With the festive period nearly upon us I was really looking forward to getting out on the patch as I am now off work until 6th January.
Unfortunately I've chipped a bone in my right ankle whilst out walking on Sunday 22nd December, so eventually had to give in and go to A&E on Christmas Eve.I received a very friendly and efficient service but left wearing a boot on my right leg which I have keep on twenty four-seven until my appointment at the fracture clinic on New Years Eve. Hopefully it will come off then.
After moping about the house I convinced my wife to drive me down to the lake this morning. We managed a slow hobble for half an hour  in which time we saw a tick for the year in the shape of a drake Pochard (116). There were also a few Mandarin, a Coot, a Great Crested Grebe, Kingfisher, a drake Tufted as well as quite a few Redwing and Fieldfares plus Goldfinch and Siskin in the lakeside alders and a flyover Brambling and Meadow Pipit.
This cheered me a little but the thought of being confined to the house is not a pleasant one.