Who would believe bird counting could be so exciting...

We arose early to complete our shopping outing returning home and ready for the off. My husband having carefully written our a list of usual visitors to are bird feeders in our Wiltshire garden, our respective binoculars cleaned to within an inch of their lives, computer on showing RSPB bird identifier site and a hot cup of tea to hand, it was 09.38am and we were off...bins to eyes..full of anticipation, (we did a practice run yesterday morning and to our amazement had a Fieldfare, Linnet and redpolls feeding...these we had never seen before on our regular (but short) observations)..several minutes went by..nothing...not a flutter or sign even of the greedy, very fat wood pigeon with a gammy foot..My husband's disappointment was tangible and my mother's words remembered and ringing in my ears 'Watch pot never boils' but wait no all is not lost...there a on the mixed seed feed was the unmissable beauty of a Bullfinch feeding happily in solitary spender. I felt unfathomable feeling of relief that even if this was to be our only visitor at least it was a stylish one..but glad I am to tell as the sun got stronger and the remaining snow glistened came things started to warm up next arrivals were Dunnocks, Blue Tits, Tree and House sparrows...not in the usual numbers but come they did, Needless to say there was the slight verbal debate as to the identity of a Coal tit and a female Chaffinch but harmony returned when to our utter delight we sighted a Redpoll closely followed by a Goldfinch ...Oh really why is it I've waited until my 64th year to discover the utter joy and excitement that can be had by just sitting with eyes glued to a tall narrow black metal pole and hanging from it's out spread arms an array of feeders waiting for these wonderful creatures to land and feed? My husband is a little superior coming from Cumbria and spending his youth if not spotting trains in Carlisle Station it,was the array of wild life and birds on offer on regular trips to the Lakes, Scottish Boarder and Solway Firth. In truth I think he is now delighted that he can share his undoubted knowledge with me...but needless to say like any convert I thirst for more knowledge and to spread the word, our children and grandchildren are now proud owners of similar feeding trees to ours..received with varying degrees of enthusiasm, some having to wage war against Squirrels that not only eat the seeds but also the feeder containers, but at least they are teaching their young to look and care for the world and creatures around them and this for the future health of our planet is essential. Further delight was to come in our final 5 minutes of our counting hour a pair of Fieldfares and Linnets and a charming little Wren, although the Robin or the Green Finches made no appearance it was an hour that sped by...an hour spent of joy ...utter joy bl**dy!