Only in our dreams are we free.

            The rest of the time we need wages.
                       Terry Pratchett

And so a wages week it has been.  Every day up at 0600, open the curtains and the sun has provided a marvelous exhibition of rising and making the scattering of clouds appear pinks, reds and oranges....lovely.

Then this morning.....!

Actually, it turned out a lot better than I thought it was going to....yes....when I looked out the window it was grey, grey, grey.  Hmmmm.  Driving to the pits the sun appeared to my right....against the grey sky it looked big.....and red....and orange...and pink....and gained in brutish colour in the next few minutes till it passed behind the grey blob....possibly the best sunrise this week then.,...so not bad at all.....with that fixing a great feeling inside me I ventured forth....

0630 - 0830 Cool - cold, NNE f 2-4

A shorter visit today.  Quite cold compared to the rest of the week when I have managed shorts at work (and even considered sandals too!).
Anyway.  Today, with a fabulous highlight in the bag already before reaching site, I deemed it to be....migrant day!
What a great haul of birds today.  And more highlights on the way.

Around the pits:

Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Dunnock, Kestrel, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Meadow Pipit, Buzzard, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Barn Owl, Fieldfare, Starling, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Reed Bunting, Pied Wagtail, Blue Tit, 2 Grey Wagtail, Jackdaw, Jay, Collared Dove...and....5 Chiffchaff....!!

On the pits:

9 Mallard, 104 Tufted Duck, 19 Coot, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Moorhen, 15 Shoveler, 10 Pochard, 4 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Mandarin Duck (1m, 1f), 2 Goldeneye (1m, 1f), 2 Gadwall, 1 Snipe, 16 Cormorant.

The highlights....obviously the Chiffchaffs....3 very mobile birds and 2 seemingly persistent in the same place.  Excellent!
The number of Tufted Duck is quite amazing at the moment and they seem to be everywhere.
The Great Crested Grebes make up 4 pairs and lots of displaying is occuring at the moment.
The Grey Wagtail pair are coloured up a treat, really beautiful.
Good views of Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Possibly the best was around 150 Fieldfare sitting in some bushes to my left whilst in front of me a Chiffchaff was singing.  The Fieldfares seemingly looking urgent...if thats possible?.....

Great 2 hours birding.....