#indoorstoomuch

I took an evening walk for the Nightingale over the valley, alas it wasn't to be. I'll try again one morning this week. A couple of extra year ticks - Bullfinch & Stock Dove takes me to 67 so far.

We're sharing with our neighbours a bunch of little fox cubs; after see both male and female parents over the months we new they were set up somewhere in the gardens. Not that the gardens are immense but we didn't know where. We do now and for the last three days we've all been enjoy the antics of these 5 little chaps, although only 4 in the video. If you look carefully you can see one of the parents over seeing them in the background.

I wanted to go somewhere different today; i thought about it for a while and then remembered a distant memory, a lush green, varied habitat. I couldn't put my finger on it, where was this place. Then it hit me....The Patch - Ingrebourne Valley. Now if i could just remember how to get there...... Its terrible really; i looked at the records and i've been twice this year. Firstly on the 4th January and for a couple of hours to catch the Red Crested Pochards at Stillwell Lake in March. Its looking pretty good as well and has been pulling some goodies out of the bag while i've not been in attendance; Ospreys (apparently nearly a flock eh Dave); Wagtails, white ones; LRP's all of which would have been patch ticks for me. So after dealing with the viewing area and lower paddocks and knocking up a fair few year ticks i moved on towards Ingrebourne Hill in search of Wheatears. As i got to the field after Tit Lake i was rewarded with the reeling of ...

Managed to get down to Bowers Marsh late this afternoon for the two Black Winged Stilts, others seen: Ruff, Snipe and Corn Bunting.