It's not often that I get close enough to a Bullfinch to see, let alone photograph. But today was a rare exception, albeit a juvenile without the distinctive black cap sported by both adults. The picture was taken at 6.30 this morning,  At 5 I went to sit in the hide near to the Barn Owls but regardless of the effort, and believe me, early mornings are not my favourite, it was a no show.  However, it was thrilling  to watch and wait and you never know with birds like Barn Owls.  Just as with Kingfishers, you are sat there thinking that there is no chance when suddenly….. there they are in front of you.  That happened repeatedly with my Kingfishers last year and the year before, (sadly not this year though…yet!)  Anyway, back to this morning, as the dawn brightened birds became active, there was an unusual cooing from wires to my left and a closer look revealed a male Stock Dove.  I was hoping for a Turtle Dove, that would have been too much to ask for! Then I heard a whistling call from in front of me and I thought I was seeing a Chaffinch…… but not with that call.   I realised straight away that it was a Bullfinch.  I heard more calls from behind me but of course, there is limited view from the hide, this would have been the parents which it would have been nice to see.  As the day became even brighter, my confidence began to wain and I came home for breakfast.

After a struggle to get going again due to lack of sleep, I went to have a look to see if there were any Godwits on the River Clyst. That was a negative but I  a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper were feeding in the mud.