New recruit

I expect that the majority of regular visitors, to my blog, will have noticed a significant lack of posts in February?  Nothing to worry about, thankfully, just Bev and I are very close to adding a dog to the Dumpton household and this has dominated our waking hours over the past week, or so! The staff at the Canterbury "Dogs' Trust" have been outstanding with their help and enthusiasm which now means that Bruno will be formally adopted on Saturday and, as a result, a whole new chapter will start in my experience. Never, in sixty-nine years and two months, have I owned a dog - although Bev always had pet dogs before we got together in June 2000!

Not a particularly flattering image of our new pet.
Fear ye not as I'm confident there will be plenty more!

Why now? Well, one of the side issues which arose during Bev's cancer treatment was that of anxiety and the associated mental health impact. It was a meeting with a Macmillan Cancer support worker, based at the Oncology Dept in Kent & Canterbury Hospital, who spoke about the positive aspects of pet ownership and how it might reduce (if not remove) the unwanted stress. So it might have taken nearly four months, yet we're on the verge of the start of a brand new adventure! 

A Grey Wagtail spotted on the weir just over the syndicate fishery fence

I have been out with the rods - I blanked! - and the birding kit but, apart from getting the van stuck, haven't got too much to report. I've started to put together a few ideas for how I'd like 2025 to progress yet, obviously, this will depend upon umpteen other factors which could throw a spanner in the works. I did manage to take a stroll out on the flatlands, in the hope of adding Barn or Short-eared Owl to my meagre year list. Sadly, I failed in the owl quest, but still pointed the long lens in the direction of a Corn Bunting - a species I didn't record in 2024!