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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mouldy" data-source="post: 1787437" data-attributes="member: 25743">Laughing last, laughing loudestGloat ye not The irony is, while Steve ruins his pants with laughter over Ospreygate, today I got a bird even better, a totally unexpected garden lifer, and one which will no doubt have him putting in every available minute at the window this weekend while I’m out of the combat zone for a couple of days. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> Munching on a poached egg grilled tomato and mushroom bap outside in the sunshine this afternoon (late breakfast would you believe) I spied a bird coming over high up in a very slow flat-winged glide, jizz with naked eye said hirundine, probably a martin of sorts. I continued to munch as I watched it come overhead, my bap too full to put down without a spillage so I stuffed as much as I could in my gob and grabbed my bins before said birdy got too far past to ID. I almost choked.It wasn’t a martin at all but a falcon, small, stocky, broad-based wings, a merlin :eek!:, by the size of it, a male. I cursed for not getting on it straight off, don’t get many these parts so presumably a passage bird, ambling up high in the sunshine looking in no particular hurry to get anywhere, a very nice garden lifer for yours truly. Oh and all this while Steve was having an unsolved gossy/sprawk quandary further over in the valley. Shame.In the excitement I forgot I’d also got a couple of goldcrests this morning as we left the house, singing in the conifers over the way. :t: OMAHD 67 Mouldy 61And a butterfly bonus, I entered the garage today to find two small tortoiseshells and a peacock butterfly at the window, presumably fresh out of hibernation. I got them on my hand and took them outside, but they were reluctant to take to the air, shivering to warm up so I got prolonged in-hand views of their gorgeous colouring before they eventually fluttered off. Very satisfying. What a grand day it turned out.cheers</blockquote>

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