Out and About

With the weather forecast of dry weather until early afternoon I decided to see if I could find the reported Goosander at Petworth Park. So, in cold and frosty conditions, I arrived at the small pond to find it more or less frozen over. With only a small triangle of open water the resident Mallards were looking really miserable. No sign of any Goosander and one of the Egyptian Geese that frequent the area had left the pond and was extremely reluctant to return. Then Martin hove into view and we spent a half an hour trying to find something to fill up the pixels. Andrew House passed by and reported a no show on the large lake, which was frozen also. So it was off to Pulborough Brooks with a possible chance of a Brambling, reported to be using the feeders at the main entrance - zilch found. Eventually, after a bacon baguette and a hot steaming cup of tea we made our  way down to Fattengates to try to locate the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that had been seen just five minutes previously. However, we couldn't pass up the chance of a Bullfinch or two and an obliging Wren on the zig-zag, thus arriving at the courtyard after the LSW had departed. Such is life!