Rainbows End

I take a different view on rainbow's
since seeing this one recently. I was
actually driving along Jeremy Lane in the direction of Conder Green and on
my way to see the Long-tailed Duck which took up residence for a few days recently - to the delight of many a birder - on the canal by Thurnham Mill Inn. The end of this rainbow points directly to the very spot where the bird was on the canal as I made my way to see it. Rainbow Nav...Mm!!

I was asked yesterday if I had seen any Stoat's in ermine yet this winter. I haven't seen a Stoat in it's winter ermine since 2006, but I have seen eight in total over about 5 years. 2005 was a good year for me when I saw three in two weeks. Apparently eight sightings in 5 years is a reasonable number by all accounts. I'm not well up on the Stoat but I understand the further north you go the more likely you are to see the creature in winter ermine and even then not all of them acquire this coat of white whilst retaining the black tip on the tail. For interest these are the records of this animal in ermine, though the first one I recorded appears to be minus a date.

Stocks Reservoir. This one ran across the causeway.
Champion Moor. 14 Feb 2003
Harrisend. 24 Feb 2003
Birk Bank. 11 Feb 2004
Harrisend. 24 Jan 2005
Newby Moor. 1 Feb 2005
Clougha. 7 Feb 2005
Cockersands. 21 March 2006