Fab Friday @RSPBMinsmere

On the recommendation of Penny Bun we hired a holiday cottage for a long weekend in Suffolk, our first visit to the county. She said she'd eat her camera if we didn't love the cottage and the surrounding area. Suffice to say, her photographic - and dental - equipment are safe. The cottage is well worth it's Gold Award and we had a cracking time.

On the Friday we spent all day at RSPB Minsmere. The staff were very friendly and helpful, the site is beautiful and we did two great circular walks, one before lunch and one after.

Birding highlights were Water Rail, Green Woodpecker, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, an unseasonal Swallow and thirty Waxwing. You can see more of my photos on my Flickr photostream, but I've blipped my favourite. There were four Hen Pheasants outside the visitor centre, competing with the finches and tits at the feeders. The weather was cold but clear, so we ate our lunch outside. I couldn't resist a shot or two of the pheasants as they distainfully peered over their shoulders at us.