A bright start to the morning with 3 good flocks of Fieldfare over which were probably post roost birds. The brightness was soon replaced with dark clouds and rainbows before the wind increased and the heavens opened with torrential rain until midday easing slightly then turning into showers to see the day out.
With a tip off from NK of a Ring Ouzel and Dunlin sighted on Soil Hill I set my sights on a quick dash up there to try to snap the Ring Ouzel which was hanging around the mast compound.
Whilst walking home at lunch time I bumped into NK on his way back looking like he had just fallen in the mill dam , again that thin line between dedication or just mad although to be fair it was a cracking morning when he set off.
Dinner and dogs done I was left with 20 minutes to get from home to Soil Hill, walk up to the mast, find and photograph the Ring Ouzel and get back to work which was just do able if the bird was still in the mast area.
The rain had almost stopped but still very blustery as I scrambled up the soggy track towards the mast and then as I got closer there it was at the far side of the compound.
Camera cocked and raised ready, zoom in, and, damn its a Blackbird which took off and dropped down into the roadside plantation.
With no other birds around I checked the closest 2 scrapes for Dunlin before accepting a dip and dashing back to the car arriving back at work bang on 1315 hrs, red faced, wet and miffed.
Oh well, it was well worth a try, would I do it again, of course I would.
BS