Here we go again

Finally managed a few hours out this morning and couldn't have chosen better weather to kick the year off starting at Napton Reservoir long before dawn waiting for the Barn Owl to show. We were kept occupied with an array of planets and stars with the added bonus of a couple of meteorites probably belonging to the Quadrantid shower which reaches its peak on the 3rd and a very bright satellite. A couple of Snipe, a possible Tawny Owl, 4 Great-crested Grebe and 9 Mute Swan was also on offer as the light improved.

Moved on to the Baseley Smallholding where 30 Tree Sparrow were showing well with plenty of Chaffinch, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting nearby.

Next stop was the pond but this was more of a social event catching up friends with the added company of male Smew, 9 Golden Plover, 300 Lapwing, 7 Goosander and a distant Little Egret in rainbow corner.

Kings Newnham had 2 Grey Partridge and 68 Mute Swan while the feeding station at Cathiron was heaving with all sorts of tits plus Nuthatch and Great-spotted Woodpecker.

Tried our luck on Lawford Heath but the finch flock had spread out and could only find 60+ Chaffinch and a few Linnet. By the time we had left Blooms I had ran out of energy and called it a day.

just a point and click so now I wished I spent time on focusing

Nuthatch, Cathiron

Well I hope you all have a prosperous and Healthy New Year – mine will be full of travel so come the spring and summer I will be off line for some time as I visit Kazakhstan and follow La Tour through Corsica and the Med.