Birding

I'm not a great fan of sitting still in dark bird hides -

they tend to be colder than the outside,

and often devoid of bird sightings, apart from coots.

There are always coots.

But sometimes they offer shelter from a stiff breeze

and a knowledgeable birder who was kind enough to explain

 the wonderful extraordinary sight of the flocks of birds 

wheeling, blending and separating

overhead when we emerged together.

He told us that they were lapwings and golden plovers

and that they were taking evasive action because a pair of 

peregrine falcons were trying to get above them so that they could

stoop in pursuit of their prey.

We don't know if they succeeded, but the birdwatchers were happy.

'That's a big tick,' said one satisfied couple.

I scored 25 points in my

I-Spy Book of Birds.