Woodsmoor

Waxwing

It was a bright and breezy sunny day right up to the point when I put my boots on and it started pouring down, so I took the hint and went to look for waxwings in Stockport. A few had been reported in the car park at Stepping Hill Hospital yesterday and they'd been seen again this morning so I gave it a go.

There are reasons why I tend to stay local at weekends, or at least try to avoid the city centre. It's a dead straightforward trip out to Woodsmoor Station, next to the hospital. Train into Oxford Road, wait two minutes for the train to Piccadilly, five minutes for the Buxton train. The connecting service to Piccadilly was cancelled so I missed the Buxton train. Getting to Piccadilly and seeing the meltdown on the departures board I scotched Plan B (a trip out to Glossop) and decided to get the London train to Stockport and the bus down to Stepping Hill. Which was my next mistake. I should have taken the hint when it was ten minutes late coming into the station but I didn't fancy waiting half an hour for the Hazel Grove train at Piccadilly. Waiting half an hour at Piccadilly is never nice, it's hell at weekends. So I got the London train which should take ten minutes. The train broke down between stations in Longsight. After a couple of full system reboots it got to Stockport a tad late but every other train was late, too so I hadn't missed the Hazel Grove train, it was in the queue waiting to get into the station. The journey from Stockport to Woodsmoor took five minutes and was uneventful. I sometimes wonder why I do this.

I walked down to the hospital and walked through towards the car park entrance where the waxwings were reported. I overshot a turn by the car park and turned round to retrace my steps.

"They're funny starlings on that lamppost with the woodpigeon," I thought to myself.

Waxwings and woodpigeon

Waxwings

Waxwings

Waxwing and woodpigeon

Waxwings

Waxwings

Waxwings

Waxwings

Which is why I do this.

Waxwing