Redwing Sheffield

At home our garden backs on to farm land, although Redwing and Fieldfare aren't uncommon in the area they rarely if ever stray into the garden. Imagine then my surprise when looking out of #1 daughter's living room window I find a group of Redwings in a tree at the bottom of the garden.

I first saw them on Christmas day and took a few shots. They were (as is this) hand held at the very fullest extent of the Lumix's zoom and were intended to be mainly for record purposes.

Today they were there again and shooting from the front door I got passable shots. So this is one of them, heavily cropped and showing a lot of grain because I was still on ISO 1600 for indoor shots.

Other than that as the highlight of the day we left Sheffield after lunch. Driving up the A1(M) the matrix signs informed us the A66 was closed. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology (traffic news flashes interrupting the CDs) we discovered that a caravan had blown over and the snow gates had been closed while it was recovered. Not only that but they were going to keep the gates closed due to the weather. As my brother is wont to say "budgie grit". This meant adding an hour and a half to our trip and continuing up the A1, across the A69 and down the M6. Finally arriving home safe and sound but more than a little tired just after 6:00.