Was going to have a walk around the sailing lake today,but it sounded like the battle of the Somme was taking place!!!! Never heard shooting like it.........so opted for the railway pit instead,only had the 400m lens as i wasnt expecting to try and get portrait shots,so all images are taken with that.Great Northern diver showing well at times,a Lesser Redpoll in amongst a flock of Goldfinch,female Stonechat along the ditch....also 7 Red-crested Pochard (5 males 2 females) on the small pit across the road from railway at the Gonalston end.Did find another casualty of the shooting on one of the islands!!!

Decided to have a walk round Gunthorpe this morning..yep i know,but it is a week day,so the idiots should be at work,and the layabouts in bed!! .....if the river Trent rises much more it wont be accessible anyway.On to the birds,Barn owl hunting all morning also 4 fem Goosander and a cracking male Stonechat.Excuse the images,very grey day and thats the nememis of my 400m lens!

These 3 different species gulls all had gunshot wounds........the LBB and HG were found headless next day.........lets be honest here most farmers and game keepers dont give a a flying f**k about wildlife,despite the coutryside PR !! Also found were BH gull and cormorants and numerous Starlings!!

This Starling was photographed at Wells-next-the-sea harbour......i was sat eating fish and chips when i saw it,and had to do a double take!! Naturally i shared my chips with it...........it got plenty down!

All looking a bit wet now.....the dyke looks like a small river!

All images taken with 400m F5.6 ...........Water rail 500m +1.4 tc