Blogger investigates North Downs and beyond

Blogger today stepped in to close down ‘North Downs and beyond’ ahead of an investigation into claims that Steve Gale, the site’s owner, is a complete sham.

For several months now, regular visitors to the blog have been noticing that there is little original content. ‘We rarely read about what he has actually seen’, claims Graham James from Merstham, ‘all we get is stream of half-baked ideas and lists that a five-year old could have put together.’ 

Somebody from in the north-east, but who wishes to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying that he’d ‘given up visiting the site ages ago’ and that this had freed up his time to ‘give Bunty more regular walks’.

Mark Telfer,  holder of the key to the kingdom of Panlistia and patron saint to White Prominents was relieved that an investigation was under way, as he had harboured doubts as to Steve’s suitability as a pan-lister. ‘He never seems to go out, and suspiciously adds exactly the same species to his list just after a certain dreadlocked naturalist from Sussex. I think he just visits other people’s blogs and ticks what he sees on them!’ 

The whereabouts of Mr. Gale is unknown at present. Enquiries were made at his local patches, but were met with incredulity. At Beddington, Johnny Allan said that he had ‘never heard of him’, Canons Farm’s very own David Campbell thought that he’d given up birding ‘several years ago’ and the Holmethorpe birders were convinced that he now collected stamps.

The long suffering Mrs. Gale welcomes the investigation. 'He might actually look at me rather than a bloody computer screen. With any luck, there won't be so many potted moths in the fridge. It's about time someone made him grow up...'

If you do come across him, Blogger will be keen to hear from you. He is described as 'a sad-looking man with a permanent air of disillusion and failure' about him. They suggest that you do not approach him.