We struggled!

Benno, Luke and myself were back for another session after the "day ticket" perch - but why? The wind was a boisterous (poetic license?); ridiculous 45 mph+, SW gale which made float fishing a nightmare and accurate casting little more than a lottery!
As it happens, I took all the plaudits (and fish) with my catch of five fish - shame that they were all Bream! The best one would have been a fantastic perch, yet was just another "snotter!"

A Redpoll (Lesser?) - a most complex group of species (not!)
There are many racial variations of this basic design - much like Crossbills and Homo sapiens!
It would take a politician, of some radical party, to suggest that humanity was
a mixed species population - so why are avian taxonomists so happy to
announce, yet another, new species based upon some dubious criteria?

Luke took the only perch, losing a second, on the float, whilst Benno took over my mantle - he blanked!
The highlights were provided by the avian visitors to the venue. I recorded Kingfisher, Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, before I'd got the rods cast out. A mixed flock of Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Redpolls provided the bulk of my entertainment - the Redpolls being my focus; could I find anything interesting amidst their ranks. Obviously my thinking was along the lines of a Mealy (Common) or better. Best I could muster was a, BTO-type, metal ringed male, possibly a bird ringed by SBBOT?

I'm becoming boring, I know, but why bother with metal rings in 2014?