counting coots

Rather than getting fixated on a dodgy gull I actually did some birding today and the signs of spring are present and correct! Well, singular rather than plural.

This Blackbird was singing! Not the full blown lungful, but I think he was fooled by the sun, which made a miraculous appearance at lunchtime. Or practicing.




As well as the ‘sign’ of spring there were the malingerers from winter. Ten Tufties, 16 Gadwall (a patch high count), 2 Goldcrests (perhaps three, but they were pretty mobile) and a Chiffchaff which I even managed to get a shite photo of...

All of this rounded off by hearing a Greenfinch, and seeing a Kingfisher bombing it down the Wandle (no picture of that of course) which brings it up to 42 on the patch for the year.

Just as I finished loading the pictures up, Obama is being sworn in. Cool huh?