Done some light birding

It seems like ages since I actually managed to go out, alone, with nothing to do but look at birds or some other wildlife. Today I left it late, but nonetheless an hour or so at Watermead CP South this afternoon with bins and camera was very welcome. From a yearlisting perspective, things got off to a good start (in a bizarre sort of way) as I only saw a few species with nothing too exciting and lots of things not seen that perhaps could have been. In fact the most interesting bird seen today was a Shelduck on the backside of the island, seeing as I managed not to see one all though the 2011 yearlist challenge. I'm at 39 species with a few bits from the garden thrown in. This means I will have to go out again and expend a bit more energy.

The lighting was rubbish, with short bursts of too bright and low sunshine in between lengthy spells of gloom. I pointed the camera at some common stuff anyway, just in case I start to forget how to use a shutter button.