Today is a very special one for me, if you have stumbled on the blog by accident, please read this. I served for 35 years as a musician in the Royal Marines Band Service and on this day 20 years ago 11 of my fellow musicians were brutally murdered by the IRA in a massacre at the Royal Marines School of Music. This incident changed my outlook on life forever, I live for the day and remember my good friends killed in such atrocious circumstances. The explosion occurred at 8.29 so imagine my thoughts when, sat in my hide and at exactly 8.29 the Green Sandpiper that I have spent 4 days and 8 hours waiting to catch. landed right in front of me. Here are some of those images. I must admit that my emotions did get the better of me as I snapped away, and I perhaps missed some of the best shots as I thought of Mac, a bird watching buddy killed on that day. Who knows, perhaps Mac sent the bird to me. The coincidence is a littl!e too much to take in.
 

Perhaps someone could explain to me why citizens of Ireland travelled to England and murdered 11 innocent young men. Musicians, fathers, husbands, bird watchers, sportsmen and good friends who represented the best that UK can muster. I am not in a position to forgive but I will never forget. I also hope that if you are Irish you may take some collective responsibility for the hatred that your religiously intolerant society created.