Magic Madeiran - Blast from the past
"I must change that alarm ringtone." That was the first thought that entered my head at 05:50 on Sunday 18th July — a generic Nokia nightmare that forces me to flounder for the phone before it wakes any of my housemates. The early morning grumblings of a birder are oft frowned upon by the sane and well adjusted. My second thought was that "I don't hear any wind outside", and a quick look out the window left me unimpressed. I couldn't see much movement in the trees outside my house, but there did appear to be a breeze evident on those at the top of the hill. "Ugghhhh... do I really want to do this today?" A friend's birthday party the evening before had me out later than usual the night before a planned seawatch. Perhaps I should have taken the option of the offered sofa bed. Any 'normal' person would have done so, but birders aren't normal though, are we? I hauled myself out of bed and trudged, groggily, to the bathroom. "I...
