Goldies & Greylags

The hope of a Saturday morning lay in seems non existent these days, even when I want one Im still up at 7 am ish, a quick peep out of the window confirmed a frost and a clear sky, so off I trudged, along the footpath for a good wander around Middleton Estate and Longparish, I took off up Broadney path not a lot about except 3 rather cautious Roe Deer. A quick pit stop at the cover crop on the Middleway bend brought 5 or 6 Brown Hares chasing each other over the plough furrows. I did see 8 Fallow Deer emerge from the wood 2 or 3 fields over and make their way across the spring crop. A pretty uneventful trip down through the wood by Dick's cave and along Sugar lane into the village, not much seen but loads of birds singing, hidden between the branches in the bigger Oak and Beech trees.

A quick short cut through the village and Im hopping over the 5 bar gate and down onto the Halfwater, walking the river bank back to the house. Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, Red Kite & Kestrel all seen, along with several Warblers signing away in the Riverside copses.

Back at home 2 1/2 Hours later, the sky now clouded over, I stand hidden waiting for the Goldfinches to land on the feeding station in the Garden, they've been frequent visitors since we put it up, and probably the reason the Sunflower seed feeder only stays full for a couple of days each time. In the 3 weeks or so we've been living there, I've found it really hard to photography them, they're a lot more flighty than any of the other garden visitors. So I was quite happy when they didn't spook and I managed to get a couple of nice shots.

Saturday evening came with a lapse in the afternoons rain, so Dad & I went off to have a walk around his other part of River the other side of the A303, there is a small Island (no more that 25ft long) in the middle of the River which probably had 5 or 6 nesting Greylag on it, a further 9 were out in the water meadows honking away.

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