Last Saturday I had a lovely 4 mile walk around the Durham Woods with my younger son Clifford. Fiona was not feeling well so she stayed at home and Miles was busy with his Star Trek writing so he kept her company. It was a quiet overcast day and the river was up due to the rain all sediment and soil from Weardale. About a mile in my trusted excitement point, a pair of Goosanders , appeared and that was great. The female was quite twitchy and flew off immediately but the male has now got used to people and just floated off down the stream ignoring us. We saw another pair which I think were under a year old looking at the feathers , just beneath the weir downstream from Prebends Bridge. Because it was Christmas Eve I couldn't have a Starbucks coffee with my younger doggie but we were quite content to have biscuit break perched on the steps in Durham Market as usual. Because I wanted to get back to listen to the Carols at Kings College Cambridge programme on radio four we shot back over the town and when we got home we were all happy and glowey from a good walk. Clifford is very good company!