It really is black and white... it isn't one.

Karen came over to the laptop this evening. The screen looked like this when she arrived: -

I'm pretty sure she's not a closet BF user, but astute as always, she then knowingly stated that 'you were one of those that lost your nerve'. There was nowhere to hide, between the words of a perceptive non-birder and Alan Lewis - the only guy who has consistently been outspoken against the rising tide of views, questioning the contemporary establishment that seems to be brainwashing the masses these days. I had to admit I'd handed my bollocks over to the men in white suits when I headed up north for a bit of ficedula fill. Though Alan was, as I expected, correct that the bird was not an Atlas Flycatcher. Karen finished her words of wisdom off by stating 'I still don't understand why you have to get influenced by others, as you told me it wasn't one the evening before you went'. If only it was all that easy and I evidently need to man up somewhat. But at least I don't have to alter any of my blog posts though!

Oh yeah, I also went out birding today. An early morning at Crossness wasn't early enough, as I missed another Turtle Dove. It was a lovely morning, but they don't necessarily equate to the most productive on the bird front. Passage on the Thames was quiet, and the highlights were limited to a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls on the mud, a Wheatear in the paddocks and a Hobby that whizzed east over the golf course.

US1T

Back in Rotherhithe, standing at the top of Stave Hill was colder than anticipated and didn't produce the hoped for Red Kite, though a few hirundines and Swifts were moving through. It was good to see a Common Tern back on one of the nesting platforms on Surrey Water (I've had one on Greenland Dock several mornings before school this week), while loafing gulls by the Hilton Hotel included a couple of ringed birds - another NTGG Herring while a green-ringed bird, presumably Dutch from what I have figured, didn't behave well enough for me to get the whole code. Tomorrow perhaps...