Watching you watching me

The rain was stotting down as I was attempting to spot birds for the RSPB Garden Birdwatch. I had to go out and squeegee the window at one point because I couldn't see for raindrops (see extra with Juno). The birds were not enthusiastic for eating in the rain but I spied:

2 goldfinches
2 magpies
2 woodpigeons
2 feral pigeons
2 great tits
2 blue tits
1 blackbird
1 dunnock
1 robin

bonus points: 2 grey squirrels, 1 tabby cat followed by one yowling ginger cat (get out of my garden!)

Watching the birds, I listened to the latest Unfortunately ... with Fi and Jane podcast, which always has me giggling – they're great company. It was interesting to hear them chatting to Katya Adler, who I saw a great deal of when watching the BBC Brexit news. It's nice to have a bit of background to the reporter.

Listening to the podcast with Tom Allen inspired me to watch Call my Agent (one of his viewing recommendations) this evening and it was very watchable. Not done with watching one new programme, I also tried out The Queen's Gambit – I think I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but I now have an inkling why friends are raving about it. I'll watch a second episode of this, too.

At some point in the afternoon, before darkness fell, we dragged on our waterproofs and walked around the Rookery. It wasn't too bad once we were out. The park is beyond sodden! We watched a beagle pull its owner into a mudbath to chase a squirrel – luckily, the dog walker was wearing wellies. At another point, a toddler fell completely into the mud landing on his back. Once there, he revelled in the squishiness, or it might have been that he found it hard to get up. Either way, he was wearing some sort of waterproof onesie so the mud should only be on the outer garment. 

Tomorrow looks drier at least. Maybe I'll see more birds for Birdwatch 2. I was disappointed not to see the coal tit, but he/she might appear for a count in the morning and only two goldfinches is just letting the side down. The redwings haven't visited for a few days so I think they've flown elsewhere.