It’s no wonder us Brits have a reputation for obsessively talking about the weather. Last year, in the eight months we travelled around Europe, we rarely thought about the weather, I think because it hardly ever impinged upon what we wanted to do. If I look back I expect nearly every post I have written this year mentions the weather and yet again today our choices were affected by the forecast.

We are keen to go to the Lost Gardens of Heligan, but when we looked at the forecast for today it, as always, predicted rain. Tomorrow, on the other hand, looks a rare sunny day. So we decided to stay put on the Looe site and go gardening tomorrow.

The result is that we have had a very quiet day. I, like a typical Englishman, got my chair out and spent most of the day outside, in my fleece and long trousers, dodging the showers. Sarah, more sensibly, stayed inside Basil. We both read and Sarah played on some of the iPad games, of which she is becoming fond (that’s a nice way to say addicted!). She has, of course, taken the dogs for numerous walks.

Herring Gull

Since I had little better to do I got out my binoculars and, for the first time this year, my birding lens! When I have time I really enjoy just sauntering about seeing how many bird species I can spot and where I can, getting a photograph. Caravan Club sites are fairly good because they are mostly set in the countryside and the Looe site is encompassed by native hedges.

Greenfinch

It’s easier to identify birds through binoculars, because with the 3d effect you obtain it is possible to see “inside” a tangle of twigs and branches, which is much more difficult with a camera lens. Birds are also more skittish when you are trying to photograph them without the benefit of a bird feeder! Nonetheless I managed to get a few reasonable photographs and was pleased to see my first swallow of the year – a lone individual which fed for a short while above the site before moving on.

Chaffinch

As I said tomorrow looks as if it could be nice the whole day – lets hope the weather forecasters don’t spoil it.

For my own interest here is a list of the species spotted today, all within 25 metres of Basil:

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Great Tit

House Sparrow

Blackbird

Robin

Swallow

Rook

Herring Gull

Pheasant

Wood Pigeon

Pied Wagtail

Golden Oriole????

The question marks after the Golden Oriole are because this species is relatively rare for Britain and the few that do arrive are usually later than April, but it was a large bird (about the size of a Jay) with a bright yellow body and so Golden Oriole is most likely.