Maine, mid-February '23

Red-breasted Merganser

After a month in New England, we've been back home in Old England for a few days now, and while I have brief opportunities to rattle through the memory card I should grasp them.... starting with a few from Maine, where we had a wonderful days with our old, ex-pat friends Kat and George (and Indigo, and many dogs, chickens etc).

American Red Squirrel 

We'd had it planned long in advance, and as it turned out, our timing was almost unbelievable - detailed in full previously, in this post - but the giant beast below had something to do with that thrilling serendipity.... just to add to the story, incredibly it hasn't been seen since. There's luck, and then there's luck.

Steller's Sea-eagle, near Georgetown, Maine. Yikes. 

It was cold, it was beautiful, it was a lot of fun, and we wish it was longer; but a few days with family on Plum Island, Massachusetts beckoned, and so we were on our way after four days and nights.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Eastern Bluebirds

White-breasted Nuthatch

Pine Siskin

A Swift 1K - one year, 1000km, £4200+ for Swifts!

Filey beach, 17th Jan '23 - a memorable run not only because it was a beautiful, steely pink sundown on my deserted beach (note frozen 'tache), but because it was my longest to date - all the way to the chalk cliffs of Speeton and back, and then further, totalling 14km. I paid for it afterwards....

It's a wrap! As I type here in the middle of a (very beautiful) heavy snowstorm in western Massachusetts, the clock runs out on my 12-month challenge to raise funds for Sheffield Swift Network, which began way back on 1st March '22. 

My challenge had two targets: The first was physical, in which I aimed to run and cycle 1000 kilometres over those 12 months. Having hit 500km the previous year (raising funds for Turtle Dove conservation), I was pretty sure I could do it, barring injuries or other unforseen issues, and an additional 500km on the bike wouldn't be a huge struggle; ideally I'd make it a 60/40 split (600km running, 400 cycling), which I'm happy to say is how it panned out in the end.

Filey beach, June '22. Warm enough to jump straight into the North Sea after my run on this and many other occasions in the summer - bliss!

The second was fundraising, of course - an initial £1000 target (1K distance, 1K funds - hence, a Swift 1K...), with all funds raised going to the wonderful team of dedicated, inspiring volunteers who make up the Sheffield Swift Network (more about them a little later). Happily, as support grew, so did my target - £1500, then £2K, £3k, and eventually an unexpectedly lofty £4K. All donations and support came from a great many kind souls and my only means of connecting with them was via social media - a timely reminder that the latter really can be a force for good.

Filey Beach, May '22

So I'm going to use this post to reflect (and indulge) a little; the challenge became a really enjoyable adventure over the course of this last year, and I ran in many places and in many circumstances in my efforts to keep eating up the kilometres, wherever I happened to be. 

Personal Achievements 

With the emphasis on the word personal - we're talking about a 50 year-old out-of-shape asthmatic with genetic high cholesterol and osteoarthritis in his feet, after all - but it's all about context, isn't it? A few years ago, the idea of running for a bus would've filled me with fear; a couple of years ago, the idea of running 500km in a year (or 40km a month) would've seemed outlandish; even a year ago, hitting 600km in a year, or 50km a month, was a lofty aspiration, now achieved. So, onwards and upwards, as long as the soft machine's apparatus allow, at least.

Killingholme, July '22 - almost a 'private' track at work, and venue of my fastest 5k and 10k's ever thus far....

5K PB - 24.48 - Killingholme, Lincs, 20th Sep '22. My first sub-25 minute 5K. 

10K PB - 55.51 - Killingholme, Lincs, 28th Nov '22. The arthritis limits the number (and speed) of tens I can do, so I enjoy them when I can. 

14K - the longest distance I've yet run - Filey beach, 17th Jan '23. A joy; and yes, I paid for it for about a week afterwards....

The other end of the bay, with Bempton Cliffs behind me. It's a long way back, but it's worth it. 

Where and when 

As you might expect, the majority of my running was close to home - I'm spoiled to have seven miles of sandy beach and sweeping panoramas on my doorstep, and that's my go-to, happy-place, dream of a track. I ran at all times of day, often at night, usually 5K, sometimes more, occasionally a lot more (see above - the 14K took me to the chalk of Speeton Cliffs, back, and more). In winter, it's all mine; in summer, I sometimes have to share it, which is tempered by the joy of jumping straight into the sea for a dip after a run.

Killingholme, November '22 - just the birds and the mud for company....

Elsewhere locally, there's the seafront, which is a good option when the tide is high; trail runs through town to the clifftops and Carr Naze; and loops out of town and back via Primrose Valley. The latter two were new alternatives introduced in the winter when the weather was lousy, the tide was high and I needed to push myself outside to keep roughly on schedule.... I've also varied my running, incorporating styles and landscapes I'd previously shied away from; I'll pretty much run anywhere these days (as long as there aren't too many steep hills - my loathing of them diminishes none). Thus I've enjoyed trail runs both close to home and further afield, tracks, streets, muddy clifftops and more this year. 

Locations 

There have been many, which not only kept it interesting, but also inspired me to look at every trip, near or far, as an opportunity to get kilometres on the board. I've run in five countries, multiple US States, on beautiful islands closer to Norway (Shetland) and Eritrea (Lesvos) than home, in native forests, in cities, on many a beach and clifftop, into several seas.... 

So, in roughly chronological order, here's my totals. 

Filey, North Yorkshire - 285.5km. Almost half my overall 600km running total was local, and how lucky I am to enjoy it. 

Killingholme, Lincolnshire - 120.5km. For several years now this riverside enclave, surrounded on three sides by industry and one by the mighty Humber, has been one of my regular bird surveying sites. They are long days (even before you count the driving....) with significant gaps between counts, and what is effectively a private riverside running track at my disposal - so I make the most of it there.

My penultimate 5k in Greenfield, Mass a couple of days ago. Snow, ice, full of cold, but so close....

Greenfield, NW Massachusetts, USA - 20km. A New England small town, home to my brother- and sister-in-law Ned and Anna, and my two magical nieces, Oona and Poe. We visited for a few days last March (in the first month of my #ASwift1K), briefly again in July, and last week - which is when, and where, I concluded my challenge. It's worth pointing out that the latter runs were with a heavy cold and were the first after breaking my toe about two weeks previously in Maine....

And the last run of the challenge, also in Greenfield. Nailed!

Warren, Massachusetts, USA - 38km. Amity's family home here in the woods of Western Mass, and usually our base when we're visiting out here. I ran twice here back in April (freezing, below), a bunch of times in July (boiling), and again last month (freezing again). My nemesis, Bragg Hill, is at the beginning of each run, thank the gods.

Masham, North Yorkshire - 5km. A riverside run at the end of April last year, and the last of my 40's (we were there for a quiet getaway for my 50th). 

Spurn/Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - 26km. I was again fortunate to spend three five-day weeks guiding there last year (in May, late Oct, and early Nov), and it's a great place to run (below), even when the weather's lousy.

The Dordogne, France - 14km. A lovely week with family in the wilds of the Dordogne to celebrate my old man's 80th, and some quality woodland trail-running into the bargain. 

Saxton's River, Vermont, USA - 15km. Another lovely family getaway, this time with Amity's side and in a lovely little New England village in the wilds of Vermont in July. 

Aberdeenshire, Scotland - 10km. As part of a memorable road trip, Amity and I spent a lovely few days in the Aberdeenshire countryside, exploring neolithic sites and stone circles. Nice running, too.

Lerwick, Shetland - 15km. Two runs along the town's bayside (below) while staying with our dear friends Eike and Andrew during the above road trip.

Yell, Shetland - 6km. We spent a few wonderful days holed up in a remote cottage on Yell, and a run in the rain there (below) was a pleasure.

Lesvos, Greece - 21km. Nine days with birding brothers Rich and Will on the idyllic Greek island of Lesvos in autumn '22, and plenty of opportunity to run along the beach front (and then jump straight into the Aegean, emulating my summer habits back in Filey). 

Anagach Forest, Highland, Scotland - 20km. My regular week guiding and speaking at the wonderful Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown-on-Spey in November, and several opportunities to enjoy some proper off-roading in the native Caledonian Pine forest just behind the hotel (below), most memorably with my good friend (and ace local bird guide) Simon for company.

Bristol, UK - 5km. Squeezed in a hungover urban run while staying with our lovely friends the Kotecha-Kennedys over New Year. 

Wiscasset, Maine, USA - 5km. With my dear old friend George (below), and just before I broke my toe, putting the whole target in jeopardy with two weeks to go. (Thankfully two runs in Greenfield, Ma. a few days ago just got me over the line in time.... note prophetic ad on the speedway bleachers)

So, one year on, and it's going to be great handing over more than four grand - all donations from you good people - to the wonderful Sheffield Swift Network to help them continue their amazing work, helping save Swifts in the Steel City and beyond. They do so much, all voluntarily, all for the love of Swifts - check out their work, and consider helping them in any way you can, here: Sheffield Swift Network website

The first day of spring in Western Massachusetts

Dark-eyed Juncos - lots of these gorgeous, characterful little passerines around at the moment, although most will be heading north soon

Here we are (still), three weeks into our month-long family-and-friends trip here in New England. It's been wonderful, but more of that later; for now, here's a few photos from the family homestead out here near Warren, Ma. today, the first day of spring. After plenty of snow, today saw a brief respite and temporary thaw; as of tomorrow, it's game on again, especially in upstate New York, which is where we're headed for a few days.

Black-capped Chickadee - omnipresent, tame, and always willing to strike a pose for the camera

Male House Finch - common, but underrated, both aesthetically and aurally 

Oh, come on

American Goldfinch - not in their prime at this time of year, but slowly getting there

Carolina Wren - a common presence in the garden at the moment

Hairy Woodpecker and Eastern Bluebird

God Bless 'em (merica)

Meanwhile, these things are everywhere.

Into Steller's Overdrive

Still in a state of blissful aftershocking after this morning's extraordinary, almost unbelievable experience with this globe-trotting, beautiful beast of a bird. The trail of good fortune that led us here is just as extraordinary - what are the chances of effectively crossing paths with a Steller's Sea Eagle - itself on the 'wrong' side of the planet - by chance? So here's what happened....

News broke of this now infamous north-eastern Asian vagrant miraculously reappearing in Maine, NE New England, about a week ago. Incredible in of itself, but by tantalising coincidence, we were due to leave for a trip to see family and friends (over various locations in New England) just a few days later; more pertinently - after a few days at the family homestead in western Massachusetts - we were due to stay with our dear friends Kat and George here in Maine as of, well, now.

Cue... firstly, making low-expectation geographical checks: Maine is about the size of Portugal, and the eagle could easily be three or four hours away (or at least too far away to be realistically doable); and so it seemed scarcely believable when Google maps provided a journey time of twenty minutes between their house and the bird's favoured riverside haunt.

Secondly, navigating a nervous few days before we flew out here - and then another few days with Am's folks in Western Mass - walking the fine line between flickering hope (checking the alerts and social media feeds) and the calming zen of experience-tinged realism (it'll likely move on, go missing again, or at least not play ball within our critical time frame).

As the time until we headed up here grew closer and closer, as did the possibility of connecting with this incredible bird - likely a unique opportunity, given that it's so far out of normal range (and I don't expect to visit Hokkaido anytime soon, sadly) and we visit Maine, well, never (this is my first time).

Fast forward to yesterday, and our first chance to try for it. It was last reported the day before, but only briefly, at distance, and in flight; well, at least it was theoretically still in the area... we arrived at the road bridge overlooking its most recently favoured resting spot, and were soon absorbed into a 170-strong throng of hopeful birders lining the narrow hard shoulder...

No joy, no reports, and the painful possibility of the bird having moved on (in sunshine and rapidly rising temperatures). But, a pleasant couple of hours with lots of pleasant fellow birders (hi Lev, Paul, Maureen et al!), and more silent prayer to the birding gods for tomorrow....

Which is today, and as you may have guessed by now, those gods were unequivocally, unwaveringly on my side. Our experience could hardly have been more exhilarating, or perfect - but it could so easily have been the very opposite, with a succession of what-ifs falling in our favour.

We had just incredible views, as the bird (initially perched atop a tall pine on the other side of the river) took flight within three or four minutes of us arriving, before attempting (and almost succeeding) in catching a Canada Goose in front of us, and then staging what felt like a dreamlike, slow-motion fly-by as we collectively gasped in awe, before disappearing into the endless, mostly impenetrable forest landscape.

If we'd have spent those crucial three or four minutes in a variety of other ways (and we'd have arrived, like others, seconds after its dramatic exit), it's fair to say I wouldn't be sat here at the dining table, beaming at the constant flow of Bluebirds and Nuthatches visiting the garden feeders....

If we'd have spent another few minutes idly chatting with Indigo's teachers as we dropped her off at school, pre-eagle hunt (hi, Lorna!); if we'd have stopped at the bridge, just to check first; if we'd not have known which (hidden) trail to take to the more remote spot (George having been a few days previously); if we'd not have run more than half of the mile or so along the trail... so many variables, all of which went in our favour. What a morning.....

.... extra special thanks to this wonderful human - all down to him, and so great to see him on his new home turf.

Auction for Swifts #3 - Jo Ruth

The penultimate of four bespoke, original, unique artworks, all in aid of Swifts (via the wonderful work of the Sheffield Swift Network).....

This beautiful, unique, original A3 hand-printed stencil print, in gouache and acrylic, by the amazing Jo Ruth - is now available via silent auction! Bids of just £60 and over to sheffieldswiftappeal@gmail.com until Feb 13th. Optional personalised message from the artist. 

THANK YOU - FROM THE SWIFTS!