Most improved pupil?

While waiting at the bus stop to go to the meeting place for the Bird Watchers' Group, a chap, who was also waiting, saw me checking the timetable and kindly looked at his phone and told me it would be there in 4 minutes. I asked him about the bus tracker app. Apparently my phone, though pretty smart (it can go on the interweb and everything) is NOT SMART ENOUGH!

Got to the designated meeting place, and we all assembled. The leader, Juliet, told us that she had already heard a woodpecker, and one of the group had seen it. Such excitement! We stood peering through our binoculars for AGES, chattering with excitement. You'd've thought somebody had said, 'Here's the coffee and hot scones coming!'

We did see an amazing amount of different birds - I've just been checking on them in my book. Figgate Park, for that is where we were, is apparently always excellent, and it's right in the city.

I saw a dipper having a good wash in the stream for ages, also a wren, a dunnock, several siskins, a mistle thrush, a tree creeper and a yellow wagtail to name but a few.

And when we got to the pond, there was a shoveler!! I tried to get a good photo of him, but it was such a dull grey day, his feathers weren't shining and his eyes were lost in the darkness. He's on his own, poor Mr Shoveler. There were also two ducks that are quite rare (in these parts anyway) and caused a lot of excitement - gadwalls.

I recognised the great tit's song from last week - it's more of a squeaky door than 'teacher, teacher' as Juliet claims. I also correctly identified a shrill whistle as a man calling his dog. I think I am the most improved pupil in the class!

When the group had left, I went back to the pond, as I could get a better bus at that end of the Park. The sun came out, so it made for better photo opportunities, although this one of the swan that I've chosen was right into the sun and I couldn't actually see what I was pointing at - but it was bound to be a bird of some sort. (No, I had actually been tracking the swan before the sun shone on it).

I wanted to get a good shot of Mr Shoveler. But he decided to hide on the side, under the trees. I got a bit of a view of him, but not good enough to share with you. But I will make it my task!

It's funny how, when you're wearing binoculars, people come up to you and say, 'Did you see the woodpecker?'

Or they tell you that last year two otters came and took up residence in the pond.

Or that one poor swan last year was so victimised it had to sit up in a tree. People phoned the RSPB who said they wouldn't do anything - that was NATURE. They then phoned the RSPA and they came and moved it to another pond.

And I wouldn't have found out all of that if I hadn't been wearing my Uncle A's binoculars. Maybe I should wear them more often!

Off to look at my bird book.