Dartford Warbler

Lade - cold, wintry showers, nw 5 - The much predicted icy blast from the north hit with a vengeance today delivering sleety showers and a rasping wind during the morning. As the day progressed the showers eased and the sun broke through, although the wind speed picked up to near gale force making it feel even colder. Needless to say walking across the shingle wastes to check the lakes was not at all pleasurable, and not that productive either with the massed ranks of wildfowl, grebes and Coots still present and seemingly oblivious to the bitter wind.
How weak us humans are by comparison. Barney too is not in the slightest phased by the cold and on the way back this morning he flushed a Dartford Warbler from the broom scrub between south lake and Leonard Road, only my second Lade record, although not too surprising considering their mini influx of late. As a special treat I fried him up a couple of bangers for second breakfast.
With reports of Little Auks appearing down the east coast today we checked the bay and north lake this afternoon just in case, but it was not to be, so we retired early to the comfort of a log fire and a book.

                                Its a dogs life...