Minor progress as spring is (possibly?) in the air

A fairly gentle day together at The Willows today, following a pretty busy one for Julia on Friday when she did stacks of gloss painting. On the practical side, all we did was hang the curtains in the sitting room, tinker with a few bits of paint, and change the light fitting in the hall - low key, really!

The nearly completed sitting-room - curtains to be updated soon!

But we also enjoyed a walk up from the house onto Rockford Common and back down by Moyles Court - finding the long-staying female Smew on Rockford Lake. We also saw plenty of Redpolls, Siskins and a few Bullfinches, plus "the usual" Goosander, Goldeneye and other wildfowl.

Back in the garden, a new peak was reached for Reed Bunting - nine! Also new in the garden were a couple of Siskins, plus Goldfinch, and we finally got around to birding Snails Lake from inside the front garden - easily adding Tufted Duck, Pochard, Mute Swan and Coot. The garden list is already up to a highly impressive 57....

Julia feasts on baked potatoes - new microwave in action