Despite nursing the mother of all colds, I've tolerated it enough to go to work, so I can certainly manage to get out over the weekend, we headed off west to look for snakes...
Today has been a lovely 'quiet ' calm day, cool at times but a warmer 13* in sheltered spots. Birds were singing, the first Marsh Marigolds were in flower and an odd bumblebee droned by. At Branton Pits, the water was still, only disturbed by the clamour of Canada Geese. A Great crested Grebe was back on territory and Goldeneye were displaying before departure.
A slow stroll along the road side revealed 7 or 8
Adders out basking, hoping for sun through the hazy cloud. These snakes have an irritating habit of lying fully exposed apart from the bit you want to photograph, the head, but today I tried something new. One such individual seemed quite relaxed so I gently stroked its tail with a thin twig, like you would a trout under a stone, to see what it would do. It seemed inquisitive and began to come closer to my twig, tasting the air with its tongue to see what the movement was about. Once fully in the open, I stopped and took some pictures, then left it to bask in peace.
We left here for a brief roadside stop over looking some forest where the sky was full of raptors! There were 12 Buzzards, but better still a juv
Goshawk being mobbed by a Sparrowhawk. Whilst too distant for photos, good views could be had with the scope and an excellent comparison with the two accipiters...