randombirder

No hoped for migrants but a couple of smart Red-Crested Pochard were the highlight along with a strange rainbow effect against a predominantly clear sky.

Just a couple of days in the southern Polish town of Zakopane on the foothills of the Tatra mountains close to the Slovakian border. The skiing itself was amusing and encouraging.  Despite a few butt-first slammers into the snow, the slopes were kind to me, and I managed some decent runs before indulging into a few apres-ski vodka shots.  When in Poland.

Utterly frazzled by long days at work, sixteen on one horrendous day when the pressures weighed heavy on my shoulders, the demands of sadistic clients demanding delivery of work that were likely to be disregarded anyway. I'd had enough and spontaneously headed north late Friday morning.  We ended up in York for the evening, relaxing in this beautiful city under the grandeur of the Minster and the quaint cobbled streets. The next morning was a stab at the Pine Bunting.  Present for a long stint in the village of Dunnington, the bird was seen early morning.  Arriving at around 1030 after a tardy morning start, the scope was set up as resident gregarious flocks of Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer  flew nervously around the paddocks.  There was no sign.  A male Bullfinch brightened up the short vigil under leaden skies but by 12 I had given up and the bird wasn't seen since. We continued north and arrived in Amble early afternoon.  It was throwi...