I would like to say that I regretted not bringing the camera today because I missed the shot of a lifetime, but no, as it happens, it wasn't really needed.
The wind was blowing a strong WNW but at least it stayed fine.
I picked John up at 8am to go over to Branton Pits to do the WeBs count.
On arrival, a flock of geese were resting in the field south of the caravan site. There were 6 Russian Whitefronts, 12 Pinkfeet, 4 Canada's and 193 Greylags. Two Stoats were seen, one very well as it ran through the car park near us, pausing briefly. A good start then.
A suprising number of wildfowl were well scattered, taking shelter in inlets and bays out of the gale.8+ Goldeneye included displaying males, 7+ Goosander plus assorted Teal, Mallard, Tufted and Coot. A Kingfisher found a warmer spot in the sun in the lee of some rushes to its liking.
Along at Hedgely, more wildfowl were on with another hundred Greylags and 74 Canada Geese plus 72 Mallard. A pair of Dippers were displaying on the river.
Nearer home, at Alnwick, we stopped to check out the reported site of Butcher's Broom but failed to locate the site let alone the plant. Not to be beaten, some ferny type things on the wall proved interesting . Harts Tongue Fern and Maidenhair Spleenwort were familiar being found on walls around Howick, but a few Black Spleenwort were identified later on at home, a new species for me (but its not hard really, I've never heard of the thing before!)
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