BIRD NEWS:299

Before I departed, I took one last shot each of Bluey and Naboo. They both seemed to be aware that it was around about one and a half hours post arrival and my camera's return usually meant it would not be long before I disappeared.

Naboo finally looked sorry for himself and for his racing around and allowed a good photo to be taken - perhaps in the hope that I may stay longer...

I had one more place I wished to visit on this trip, however - possibly two, if the weather permitted. I wanted to pop into Shoreham to shop at 1-2 stores. I had hoped for fine weather to allow me to stroll along the pathway to the fort from the beached house boats, but instead of dry windless weather, I was greeted by snow. I like snow and yet there were not enough flakes falling to show up in my photos.

The dark skies may show something falling or about to - but not a single flake shows up, despite there being a fall heavy enough to make one blink and huddle up in ones coat. One pigeon sat on the roof of 'toilet street'. One gull snuggled into itself in the church yard, as I walked past to grab a steamy hot coffee and wander around the street market while enjoying these falling white flecks. In close up, you can see 4-5 white specks in the gull picture, but...only just.

That was my early-February trip completed. Back home, and I got a shot of the youngest robin. Not all the brightness of the red patch is evident yet - its only just beginning to color in his face and chest.

There has not been much activity on the feeder pole from starlings over the past week or three, but I managed to catch one guy taking a snack.