Twenty wings

I've been absent for a couple of days, mostly a result of workload and some very wet weather. Also Rosie's been a bit tired, so I haven't had much incentive to get out. I tried taking her for a walk on Saturday, but she only went a very short distance before making it clear that she wanted to go back to the car. The steroids are making her very hungry, but she struggles to control her blood sugar, so she's now eating about six small meals a day.

Maybe a couple of quiet days have been good for her, because today she was keen to go out, and walked a reasonable distance at Ferry Meadows before having a long wallow in the lake. We went to the vet last night, who checked her over and confirmed that all is stable and she's not in any pain. The only issue is that her temperature's at the lower end of normal, so we've been told to keep her cosy - not easy when she insists on lying by draughty doors and immersing herself in cold water.

While she was wallowing, I had a chance to take a few images. The starlings were back, and I took a few shots of them, but then this mixed flock of wigeon and gadwall took to the air. It's the first time I've seen them this year - a sure sign that autumn is here and winter's not far away.