Dog rough

As the safari mentioned yesterday today's safari was of the Christmas shopping type, but we did get a few minutes wildlifing in. After Frank had been to the vets to get his stitches out we went up to one of Fleetwood Birders haunts to stretch his legs. We had a brief wander around Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park aka Fleetwood dog park. Never seen so many mutts and only one, guess which, was on a lead. They were everywhere mostly where they shouldn't be - on the wrong side of the wall and fences in the reedbed, swimming in the lakes etc etc etc - it's amazing there was any wildlife there at all! Fortunately gulls are fairly resilient to disturbance like this and continued to come and go dropping in for a wash and brush up before hitting the adjacent tip for lunch. All the usual suspects including a single Great Black Back, but no Mediterraneans and no sign of the Glaucous that has been seen on the nearby beach.

A flock of 22 Meadow Pipits flitted about twixt grass and fence line and gave good photo opporunities - if only we'd taken the camera but this WAS a shopping trip.

The remotest part of the park against the waste sorting station looks really good for a Cetti's Warbler. We tried a few loudly whistled song but nothing replied, although a Reed Bunting LEFT the reedbed in front of us, maybe it thought there was a giant Cetti's lurking nearby!!! By now the shops were beckoning and Frank had had a short off the lead flurry by the car park and well away from any water just in case. This was his first since his operation and he skipped about like a Springbok on steroids; sadly he his still confined to lead only excersize for another week.

The shops were a major disappointment we really struggled to find anything either worth buying or that fitted. You will be releaved to learn that we did get the 'Secret Santa' gift and got it back to the Secret Santa box in the nick of time.

Meanwhile out on the shortened Patch 1 the good old Peregrine is sat roosting up on the water tower again this evening and we had a small flock of Long Tailed Tits in the garden - wow wonders will never cease!

Where to next? Sincerely hope its back to wildlife safari-ing we've had enough of this shopping m'larky.

In the meantime let us know what wildlife is lurking round the shops in your outback.

Apologies again for the lack of pics.

PS on the hand front I posted a pic of my good hand the other day and no have cause for concern as I have just today found a large lump at the base of my thumb on my bad hand - this is seriously bad news...