BLACK-WINGED STILT

.... at Frampton Marsh RSPB, near Boston, Lincolnshire. Well thank you, you little long red-legged (which don't look as though they could support you) wader for appearing through the persistent rain. And thank you to the birder who found you for us, looking the wrong way!

For a very wet and dismal weather day, seeing as we left home under blue skies and sunshine, we did well today. For both of us a Lifer of a Red-rumped Swallow; and for me the first Yellow Wagtail, Whimbrel, Swift and Skylark of the year, and a Ring Ouzel. G had already seen most of these but then he has more birding time than me on his hands.

If he could cook and iron then this wouldn't be so ........

While looking at the Red-rumped Swallow the couple next to us said that their son (perhaps 8 or 9) had received his present of binoculars in the post that morning and so they had come out birding ..... and he got a Red-rumped Swallow on his first day. Flippin' heck, he'll go far!