Salthouse Heath

 Saturday April 19

They've been arriving in numbers during the last few days.  Most of them in areas inaccessible to us. We thought that we had a chance for the birds on Salthouse Heath.

It was a sunny afternoon with a cool edge to the wind. Pam and Adrian planted the tomato plants in the lean-to greenhoue yesterday, hoping to get them well established before our trip to Scotland. Once in the ground, they are less susceptible to the 'not as good as our care' given by a helpful neighbour. 

Google maps took us to the correct field, only one car and a young man present. He helpfully told us where they had been and where they had flown to. 'That tree over there' ! Pam got out, located the birds, then moved the car so that I could see a female Ring Ouzel through the roadside branches. Driving a little further, there was a pull-in in front of a gate from which I could easily see a male. Always distant, that big white chest crescent really stands out. I tried a photograph, despite having problems trying to focus - the gate and fence kept distracting my auto focus. I couldn't quite recall how to switch to manual on the R5, must read up on it.

 


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