I had been wondering how to tell the story of  today and decided to just go through exactly as it happened. You may find it interesting or you may not. In truth it was a little frustrating but then you can't have a special day every day or it just wouldn't be special! 

It started at dawn. I climbed back in to bed after a peep outside and decided that it would be a bit dodgy out on the Brook. It was raining and when we have rain the water level is always too high for the hide. My judgement was exactly correct because later on in the morning when I went for a walk there i was extremely surprised to see just how high the water level was. The hide was literally all but submerged.

If you compare it to the other days shot of the brook and hide you can see how high the water had risen. That's the hide just peeping out of the water in the middle of the shot.

I had a walk down the brook to see if I could see the Kingfisher and I am glad to report that he was still there and I saw him several times. I had a view of him perched  under the Road bridge.

I just hope that with the water level as high as it is, he is managing to catch some fish. I expect so because when the water was up for at least 8 weeks he was still around when it receeded. He must, therefore, be able to catch when the water is high. My little walk was enjoyable and I was thrilled to see a Green Sandpiper at the lower end of the brook, proving that this species, (probably the bird I saw in September),is spending the winter here. 

I came home for a spot of lunch and took a photo from the upstairs window of the gardens first Long-tailed Tit of the year. (above)
Later,  thinking that I might see the Spotted Sandpiper that has been  at Topsham on the Exe since November, (I haven't seen it this year yet though), I went to see if there was any sign. No luck, but I took a few nice pictures of the river to show exactly where he is, or was, and what a lovely spot he has chosen to over-winter. Specifically, he was seen repeatedly on the mud to the right of the picture, but not today.

When I got home there was still time to take this really lovely Robin portrait of a bird that has decided to call our garden home. He was perched on the logs placed in front of my garden hide and even though I had almost had enough bird watching for one day, I decided to try and get a shot of him. I am rather glad that I did.