(1 + 1) x 2

Bit of a run at the moment; or on a positive note, put in the time and get the rewards. Repeated visits locally throughout the day do, as they have in years gone by, increased the year's patch list. Saturday was a nice start with a good 'tick' in the form of a Dunlin at Arcot. And mobbed by corvids and in from the east was a brown raptor, lost behind the trees in the NW field and written-off as a Common Buzzard. WRONG! Five or so minutes later, like Mr NatureNorthEast and his feckin' Osprey a few weeks ago (Jealous? Moi?), over the SW field and so over my left shoulder, an immature Marsh Harrier that quartered the west shore reed beds, and then back over the NW field and lost from view somehow. And today, whilst toiling for the public good (did I mention I retire on Friday? No. Well, I retire on Friday; only three working days left) a text from The Guv relaying news from Sir McKeown of Southfield of a Common Sandpiper at Arcot. En route home, a drop in proved better than expected. Not only was said bird still there, but alongside, a Wood Sandpiper too (never a good idea to link the word Wood with Arcot, you'll find!). Henny-weez, spot on and Mr Sometimes on scene ASAP to corroborate. All's well etc.