A bag of mixed fortunes over the past couple of weeks or so. Mixed in that on three replica watches occasions I ventured forth, full of hope and expectations - and didn't take a single photo. Well if it was all easy, we would soon get fed up with it.

Another hour ot so at my feeders bu I will not bore you with photos of the usual garden birds - you can see them under Recent Additions.

On 7th April, I visited the RSPB reserve at Ouse Washes, primarily for the Green-winged Teal. This is a reserve I rarely visit because the hides are much too distant from the action for decent images. No sign of the Teal but I occupied myseldfwith some shots of Wigeon

and Great Crested Grebe catching and eating a Perch

So dipping the Green-winged Teal, a species that has eluded me on at least four replica rolex occasions.

Last Friday, the 10th April, a friend and I decided to go to Lynford Arboretum in Norfolk. There were several Firecrest around although my hearing is such that I cannot hear them. We saw one but at the top of a tree so not photographable.

At the bridge, the brick piers have become informal feeding stations so we took some food, arranged perches and waited. After half-an-hour, the usual Blue, Coal  and Great Tits appeared, followed later by Marsh Tits

Eventually, Nuthatch started to make rapid visits - great fun to try and catch them with reasonable success, despite many frames showing just a perch

We then moved to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust reserve at Weeting Heath, famous for Stone Curlews. As usual, while three showed. they were on the top of the ridge so much too distant but we found Long-tailed Tits building a next next to the path.

After a period of no show, we went to the feeder hide where they were bathing and taking a rest from nest building.

Overall, a reasonable day out.