Silence should be golden

It’s one of life’s mystery’s that ramblers who love the countryside have a need to talk so loudly- you would have thought if they loved it that much they would SHUT UP and listen to it. Two noisy groups at the pond this morning with one nearly meeting Vlad the Impailer when they scared the s***t out of the Water Rail. Both Smew and LTD remained out in the centre with a few Goldeneye while the Great-northern Diver coasted past farborough spit close enough for even me to get an image. Very little else around apart from Chiffchaff and said Water Rail. Luckily I was enjoying my bacon butty when the heavens opened and missed the downpour that poor Bob suffered. Still plenty of Fieldfare and Redwing around when we left and 10 Snipe were flushed off the scrape by a low flying Buzzard.

Goldeneye by Bob Hazell

Water Rail by Bob Hazell

At least Dave's seeing something different - sent me this image this morning from Spain - O to have one plodding in the fields behind farborough bank. Nine of 80 he saw.

Great Bustard by Dave Cox