... I won't forget
All the times I've waited patiently for you
And you'll do just what you choose to do..
A solo jaunt for Gos produced a Raven escorted northwards by an irate crow as I unloaded the car, with singing Skylark and Woodlark (first new bird for the year in February) on the east side of the road. A big, glistening white blob of a Gos was obvious in the bins even before getting the scope out; it was perched up in the spindliest of the mid-range conifers where it sat watching, preening and 'muting' for half an hour. Meanwhile, a distant second was circling off into the murk whilst another close bird looked as if would come straight in head-on, but sadly veered off into the trees. The larks stopped singing and the soundscape changed to Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Mistle Thrushes; a Hawfinch rocketed past and a couple of Buzzards come over.
Finally, the first Gos hopped between trees, circled a few times and cruised off.
Poor blurry photo hand-holding the GX9 to the scope. On leaving a Sparrowhawk popped up over one of the pylons and started to display; a gutsy show surrounded by so many Goshawks!!
In need of caffeine, a quick stop at the garage adjacent to the turn off.
At Blashford, few feeder birds (and still no Bramblings), no Bitterns nor GWEs and nothing at Ivy South other than five Buzzards.
These fungi (sorry, no idea of name) and partly 'chewed' Scarlet Elf Cups were taken with the short zoom.
Quick chat with Keith and TS followed by lunch in the car - picnic area fenced off for pond excavation work.
At Ibsley concrete hide base being noisily broken up ensured the 'mound' was empty. Water Pipit, Black-necked Grebe, Yellow-legged Gull and twenty Goosanders; no obvious Casps.
