Staying lockdown-local

 I am trying to combine the current restrictions with the ambition to loose weight so I am walking somewhere, pretty much every day.  Unfortunately the weather has been pretty grey and miserable almost every day.

This has lead to some rather dark photos of wagtails with both Grey

and Pied showing well

One morning was exceptionally foggy but I was still fortunate enough to notice this Snipe and Oystercatcher at Dowlais

Its easier to see what an Oystercatcher really looks like in the next picture taken from the path by the  golf course

With the course shut; Herring Gulls were foot-paddling to draw up earthworms, with a degree of success

Unusual sightings were few and far between but a flock of Shoveller have been hanging around for several days

On a couple of days I tried other areas of town. My walk inland along the Blind Yeo produced an elusive Little Grebe and 3 Mute Swans while the Mandarin on the Land Yeo stayed out of camera shot

 

My walk across the town to check each park in the hope of a wintering Firecrest failed in that regard. It did turn up a Nuthatch in Alexandra Road and also meant I could add the Pier Black Redstart to my list of birds seen without a car

Unfortunately it also seemed to upset my knees so I need to be careful for a few days.

Despite this a walk to the Yeo and Blake's pools added Egyptian Geese to the year list and a fly-over Great White Egret which evaded the camera as I kept it in the rucksack in today's rain

One day at least was crisp and frosty though and I was particularly drawn to these reeds by Strode Road

Here's hoping for more of the same in the next week