Beautiful sunny, spring-like day and this Magpie was making the most of the sun at the top of this Cedar at Wollaton Park.

What are the odds of pointing your scope at the reedbed and having a Bittern staring back at you? An extremely lucky (and brief) moment at Holme Pit, Clifton. It didnt hang around long and slowly disappeared into the reeds. On returning back by the pool I saw it fly into the reeds on the opposite side and again, melt into the reeds. This is therefore and unfortunately, a memory drawing sketched when i got home. We also heard Water rail and had a good view of a Sparrowhawk perched on a fence post. A big Fieldfare flock passed overhead and many Tits, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Chaffinches in the canopy....but no Lesser Woodpecker today.

Bennerley Marsh. Flock of Wigeon grazing on the river bank. Also present: Herons, Lapwings, Teal, Stock Dove pair and Woodpigeon. Heard a Redshank calling.

Teal on ice, Attenborough,

Shelduck pair resting on the ice. Attenborough, Clifton Pit.

Chaffinch calling from the Hawthorns as I sketched waterfowl.

Blackbird from my window.

Hungry Fieldfares in a Rowan on my street.

Fieldfare and Redwing

A hungry looking Pied Wagtail. I feel for the birds in this weather.

The view from my window this morning with resident Magpie on aerial.

Coots on the ice. Wollaton lake

Black headed Gulls on the lookout for food

Blue Tit from window. They are rarities round here!

Lesser Black backed Gulls. One Gull would land on this favourite perch then another one would fly up behind and push it off. This manouvre was repeated a few times before it got dark.

Redwing drawn from my front room window. Quite a few Redwings and Fieldfares flying over the house in this frosty weather.

.....and in colour.

A doodle from memory of Tufted Duck I saw a few days ago. An idea for a painting.