Yesterday the 22 September was the anniversary of the IRA murder of 11 Royal Marine Musicians, my friends and workmates. One of those musicians murdered was Dave McMillan ….. Mac to me. He was as interested in birds as I and when we served together in Portsmouth we used to go birdwatching together. Just one of the innocents blown to pieces by the Irish Republican Army…….. and I will never forgive them……… never. I despise them for the atrocity committed but also for making me hate! I consider myself to be an oddball with a different outlook on life and after an event like that your perspectives and direction is changed for ever. So yesterday was a day for quiet reflection and sadness and thoughts of Mac and Tim and the others. It happened just before 8.30 in the morning and I deliberately stayed asleep in bed till gone 9 so as not to be upset when that time arrived.

That now said I had a few nice sightings of good birds and I particularly enjoyed the Shoveler Ducks at Bowling Green Marsh. The one here is a Drake in eclipse, that is to say winter plumage.

I seem to be able to get better and better Egret photos, I liked this one that flew in to join it’s mate and called as he landed.

Brent Geese off Cockwood

This photo was taken this afternoon in the garden. There are a lot of Drone Flies around at the moment, (a species of Hoverfly). I sat in the garden and tried to get photos of them in flight which was hard but when I had a look through I really liked this one.