Bird-golf

Whenever we meet somebody who plays golf, Nigel and I agree that it's probably a pleasant and way to spend time, but we are not ourselves tempted.  

Then on Saturday we went to a good-sized nature reserve. At Amwell lakes we walked in the fresh air from one bird hide to another, past the water features. Once at the bird hide we were much more focused. We practised our swing - swinging our binoculars up to our eyes. There was a little gentle competition.

'I've just seen an egret.'

'Well I've seen a wigeon.'

There were plenty of birdies but no eagles.

Neither of us saw a bittern - perhaps the equivalent of the elusive hole in one.

When in the hide, if I spot somebody with better equipment than mine, I sidle up and make friends and they often let me have a look through their telescope. I feel however that we may have outrun the analogy here as I'm not sure golfers with swanky kit let strangers in bobble hats use it.

The other place where the analogy fails is there is no clubhouse jauntily entitled The Nineteenth Hide, and worse, no loos either. Didn't want to use the bushes for fear of traumatising a Ceti's warbler.

As a result, we ended our excursion fitter, having embibed some fresh air, but probably the lack of essential facilities meant we were not quite as relaxed at the end of our round as most golfers!