Wednesday 11 April 2012: Tufty

This reminded me of Zaphod Beeblebrox and his two heads, though the little tufted duck was a bit less garrulous. There's quite a flotilla of them on the Bela in Dallam Tower park at the moment.

My colleagues tease me for the number of blips I post that were taken in the Park, but what am I supposed to do? It's the perfect place to settle my mind and mood before heading into the office, always something different to see and hear. The old trees in the Park are alive with birds - great spotted woodpeckers, nuthatches, and tree creepers; while there is a mistle thrush, doing what they do, singing from the highest tree whatever the weather, earning his other name of stormcock.

I had a walk on the Kent at lunchtime, joining Sue and Rowan for a walk down the river. Here I saw my first sand martins (123) of the year, my first swallow (124), and right on cue I heard the sweet song of my first willow warbler (125). Two minutes before I had just said to Sue, that I usually hear my first willow warbler on the 11th. Apart from a few birds in the advanced guard. they always seem to arrive en masse, and I am sure within a few days now, they will be everywhere.

• NIKON D90:
• f/7.1:
• 1/1000":
• 300.0mm:
• ISO 500

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