Sun

Tutorial this morning in Canterbury. It was tricky getting out though because my usual route to town and the motorway was shut but the signage directed everyone down that lane. Then the guy at the front got to the bit where the lane was clearly closed so we all had to turn around in a narrow lane and then scootle round another way. Made it with time to spare but not the best start.

After the tutorial I went down to Stodmarsh and was surprised that the car park was full - I've not ever seen that many vehicles there. Sadly this meant that there were a lot of chatty people in the hide; I generally go in the hide nearest to the car park as the next nearest is about 20 minutes walk and there was a lot of mud underfoot. Finally the chatty party split and left the rest of us in peace and that was just bliss. A fair few birds around including a few marsh harriers and a sparrowhawk but I didn't have the big lens so I just enjoyed them through the binoculars. A pair of swans were courting and their feathers picked up the sun wonderfully. they came close enough to the hide for me to grab this shot. A lovely, lovely afternoon capped off with a trip to Sainsbury's on the way home and I have just enjoyed calamari with home-made coleslaw. Top tip: Only buy the stuff described as calamari (it needs dredging in seasoned flour before frying) rather than the squid rings. I've tried them in the past and however well they are cooked they take on the texture of Dunlop tyre offcuts.