Stretford

Dunnock, Stretford Meadows

The spadgers have been busy in the garden all day working the feeders in continuous relays. The blackbird's confining his singing to the early morning while both the wren and the blackcap are keeping it going all day. The robin is almost silent save for the very occasional short burst just to put a marker in the ground, which suggests he's busy with other affairs.

• Blackbird 2
• Blackcap 1
• Blue Tit 2
• Collared Dove 1
• Goldfinch 1
• Great Tit 1
• House Sparrow 12
• Jackdaw 2
• Magpie 1
• Robin 1
• Rook 1
• Starling 2
• Woodpigeon 2

I'd had a distinctly ropey night's sleep, a combination of the results of the first thing that came to hand for a 10pm dinner, cramp after the long journey after a long walk, and a cat who hadn't sat on me all day and wanted to catch up. Consequently when it became time to put my boots on and catch the train for today's planned excursion I couldn't be bothered. I really needed a couple of hours' sleep so I went for a stroll to get a bit of exercise and walk some of the knots out of my leg muscles.

Stretford Meadows

The trees at the Newcroft Road end of Stretford Meadows were busy with blue tits, great tits, goldfinches and sparrows and a couple each of wren and chiffchaff were noisy with song. The same was true over on the other side where the path meets Kickety Brook, with long-tailed tits and nuthatches as added attractions. In between, out in the open, it was very, very quiet: were it not for the magpies and the occasional dunnock there wouldn't have been anything at all.

Walking along Kickety Brook

I walked down as far as Hawthorn Road and jacked it in, I'd had an hour's walk and I was too tired to want to push it further. Back home for a kip, waking up to find a cat asleep on my shoulder. It had been a wise move to postpone my day out.