Sister Marie Joseph told me I was going to the burning fires of eternal hell when I was seven years old, so I suppose an element of bad luck throughout life was only to be expected - nuns are not to be messed with after all (although I still maintain I was fitted up for the mortal sin of blowing out all the candles in church during Lent - there were no witnesses, believe me, I checked).
Bad luck was what I got today - the first time I get out of the office with enough light for a spot of post-work birding this week, and it was chucking it down.
Incessantly.
And there was a crew working on one of the drains into the Sands Lake when I got there, so the place was heavily disturbed as the daylight melted away ridiculously early.
And there is still no prospect of me getting to go shrike molesting in Lincolnshire in the near future.
And did I mention it was raining?
Only about 40 Tufted Duck on the water today (maybe the noise of the workmens' generator scared them off). with two Shoveler and about 100 Mallards.
Long Tailed Tit, Robin, Wren and Carrion Crows in the bushes, and a small flock of Greenfinches through.
Quiet as it was, the Water Rail was squealing away at the north end, in the tangle of rank vegetation, so I settled down off the boardwalk to see if it would emerge.
By 4.10pm it was nearly as black as night, and the rail hadn't emerged, so I cleared out.
Rain bedraggled Greater 'pecker still bashing billy-o out of the nut feeders at Dempsey Towers this afternoon, and a cracking urban Fox trotting along the pavement at 5.35am by Merchant Taylor's School in Crosby, so the day wasn't a total loss.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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A couple of Goldcrests dropped into my garden birches at first light today but more surprising was a Red Admiral careering around in the gloom and pouring rain at midday with the temperature at 10c.
WWT Martin Mere is hosting the North West Bird Watching Festival on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November. Whether you have an interest in bird watching, photography, conservation or simply enjoy nature, the North West Bird Watching Festival is an enjoyable and informative day out.
New for 2008:
÷Access to the hides from 8am in the morning (usually open at 9.30am) to see an early morning swan feed and watch birds leave the roost
÷A range of optical and digital demonstrators: in focus; Swarovski; Nikon; Zeiss; Pyser-SGI Limited; and Newpro UK Limted
÷An exhibition of wildlife photographers and artists
÷Launch of the âÂÂFamily HideâÂÂ. Families can come along and learn how to spot birds, draw what they have seen, make nestboxes and pine cone feeders.
There is plenty of additional things to do with five guest speakers, workshops to learn about photograph manipulation using Adobe Photoshop, a range of stands offering clothing, holidays, binoculars and second hand books, and swan feeds at 3pm and 3.30pm when up to a thousand wintering waterfowl will come up to feed including Pink-foooted Geese, Whooper Swans, Teal, Pintail, Pochard and Wigeon. .
Guest speakers will talk about Managing RSPB Marshside, Birding on the Severn, Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve and Decline of Barn Owls on Wirral peninsula.
For further event information and a detailed list of exhibitors, please visit: www.wwt.org.uk/martinmere.
WWT Martin Mere is open every day from 9.30am to 5.00pm and parking is free of charge. Situated off the A59, it is signposted from the M61, M58 and M6. The Centre is also accessible via the Southport to Manchester and the Liverpool to Preston line by train from Burscough Rail Stations. Visit the web site http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/martinmere/ to find out whatâÂÂs on all year round at Martin Mere and the other eight centres.