Oh Driving License, why did we not meet earlier?

I love driving. I love seeing birds. I love doing things in the evenings so life isn't one big repetitive cycle of sleeping and working. It logically follows that driving, to see some birds, in the evening after work, is pretty damn awesome. No, it's better than that. It's... well, I don't think the word has been invented. And if it has, I don't know it.

It doesn't have to be anywhere special, which is good, cos it never is. Just Rainham will do, usually the Mound carpark as it's the only one without gates. I don't even have to see many birds to keep me happy - singing whitethroats and skylarks are more than good enough to get me my fix - but it is undoubtedly better when there are birds.

Tonight started as usual, with a quick scan of the river. Nothing doing, but I'd been hoping for some little gulls. On the land though, a singing reed warbler and a reeling grasshopper warbler were both welcome year-ticks (damnit), and three wheatears looking sleepy on Wennington were pleasing finds. A female peregrine was doing the usual - sleeping and preening - and halfway along the track a male stonechat was being all territorial. Very enjoyable.

Talking of enjoyable, I was pulling up to the Cherry Tree, from the Abbs Cross Lane direction. I'm sure some of you know it. In front of me was a souped up Ford chavmobile with a bottle-blonde bint at the wheel, her Only-Way-Is-Essex lookalike roid-junkie in the seat beside her. In front of them was a learner. At the last minute, the bint seemed to notice the big L plates and pulled out into the right hand lane. It was clear she was going to do a Stupid and try and get in front of the learner. The lights changed, engine notes rose, cars started to move... and then, in one of those once-in-a-blue-moon moments, the bint stalled out and everybody, learner included sailed past. with massive grins. Brilliant.

Have a stonechat. Excuses for this one are low light, manual focus from a moving car with ISO set stupidly.


I bought a new guitar amp. It's very big, and very loud. If you're local, and are one of the few that read this that aren't in the band, come and watch me play through it badly at the Optimist in Upminster on St Georges Day. It's sure to be chav-tastic.