RSPB Day Out

      Had a day trip out yesterday with the RSPB to Clumber Park
      in Nottinghamshire and Potteric Carr Nature Reserve in search
      of all 3 Woodpeckers and Hawfinch that have been seen there
      but came away with zilch, mind you I think you'd have to be
      there a lot earlier to catch these as it gets unbelievably busy
      from 10 o'clock onwards but still had a nice morning there and
      bumped into a nice lad from Sheffield who I had met before at Rodley
      and also visits Cromwell NR regularly.

      It was then on to Potteric Carr for the afternoon in dark cloudy weather
      not good for photography and also while travelling there thinking it
      was a shame my old pal Linford wasn't on the trip, but the people on
      the trip said that he'd been poorly so hoping you get well soon friend.

     I've never been to Potteric before and I'm glad I was there with other
     people or I'd of got lost as the place is massive, anyway walked around
     and looked out of numerous hides in hope of seeing a Bittern and guess
     what ? after a few hours I seen one with my mate Mike who was on the
     trip and another bloke who's name I've forgotten let us look through his
     scope for a definite ID so was well chuffed.
     I didn't get to see the Marsh Harrier that was seen flying over.
     So overall it was a cracking day for birding but not so good for photography,
     I ended up with 45 species of birds and the wife rang saying there was a
     Sparrowhawk on the garden shed which was nice to hear.

     During the week through the grapevine, Hen Harrier flew over Cromwell,
     Peregrine over Boothtown, skeins Pink Footed geese seen over Shibden
     and a few other places.

     Birds Today-:
     Blackbird     Starling    Bittern   Blue Tit   Buzzard   Lapwing   Shelduck
     Goldfinch     Siskin     L.Redpoll   Great Tit   Nuthatch   GoldCrest  Teal
     Heron   Shoveller    Common, Herring, Great Black Backed, Lesser
     Blackbacked, Blackheaded Gulls    Chaffinch   Coal Tit  Robin  Jackdaw
     Magpie  Crow   Gadwall   Tufted Duck   Mallard   Mute Swan  Pochard
     Great Crested Grebe    Kingfisher    Long-Tailed Tit   Song Thrush
     Marsh Tit   Greylag   Canada Geese  Oystercatcher   Snipe  Coot
     Moorhen   Pheasant.
     Wren, Cetti's Warbler and Stonechat heard but not seen.

                                          Find the Bittern