Sentinels

We decided to trot with the dogs to Coombe Hill Nature Reserve. The flood water had abated and there was walk on the canal bank but goodness it was muddy and we slipped and squished or way along the towpath. The dogs were in a horrendous state - no way were they going to get away with not having a shower tonight!

Things were going really well till we came across another loan photographer and you have got to ask the question haven't you, 'Are you blipping?' Big discussion ensued and he asked the question, 'Have you seen the waxwings?' The answer to both questions was, 'No' by each of us consecutively. The waxwings had arrived from Scandinavia to feed off the hawthorn trees in Cheltenham on the side of one of it's main roads.

It was a no brainer for me - we had to get into town and fairly pronto as the light was fading. Hurriedly slithering back to the car which was quite a way we hared to the appointed trees. The first one was stripped bare of it's berries but the second location was just full of them and did we know it. No question were we in the right place; there were all the twitchers - lenses out - lining the road with numerous waxwings filling the tree.

It was a first for me and I was just thrilled at seeing them so it was a hard choice which to blip but I am hoping to go back again tomorrow to get more time with them as they disappointingly flew off after a few minutes!

I did like this picture with the water and the willow silhouettes - very soldier-like guarding the towpath.