I haven't been out for a while, my father in law passed away on 17th January, I was his son in law, his carer and his friend and it's hit me pretty hard watching him decline following the passing of my mother in law back on 5th November last year and obviously my wife has needed my support through this most difficult of times. We now have the unenviable task of clearing the family home where he's lived since 1965 and preparing the second funeral in two months. The caring for him took much of my time as I'm also taking care of Suzanne with her spinal pain issues so I suppose going forward I'll find a bit more spare time but for now I'm missing the old fella and his stories of which there were many and with his increasing dementia things got a little more repetitive but I miss them all the same.
So it's been a sad ten days and I've not found the time or enthusiasm to get out birding until Tony B found a Tundra Bean Goose at Wanstead on Sunday 26th. I was in bed shaking off a bit of a chest infection on the Sunday but feeling a little better on Monday morning I drove over to Wanstead hoping the experience would give me a little lift and it did. The bird was fond straight away sleeping amongst the mixed flock of Greylag and Egyptian Geese but soon woke to feed before a dog running off lead put the whole flock up before they settled on the Alexandra lake. The Tundra eventually came out of the water and walked by as I hid behind a tree giving great views just a few feet away.
The experience lifted my spirits and following a little more work at the in laws house I picked up my grandson from school in Hornchurch where a Peregrine flew over the playground to brighten my day further before a couple of hours with the little ones did the trick to make it a happy day which was much needed.
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