Sunshine!

This morning one of the several squirrels who spend more time than I'd like trying to break into the birdfeeders decided today was the day to start digging up the garden. I don't know why, but it decided to exhume various acorns that were buried on the far side of the path and have a reburial in the front garden.
I do wonder what prompted this action. Although it looks as though its having a quick nibble, it was just checking each one very carefully before recommitting it to the earth.

In the tree above,  a Redwing watched proceedings with interest and this was what turned out to be the last view of one here this winter. (ed: no it wasn't, still around to 27th March at least)

The afternoon was positively spring-like and I decided to have a quick look over the main pond of Fishlake to see if anything interesting was around. Nothing unusual was as it happened but a few Shovellers were quite close in for a change although they spotted me pretty quickly and headed off into the distance. I liked the patterns in the water though, its like looking through a venetian blind

Very often drake Shovellers just look to have dark heads although we know they are green, its just they need to be reasonably close and in good light to show the iridescence off to best effect

However, not every drake Shoveller on Fishlake was looking quite this resplendent, even in the glorious sunshine. You have to hope this one can't see its own reflection

A Buzzard took up station in one of the dead trees and worked its way to the very top in a series of hops and jumps and resolutely refused to look in my direction

All birds of prey, regardless of what threat (or lack of it) they pose, attract the attention of other birds who do their best to move them on. In this case it was a growing number of Magpies who slowly and stealthily hopped up the branches surrounding the Buzzard and trying to worry it into moving on. The Buzzard was not one for having its sunbathing interrupted and held its nerve

One of the Magpies, presumably egged on by its comrades, got a bit too brave and incurred an icy stare

which was obviously too much to bear and discretion (often not a watchword of the Magpie) became the better part of valour

The only other thing of note was the very large flock of flighty Lapwings which entertained on a regular basis. Maybe there was a fox moving around, or a stoat, maybe even an otter, or maybe nothing at all, but they hardly landed for more than a few minutes before lifting off again.
I couldn't fit the whole flock in, but here is a part of it.