I've said before that the small things make me happy and after a successful recce of the local nature reserve last week, dad and I were out early this morning for some proper bird watching. At 4:45am I was dressed and in the kitchen making bacon sandwiches and a flask of milky coffee.
I knew it was going to be a hot day but packed a sweatshirt anyway and I am glad I did - it was a bit chilly sitting in that bird hide at 5:30 this morning watching the sunrise! We set up with our binoculars, tin mugs of hot coffee and my reference book, first watching Moorhens and Coots. I saw my first ever Little Egret, swiftly followed by two rather majestic Herons. The walk around the nature reserve is just 2.5 miles so after a good half an hour watching the scrape we made our way leisurely along the footpath. We saw so many different birds including a Bullfinch, a pair of Green Woodpeckers and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. I was very excited to spot a Blackcap for the first time! I have started a record of the birds I've seen and am researching the best places and times of year in the UK to see those birds.
There was something so special about being out and about early in the morning, before everyone else. When I worked at the bank, I was not a morning person at all. Now I work to my own agenda I have developed a love of slow, early, mornings where I can take my time over a cup of coffee and watch the morning unfold. When my depression was really bad it took all of my willpower just to get out of bed and I remember days when I'd be still in my nightdress as Andrew was coming home from work. One of the positives that I have taken from depression is that it *really* makes you appreciate the good days!
Such an uplifting start to the day and I was home by 10am after a cheeky coffee at Costa. Just perfect! I have had lots of admin to do today, so I set up a den in my bedroom with the windows wide open and a fan on full blast. I think I am going to pack up now and spend the early evening in the garden with my book and a drink. It's been a hot one here!
Hope you are all having a great week; not long til the bank holiday weekend. Yay!
Nicki
x0x
PS No update on the capture of our fat little mouse, I'm afraid. It seems that humane traps are difficult to come by so we've been waiting for the postman to deliver some from Amazon. It is becoming a teensy bit stressful now and if I could send Lizzie to some kind of canine boot-camp (to improve her non-existent hunting skills) I absolutely would.