Ring Ousel in the garden

If you knew how hard I'd tried to see Ring Ousel last year in Bowland, then one pops up in the garden !!

We'd just returned from my grandson, Joshua's, christening after a lovely lunch at the carvery, I looked out of the back window, as you do, and there, being chased by a male blackbird, is a female Ring Ousel !!!! And I had my camera in my hand, how often does that happen ????
That's the 67th species seen in or around this garden in Banks in the last 13 years

Bonus

An all afternoon power cut at work gave me a bonus couple of hours at Marshside.
Wheatear had arrived on the Sandplant with Meadow Pipits looking like they'd paired up, and a Skylark in tentative voice, it was almost springlike, if a bit cold.
A weasel popped up out of the brash left by the tide at the back of the compound and gave me good views for a few moments.
Stonechat and Reed Bunting showed themselves on the way back and I thought a Goldcrest in the bushes by the car park, but it only showed once and I didn't get a very good view.
On the walk down to Nel's I got a better view of a Goldcrest at the viewing screen.
I still think there's too much water at Nel's, no islands showing yet for the waders.
A big flock of Golden Plover, I counted at about 1500, but somebody said 2500, 1,2,3,4.....    !!!
The usual wildfowl, waders and gulls present, but nothing of note except 2 hares over at the back.
Not a bad afternoon for a bonus. 

Yammer

A quick look at Plex Moss Lane this afternoon.
Yellowhammer had been reported on Facebook, so, as I knew the site described I took Jean as my spotter after we'd done the shopping.
We parked at the prescribed pull-in and watched the bushes.
'There are birds on the other side of that tree' said my spotter, so I had to get out of the car and sidle carefully round the bush, but there they were, 3 bright yellow finches sitting quietly with a couple of reed buntings.
Another lifer for the wife and a year tick for me, one of my bogey birds, I never seem to be able to find them.

Yarrow Valley

We went to Yarrow Valley Country Park after Saturday shopping today in search of Dipper.
A pleasant walk up the River Yarrow through the woods with the river always in view. We had the usual woodland birds with good views of Nuthatch, and surprisingly Reed Bunting on the feeders.
We had a pair of Grey Wagtail on the river, and then as we approached the wier, Jean spotted a Dipper.
It took me a moment or two to find it, but then we had good views as it hunted under the water, bobbing up onto the rocks to preen.
Nothing else of note, but definately a place to revisit.