Firstly and perhaps the most important, I am delighted to say we have obtained a 'long stay Visa' for our Winter visit to Portugal this year. In previous years, there has been no problem but since Brexit, a Visa is required for a stay exceeding 90 days for UK visitors. It has been a challenging time over a period of five months, justifying every move we are likely to make and, supplying evidence to prove it!! A huge paperwork and communication exercise to say the least. After an initial refusal, followed by more head scratching to hammer home an appeal - we got there! We are now looking forward to seeing all our friends again, participating in the Sagres Bird Festival and generally enjoying the country we have come to love so much. Around the garden, Green Woodpeckers have been putting on a good show this week. I noticed this one on the telephone pole outside the house. A small red spot developing on the cheek indicates it is likely to be a juvenile male bird. The following day, another young woodpecker was feeding on ants on the grass verge. This one appears to be a juvenile female green woodpecker. It's very encouraging to have breeding birds such as these woodpeckers in our locality. A few days ago I visited Kilnsea Wetlands, at a time when wader passage is getting underway. Redshanks and Dunlin were seen in good numbers and Ruff totalled around a dozen birds. These juvenile Ruff have a very smart plumage. A Ruff overflying some Dunlin. Another wader which passes through is the Curlew Sandpiper. Again a juvenile, this one fed among the Ruff most of the morning. The gull roost is always worth checking. Several Caspian Gulls have been here recently among the Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. The flock below shows a winter Mediterranean Gull lifting off (bottom centre) with many Black-headed and Common Gulls present. Today we visited Ladybower Reservoir in the Peak District and enjoyed a walking day with Ellie the Dog. The reservoir was completed in 1945 and provides water for the nearby City of Sheffield. After lunch we drove higher onto the moor above Hathersage where the heather covered hills are spectacularly in flower at the moment.
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