The Area 9 walk this morning was a cold and damp one, and curtailed!  The forecast seemed to indicate that the rain would move through fairly quickly, but in fact it was just the same at 11 as it was at 8.30 – if not colder and wetter!

But five of us did brave the weather for part of the morning, and at least got to hear some Dunnocks, ChiffchaffsChaffinches and Robins in song, and saw a couple of Long-tailed Tits, and later heard Skylarks in the fields to the west.  If there were Grey Herons in their nests they were so hunkered down that they weren’t visible, though the Cormorants in the nearby oak were in their usual spot.

At which point we turned back and headed home.  Laura was most impressed with a male Chaffinch at the crossroads.  Suppose we take them for granted, but they are handsome chaps! (VB)