Wet, Wet, Wet

Indeed, it feckin' is. 

Everytime I venture out, I get wet.  Three damp dog walks yesterday, just about dry after the first and it's time for the second.  And so on.

S.A.D?  Not usually a sufferer, but this week, yes.  And as I type, the sun's out.  And when I stop, it will, doubtless, rain again.

And the birds are as dry as the weather is not.  The Guv and Crammy, like a re-run of the BBC wildlife programme of the 70s, Man and Boy, emerged from Arcot as I arrived, and nothing to report.  Not even worth gtting out of the car.  If The Guv and 'Lucky Phil' can't find anything, then there's nothing to find.  And it was raining....

A bijou stroll-ette along Beacon Lane disturbed the Little Owl who was sitting on a post along the lane (Note to self: Even when wearing wellies, sneak as opposed to goose-step!).  But not a Crossbill in sight.

A Little Less Of Spotted Woodpecker

A bird of interest at the feeders at Cragside lured me there this morning, and now 10 pounds lighter (that's B of E pounds not body mass) and nothing new added to the County List.  C'est la vie!

BUT a great two hours, yet more camera frustration, and a pleasing time playing RSPB Warden, assisting the visitors with what's what and what's not.  The GSWs were clearly feeding young and not taking any sh*t from any bird that dared to use their feeders!

The world's population of newly fledged Coal Tits, Great Tits, Greenfinches, Starlings and Bullfinches, added to Rook, Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon, Pheasant, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Jay, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Siskin and Robin. 

And the whiteboard suggested lots more besides, but alas not when I was there.

Deja Vu!

Out for an hour from 9am today and Arcot first.  Wise move, again straight on to a 1st summer female Marsh Harrier in the NE corner.  After half an hour in the grass/reeds, up, low west, bank right, grief from a Crow, higher and south, a few vulture-like circles then higher and NW.  Shitty shots into the sun follow: