The time of the singing of birds is come......

      With the exception of a few short sprints on my way to the village, or back and forth across Gibraltar Farm campsite at Silverdale in search of someone who might lend us a tin-opener, nothing has yet been done in the way of serious running.  But I've been keeping reasonably fit and active so Easter should find me back in the hills wearing my trademark RUNNINGFOX vest and favourite trail shoes.

Exploring the coast path at Silverdale on arrival   (Click to enlarge)

      My Rt eye continues to be a problem and last weekend's camp at Silverdale had to be aborted when it objected to the vicious sunlight, particularly when concentrated through the prisms of powerful binoculars at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve.  It became bloodshot, blurred and stung so much I could hardly keep it open for more than a few seconds in spite of wearing polarized sunglasses for the duration of our stay.

Evening aperitif

      It was disappointing because there were so many beautiful things to see in that Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so many footpaths to be explored, so many rare birds to spot.  Marsh harriers were performing their annual sky dances, avocets were colonising the estuary, cattle egrets were skulking in the reed beds and noisy but secretive Cettis' warblers were getting twitchers very excited.  Otters had been spotted too.

Tree in evening light

      We saw and photographed quite a lot before my stupid eye declared it had had enough.  We returned to camp, packed the tent on Sunday afternoon and returned home in hopes of getting advice or an early appointment with my Consultant ophthalmologist the following day.  I did, and glad to say, things are a little better now.

      Here are a few pictures taken before the trauma:

A heron paid us a visit

Courting mute swans

Cormorant, or shag, or something...

Coot

Little egret by the reedbed

Greylag goose

Black headed gulls eyeing the floating nest of a great crested grebe

Saturday evening sunset across Morecambe Bay

We saw many other species but such is our limited knowledge of ornithological matters we were unable to name them.  But we were lucky enough to hear and see a Cetti's warbler which, we were told, is quite rare in our region of the hemisphere.  I dearly wanted to see the avocets but in the time taken to walk to the estuary my eye would probably have given up the ghost.
I've a feeling another visit may be on the cards in the not too distant future.
Happy running everyone.