Not hawfinches

Today's the day .......................... to miss all the action

"Get yourself to Sizergh Castle car park - if you park at the entrance and scan the ground under the trees at the opposite end, that's where they'll be. You need to be early though - they are quite shy and when the car park starts to fill up, they're off!" he said.

So that's what I did. But it wasn't early enough - there wasn't a single hawfinch to be seen. There were lots of bullfinches, chaffinches, robins and every sort of tit - but no hawfinches. And I know, I know - it's my own fault - I just have a serious problem with getting up on a Sunday and doing things early.

It was very nice to be at Sizergh though. I realised that I hadn't been there for maybe ten years or more - l0ng enough for a new shop and cafe to be built. So this is a picture of the lake in front of the castle - that in summer will be full of waterlilies.

It's not a picture of hawfinches ............................