Hawfinch Forest of Dean and lifer's at Middleton Lakes :)

Lovely weekend with my boyfriend as always :) Saturday we stayed local Went to Middleton lakes, Shustoke and Marsh Lane, got to see my first Cetti's Warbler at Middleton Lakes, saw it first fly off but then as we were walking back round there was one perched in the branches it's tail flicking lovely to see :)
We went to Marsh Lane in the hope the Black Tailed Godwit would still be there but it had gone :(
but got nice views of the Snipe again and got to see the Black Swan so beautiful.
 On Sunday we headed to Forest of Dean for the Hawfinch, amazing views watching them come down and eat, very easily disturbed though and cars and people going by kept disturbing them, I'm not very good at being quite but at least I never honked my horn like Dave lmao bless him there's him telling me too shushh and then he goes and sits on his horn, i'm still giggling as I sit here and write it :)
Really struggled with photo's today because of the light but managed to get a couple of record shots and im over the moon to of had such good views, and so nice to sit there watching them and watching other birds come down had great views of Mistle Thrush oh and nearly forgot the sheep, lol Mr sheep come troddling over to where the Hawfinch's come down and feed don't think Dave was impressed and there's me clicking away taking photos of the sheep it was cute :) lol
We then headed back to Warwickshire area and went to Middleton Lakes, and I picked up another lifer, Dave really is amazing I was looking through my bins and couldn't see anything but he is so good at spotting birds ;) lol  brilliant weekend :)

Wild Boar surprise at the Forest of Dean - Hawfinch, Crossbill, Great Grey Shrike, Woodcock

Headed to the Forest of Dean, for Hawfinch, Crossbill and Great Grey Shrike, first stop was the Hawfinch, as we parked car we saw a young lad with a telescope so Dave went and spoke to him and he had a Hawfinch in Telescope so Dave called me over for me too look, amazing it was sitting in a tree and such clear views through scope such a lovely bird, so lucky that lad was there because we waited around after that and never saw any more.
We then headed just a couple of minutes down the road to the Forest for Crossbill, we managed to see quite a lot but they kept flying about but had nice views through bins there such lovely colors stunning.
Then we walked further into the woods to look for more Crossbill, was troddling along, Dave in front when all of a sudden Dave shouted Wild Boar and then followed by a grunt grunt from the Boar not Dave lol :) I was scared stiff, and it ran but then stopped and turned I thought it was coming back to attack us but then we saw all these little piglets emerge from under tree, more and more just kept appearing they were so cute and little stripy and adorable, they run and must of hid somewhere, I just stood there gobsmacked me and Dave were very happy bunnies :) also in the mix of all this a Woodcock flew up and off lovely brown color and so pleased as I had wanted to see one for awhile.
We then went to look for the Great Grey Shrike which I was very excited about as I had seen Dave's photos before and thought how beautiful it looked.
Dave soon located it he really is amazing, it was quite distant at first but we walked round closer and the bird also came closer, beautiful views in scope, such a striking bird I fell in love with it straightaway managed to get a few photos with a little help from my lovely boyfriend :)