My name is Pete Mella. I’m an amateur nature-watcher who lives in Sheffield, and this is my blog where I’ll jot down my thoughts, observations and anally-retentive lists based on my wildlife-spotting activities. Posts from 2006-2007 can be found in the old blog at http://sheffieldwildlife.blogspot.com.
I’ve still got a lot to learn about the natural world, so don’t be fooled too much if I sound like I know what I’m talking about! However I’m learning all the time and some of it seems to be sinking in… My local patch is the Loxley Valley in Sheffield, but I regularly visit a number of locations in NW Sheffield, as well as hopping on the ridiculously complicated combination of public transport that gets you from my end of Sheffield to Old Moor RSPB.
Last year I bought a Panasonic Lumix FZ18, and will be showing the results of my adventures with that – expect a giddy mix of wildlife photography that ranges from quite good to woefully inept.
If you really, really want to know about me, I work at The University of Sheffield by day as a technical assistant, but studied journalism at university. I’m a regular contributor to Sheffield Wildlife Trust’s magazine, and also volunteer occasionally at events at Old Moor. I am currently acting editor of the Sheffield Bird Study Group’s bulletin, and also take part in the BTO Breeding Birds Survey. My other interests include music (mainly indie schmindie stuff), and I formerly ran a Sheffield music website called L2SB, and contributed to (and for a while edited) Sandman Magazine.
I’ve just started a Certificate in Environmental Conservation as a part time mature student, which will hopefully fill a few gaps in my knowledge…
If anyone wants to get in touch either reply to a post on here, or email me at peterjmella(at)googlemail(dot)com.
Posted by Nick on January 18, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Hi Pete,
I’m an avid reader of your blog as I live in Lodge Moor and share a passion for wildlife. In fact we had a little race going with our bird spotting lists last year. I discounted your Rhodes spots but I reckon you ended the year one ahead at 130.
Anyway just wanted to say I like the new site – I’m developing mine using WordPress at the moment. But whilst your blog works in Firefox it seems to fall apart in IE7 – not sure if you have tested it in IE7? I think the problem may be that FAT Birder Web ring being too wide for the space it has in the right hand div.
Hope you don’t mind me mentioning this.
Meanwhile back to the spotting list race – we’re just back from a holiday so Crow, Chaffinch, Mallard and Blue Tit is it at the moment – a miserable start to the year but I’m still jet lagged!!
Posted by PMella on January 18, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Hi Nick,
Thanks a lot for the comments. It’s great to know people are reading. I’m afraid I make it 132 last year (two of my Rhodes birds – Wheatear and Peregrine – got spotted in Britain later on)! I’ve made a good start this year, but got most of the easy ones out of the way so things will start to slow down now – you shouldn’t have a problem catching up.
Thanks also for mentioning the problem with IE – I’m using IE7 myself and it looks fine, but I have quite a large resolution on my monitor which may explain why it works for me and not you. I’ll see if I can change the Far Birder code to split it up.
Let me know when your site’s up and running and I’ll link to it.
Posted by Mike Gillett on February 11, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Hi Pete
been reading your blog since stumbling across it googling for the site of the mandarin, which turned out to be 2 mins from where i live !
have you been to Lound gravel pits near retford – very good site & would probably boost your year list a bit without going too far. Here’s the website -http://loundbirdclub.piczo.com/?cr=5&rfm=y
Shame not bit closer otherwise would be my local patch.
I havent seem any waxwings locally this year – there were lots 2 years ago – they were a garden tick!
Cheers
Mike
Posted by PMella on February 11, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Hi Mike,
Cheers for the comments! That site looks great – I’ll definitely have to have look up there at some point.
It’s annoying that the big waxwing invasion was winter 2005 – this was just before I started birding again properly, and before I knew about the right places to find out about bird sightings. There were a few hundred, apparently, a ten minute walk from my house!
There’s still (just!) time for a waxwing invasion, fingers crossed…
Posted by steven mortiboys on March 5, 2008 at 2:28 am
Pete,
I am really impressed with this blog. I’m not much of a bird watcher, but I appreciate your drive for wildlife. There are tons of birds around here, and I cant tell you what most of them are, but I can tell you from late spring to the end of summer our apartment complex is home to probably 20 different Hummingbirds.
Keep up the good work.
Posted by Jane on March 11, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Hi. My first time here. I’m not very good at lists… but I like your blog. I especially like the bit about “your patch”. Hope you don’t get too blown around by the coming storms! (we’ve had our fill over the last couple of days… down in Dorset). Jane
Posted by Dave on June 12, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Hi Pete ..
Congrats on a very interesting website, Ive just started birdwatching and my usual haunt is Wharncliffe Wood, and Wharncliffe Chase.
I was wondering if I could ask a bit of advice either from yourself or from anyone else who would like to contribute. I,m looking to buy myself a decent pair of binoculars say, £200 ish . There are so many different types that I,m completely stuck as to which ones I could consider. The ones I,m currently using are 8×25 but I struggle with the field of view when trying to find a small bird in a tree for instance. They are nice and compact but the restricted view makes them a bit frustrating at times.
Any advice or suggestions on a particular model would be most welcome
Thanks
Dave
Posted by Pete on June 12, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Hi Dave, cheers for the comments.
I may not be the best person to ask, as both my pairs of binoculars are quite cheap models. I have a pair of Bushnell H2O 10×42, which are a good sturdy budget brand that are fully waterproof, and set me back about £100. They’re not very good in low light, though, and for your budget I’m sure you could get better ones.
My other pair are Opticron Taiga 8×25 which are superb little bins for the price (I got mine for £60) but obviously you’re wanting to upgrade to something a bit bigger.
So I’ve just tended to use the ones I can afford at the time so I don’t really have much advice beyond that, but perhaps your best bet would be to visit Birdforum at http://www.birdforum.net and ask on there, as there’s always tons of people willing to answer questions like that.
Best wishes,
Pete
Posted by Marcus Conway on July 3, 2008 at 8:20 am
Very interesting blog here Pete. You must also be pleased with the superzoom you seem to be getting some great results with it.
Kep em coming!
Marcus
Posted by Pete on July 3, 2008 at 8:26 am
Cheers Marcus. Yes, I’m very happy with it, it’s actually getting better shots that I imagined it would, and I haven’t even fully fathomed out all the settings yet. I’d thoroughly recommend one.
Posted by Richard Ashbee on January 21, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Hi Pete
I have been following your excellent blog for sometime now, it’s good to see what is in and around Sheffield. I live at the other side of Sheffield , near Graves Park and can agree that regular visiting of a local patch is very rewarding. Keep up the good work.
I have just launched my website at http://www.natureinfocus-ra.com and was hoping that we could exchange links. Please let me know if this is possible
Cheers
Richard
Posted by Richard Ashbee on January 30, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Are you interested in exchanging links, you can find me at http://www.natureinfocus-ra.com
Good to hear that the waxwings are still about
Posted by Andy Atkinson on March 28, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Hi Pete
I believe my wife and I bumped into you at the Malin Bridge park & ride on Thursday evening. It’s thanks to you that we were there and had our first sightings of waxwings. Today we have been up the Loxley Valley using your information as a guide and had another life tick in the form of a couple of Dippers as well as the pleasure of Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff and two dozen other birds. A big thankyou to you for your blog.
Cheers
Andy
Posted by Pete on March 29, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Hi Andy,
Many thanks for the comments! It’s really great to know when people find stuff from reading my blog, that’s one of the main reasons I do it. Hope you got some good shots of the waxies – they were some mean lenses you were pointing at them!
There’ll be loads of good stuff arriving in the Loxley Valley soon as the spring rivals appear. If you need any tips finding anything give me a shout.
All the best,
Pete
Posted by Richard Ashbee on April 28, 2009 at 8:41 am
Thought i would let you know i have added a batch of photo’s to my website including the waxwings from earlier in the year.
I also have a blog and are keeping track of the species seen during the year from my travels around the UK.
This is being updated on a weekly basis.
Just a few species ahead of you at present
Excellent photo of the Saprrowhawk and robins
Keep up the good work
Richard Ashbee