The title says it all. I went looking for summer migrants this morning. At Splatt Bridge not too much to see certainly no migrants but 40 + Curlew, Marsh Harrier and a couple of tumbling Ravens. I saw 40+ Sand Martins, a Chiffchaff and heard a Cetti’s Warbler up at the Sailing Lake. I then went off on my bike to Hock Cliff looking for Wheatears I go regularly at this time of the year but apart for a soaking no luck! Pictures below are Wheatears I photographed in Pembrokeshire last year.

Long tiring rehearsal last night for our Community Play. Just about got my lines right but still need to work hard at learning the songs- although not sure if my voice enhances anything. We have near enough rehearsals every night before we open next Friday. There are still tickets if anyone still needs one.

Busy weekend on the football front. Tomorrow a really tough game at Millwall just hope we can continue our good form. We are both going on Easter Monday to watch the game. Fingers crossed for both games COYH!!!

It is so depressing reading about the state of our rivers with sewerage being regularly released into them. Add to that the cocktail of run off of pesticides , farming effluent and they are in a mess. You have to say privatisation hasn’t done us much good unless you are a shareholder in a water company. The River Wye not that far away is not in a good state. We hear fairly weasel words from our government about what the money they have invested. It is scandalous what has been happening!

On the bright side it has been another super day, with blue skies and sunshine. Hope to get out looking for summer migrants in the next few days. I did see my first Swallow last week. It has been great hearing Skylarks when I have been out on rides over the last week.

What a lovely Spring Day at last. Plenty of flowers showing well in the sunshine. The lawn mower had its first outing of the year!  Managed to get out for decent ride up over the hills without a rain jacket at last! Feeling pleasantly tired now!

Of course I am talking about yesterday’s football at the Theatre of Tattered Dreams our first derby game with a crowd for seventeen years. The atmosphere was electric and hostile to our visitors despite it being a lunch time kick off. The picture above I took just before the teams came out. I would of taken one afterwards but I lost my phone in the excitement (I got it back afterwards) The Mighty Hatters were irresistible and we can dream although automatic promotion might just be out of reach. It has been a remarkable season so far.

Today I was involved in a long play rehearsal. First time we managed to get through the whole play (the performance is in just under a fortnight!) I am taking the part of Charles Dickens  as well as a dog!!! The picture below shows where we are sitting on stage! (although some people are missing) Should get some photos with costume in the next week or so!

Thought my feet are adapting to the non=stop rain this week! I have had a couple of real soakings especially on Wednesday at Wick Court taking young people bird watching. I was really impressed by the young people from St John’s and St. Clement’s from Peckham who took the non-stop soakings philosophically and didn’t complain at all. Had a lovely Story Telling with them last night, I told them the story of Merlin and the Two Dragons. It has been a while since I told I last told it.

Off to a talk at Gloucester History Festival tonight. We have some  more booked later in April.

It is football again tomorrow and apprehensive about the derby game tomorrow. Our opposition have struggled in recent weeks but they have many Premier League quality players- just hope our from continues!

I refer to my my bike ride today. It was certainly blowy and hard work. I had kept putting the ride off because of the rain but needed the chance to stretch my legs! So missed the rain but not the wind!

I have been revisiting one of my stories Dreams (I wrote it six or so years ago) so watch this space. It does probably need some revision. I also feel I need to look at my two pantomime stories (my whole school stories Pirate Pete and Harriet the Hippo) which are aimed at younger audiences.

A quiet spell on the Story Telling front now – last one for a couple of weeks is on Thursday.

Delightful day at the WWT Slimbridge yesterday with our Peter’s family. Owen thoroughly enjoyed splashing around in Welly Boot Land. It is an excellent part of the whole reserve designed to encourage young families where they can have fun! It was great seeing so many youngsters having a great time.

Our social calendar is so busy we were out again at a party to celebrate our friend Brian’s significant birthday. As he is a poet we gave him a Simon Armitage book of poetry.

Off to a rehearsal later for the community play I am in- almost got my lines nailed!!!

My ears were ringing from my eldest Grandson Owen (age 2 and a quarter) regular refrain (today’s title) yesterday. Once they have language they can tell you what to do! I was with him and he was constantly on the move expecting me to keep up with his games! My knees and back suffered afterwards!

I had a lovely story telling with the young people from Baguley Hall yesterday and resurrected one of my old shaggy dog stories! I had almost forgotten it!

Finished off a busy day winning our quiz match. We are slowly moving up the league after a slow start.

I have mentioned Chiffchaffs a few times recently. Today with the young people from Baguley Hall Primary School Wythenshawe, Manchester we saw three Chiffchaffs flitting around near the moat. It does seem anecdotally there are many of these birds around at the moment. They are one of the first migrants that arrive in the spring. Picture below! We had a lovely day and saw 23 different species.

Third time lucky! I saw 40 plus Sand Martins in the distance over the Sailing Lake this afternoon. . There is a picture below of a Sand Martin – it is not mine- wish I could take photos of that quality!