abroad and out of county more often so there will be some 'exotic' coverage too.

I made some peace with the past too this Christmas break and spent a lot of time on my old patch, San's Brook. Not birding like I would of when I was a kid but running. I was pleased to complete a five mile run this morning but even better were the birds I heard and saw. Goosander, Kingfisher, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redpoll, Siskin and Crossbill. I did go for a walk there too with my family and realised that I have not been back there for many years to take photos. I didn't however see/hear the Willow Tits that used to be so frequent there. Anyway, I'm about to move house (where I will have a garden again!) and I'm rather looking forward to making the most of 2012, posts are likely to be a little thin on the ground for a while though. Happy new year to you!