I'd overslept, catching up with sleep denied, and woke to a bright sunny morning and the cancellation of a yellow rain warning. The back garden was still shy of spadgers but pairs of blackbirds, dunnocks and woodpigeons were canoodling and the robin was in full song. Over the road the gulls had been replaced by woodpigeons and starlings. I wondered how many, if any, would be staying to be our breeding population.
The clouds rolled in over lunchtime but it still looked okay for a much-needed afternoon walk. Yesterday's walk just emphasised how little walking I've done this week and the knees need a bit of extra working out in the wet weather.
The weather wasn't promising but it just needed a bit of fortitude and pluck, neither of which I'm over blessed with, to get a walk in. I made the mistake of sitting down to put my boots on and woke up five minutes later.
I decided to get the bus to Turn Moss and walk through Ivy Green and Chorlton Ees to Chorlton Water Park and perhaps on to Kenworthy Woods. It started raining while I waited for the bus. By the time we got into Stretford it was pouring down. By Longford Park I asked myself was I really doing this? And the answer was no. I'd get wet through and nearly all the birds nearly all the way would be staying under cover.
I like to think I'm not just a fair weather birdwatcher but I'm having my doubts lately. In a car it's easy to tool up to many places and wind the window down for some serious birdwatching or nip out for five minutes for a tick. There are places where you can sit at a bus shelter or a railway station and do some serious birdwatching but I don't know if any in Greater Manchester. Besides, I really do need the exercise.
Perhaps tomorrow.
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