PHP car park was full but a place opened up immediately.
Needless to say it was mostly birdless being rammed with people, dogs etc and Plump Duck queues. Still seven each of Shoveler and Pochard (just one female) and a handful of Tufted Duck. Nothing special in terms of gull numbers, no herons/egrets and no passerines - the holly patch as disturbed by teenagers. On the way back the sun was out, temperature about 56F (up well over 20 degrees from a couple of days ago), and a nicely lit Red Kite drifted southwards.
Lunch at QECP (Curried Butternut Squash Soup with two garlic ciabatta - nice but almost too much!!), and of course lots of people. Looking forward to end of Xmas holidays and quieter outings!
A nice post-lunch bonus was a barely audible, non-'ticking' Hawfinch along the access road which powered away and was flushed again from the scrub next to the pond at which point is headed back in the direction it came from - brief flight views only but a pleasing site tick. Maybe there are more here and maybe then worth an early visit sometime soon.
