Harbinger of spring

Most of the day was dull until around 3.00pm when the skies cleared and the sun came out for a most magnificent spell of late afternoon sunshine. This coincided with our (almost) daily walk and provided many, many opportunities for blips so today I was spoilt for choice.

This though, had to be today's blip. We were walking alongside the River Len on our way to Mallards Lake (which has featured many times in my blips) and Mote Park when we heard the most joyful of singing from the tree tops.

It took some time to locate the bird, which proved to be a thrush, right at the top of the tree. At maximum zoom and without anything to rest on I was really pleased to be able to capture this superb sight. My only regret was that I couldn't capture the bird with his beak open in the act of singing.

The footpaths and parks were busy with people this lovely Sunday afternoon, all out enjoying this early promise of spring to come. The clear skies portended a frosty evening and so it was as we turned out from Doreen's after 11.00pm, the frost already forming on cars and pavements.

A good day; foot making slow improvement, a chance to talk to Chris in San Diego, time to watch the first half of Scotland and Wales and tonight the first loaf is sitting in the new breadmaker waiting to bake overnight.