A quiet couple of days

Yesterday I had a walk around Cranham Marsh mainly to see if the Lesser Spotted was there this year, and to see like always what may turn up.  It wasn't what I expected when I got there.  There was some heavy equipment putting down some new paths round the site, and the noise was in competition with the usual noises of the Jackdaws and the Parakeets.  On top of that only half of the woods was accessable because of dangerous trees,  which will not be felled while they are full of Bats.   These small ancient woods are still very beguiling and while in the thick of one of them I could hear the soft calling of a couple of Bullfinches,  then a snipe shot up and away from the edge of the marsh which I could see through a gap.   I made my way back and round to the far end of the marsh and woods and from there watched a territorial dual between the parakeets and Jackdaws,  a dual I am afraid to say where the Parakeets are making substantial gains.  On my way back I saw Green Woodpeckers and Great Spotted Woodpeckers but not the little blighters,  this time anyway. One needs to be patient.    I also took a trip to Limeric gdns to see if there were any Waxwings still there, I did see three, so they are hanging around.     Russ has had a couple of Tawny Owls calling about 6 o'clock in the evening in the area of his back garden,  watch this space.  Tomorrow morning I am going to the local park to follow up dog walkers sightings of Owls there.   Saturday we are off to Norfolk for a week to see birds the grandchildren. (thanks Jono).