What have you seen

Wigeon will do but the Teal is also a cracking dabbler. Yesterday went for a costal walk saw both a heron and an egret fishing in the rock pools at Bogglehole near Baytown. Lots of Oystercatchers and knots along the beach too. 

Some of our daily visitors....

I have not come across these before, or even heard of them.

About a dozen Blue Pheasants in the fields around the National Trust house Newark Park near Dursley. I thought they were black until the clouds parted and allowed a chink of light to brighten them up.

These are melanistic pheasants, 'ordinary' ones purpose bred about 100 years ago from natutrally occurring mutants. Fascinating breeds a bit like the lutino varieties of some other birds. They are often bred, or purchased in, by some estates to destiguish their birds from neighbors. 

Thanks micky

These early winter daffodils were in bud a few weeks ago, now they're opening out. As we start turning towards the sun again tomorrow it's good to see new growth. 

Walking along by the Ouse today we spotted a couple of pairs of Goosanders, a Grey Heron, a Kestral and quite a number of Bullfinches.

Following on from marine mammals, saw four common dolphin about fifty miles west of Ushant a couple of days ago. Difficult to visit with a caravan though as it might exacerbate any damp problems. 

Great views of 2 peregrines high on Leicester cathedral on Tuesday. (we were in Leicester for the football).

Are they now resident on every English cathedral? 

Until this week I had only known about straightforward brown pheasants. Now I have seen blue ones and the Avon Birds website has this pic by Bob Brewer of a white one, taken near to Chew Valley Lake.