All rather ordinary

An absolutely glorious day; I was walking around Newland's Farm at 06.00hrs seeking that elusive first Wheatear - it continues to elude! Quite a sharp frost, first thing, but it had gone by 07.30hrs and the early clouds soon burnt off to produce a wonderfully blue sky full of raptor promise.

Sadly; this is where my day started and finished - the promise never delivered, two Sparrowhawks apart (one was a displaying resident - the other suggested migrant behaviour, but I'm not entirely convinced) not a raptor to be seen during my three hours in the garden. Not all time wasted, there was a Fieldfare briefly early on, three Rooks flew SE mid morning and a Cormorant headed S, high overhead, causing momentary excitement prior to the true id being established.

Having my camera close to hand, it was inevitable that anything remotely interesting would be subject to my attentions. A Dunnock and a pair of House Sparrows provided the bulk of my images with a rather intriguing caterpillar discovered on the Ivy, which adorns our decking railings, ensuring that the macro lens got an airing.