Pootling

Black-headed gulls, Alexandra Park 

I didn't feel like doing much but thought I should make an effort while the sun was shining so I put my boots on ready for going for a wander round Chat Moss, looked out of the window and watched the heavens open. It absolutely teemed down for half an hour then the sun played peek-a-boo for an hour.

Turned out nice again

It's half term so the gulls on the school playing field have been a mite confused. The usual couple of dozen black-headed gulls milled about all morning dancing for worms, the large gulls (three herrings, two lesser black-backs and a common today) flew in for their share of the lunchtime spoils and had to make do with worms, taking some of their spite out on passing jackdaws before departing for Trafford Park.

I felt I should still make some sort of effort so today's random jaunt was a trip out to Oldham (train to Ashton-under-Lyne and the 409 up to Hathershaw, the area just South of Oldham town centre) to see if the wood duck was back on the pond at Alexandra Park. Sadly no sign today but the sun came out and I had a nice walk round checking that all the black-headed gulls were black-headed gulls and all the tufted ducks tufties. I thought I saw the wood duck in a group of mallards loafing on the other side of the pond just where I'd get the light in my eyes. I walked round and wasn't sure whether to laugh or blush at its being a drake mallard swimming backwards (why? God knows).

Alexandra Park 

There were bus problems in Oldham so I got back into Manchester in time for the usual Piccadilly Gardens gridlock. No matter, the pottering about's the thing.