More work on my personal finances before joining the Little Paxton Bird Walk to hear the nightingales as well as many other species and then home in time to drive off to dinner with Nigel and Lynne Smith in The Sun bistro in Kimbolton. We consumed three bottles of wine between us for which I paid and let Nigel settle the meal.
Today went very quickly, as I continued working on my financial affairs and also on updating my bank accounts. I obtained the latest interest rates for all of the building society savings accounts and actioned and filed away many more papers. I hoped never to get into the same state again and to keep my affairs under control. I worked through this afternoon and then, after tea, Diana and I took Della over to Paxton Pits whilst Debbie was in Staughton, horse-riding. The event was one of the popular Little Paxton bird walks, which is run under the supervision and help of the RSPB and Little Paxton School Association at a time when the first Spring migrants have arrived.
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The nightingales were singing particularly beautifully in the vicinity of the former Wray House garden. We were given an ornithologist guide and a check list and, during the hour or so, we definitely saw or heard the following water birds; Great Crested Grebe, a colony of Cormorants, a heronry of Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag and Canada Geese, Coot and Mallard. There was a Kestrel overhead, together with black-headed and lesser-black-backed gulls, swifts and swallows. Doves and pigeons included Stock and Collared doves and wood pigeons. A cuckoo was singing characteristically as well as the nightingales. A Green Woodpecker was calling and, on the ground, we saw Pied Wagtail, hedge sparrow (or Dunnock) and the larger Blackbird and Song Thrush. Singing in the reeds and scrub was the Chiffchaff as well as Sedge and Willow Warblers. A large Carrion Crow was in the trees and the Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Linnet completed the picture. I am sure that there were many more to see but Diana and I had to hurry back to the car and get home, changed and out in time to get to Hail Weston House to meet Nigel and Lynne Smith for 8.30pm.
Della was a bit upset at being rushed off in this way, but we were already ten minutes late as it was. Even so, it was nice to support the Little Paxton bird walk and to be seen in the community as their councillor taking part which means a lot. The Smiths had bought a Caspian Blue Range Rover, just like ours from the outside, and were proud to take us out in it and show it off. They took us to Kimbolton and the "Sun" "bistro" where we had a nice meal of steak. Good old Kimbolton school-master, Mr Emeleus was in the bar and then, on the next table, was Mr and Mrs Chris Suckling and parents (the Chairman of the Kimbolton School Society) who I also knew. The meal went on quite late and we had three bottles of wine between us for which I paid and let Nigel settle the meal. It was a pleasant evening, if tiring, but it completed quite an active day.