All the G's

Yesterday's walk was good for a few  Springtime sightings.  Firstly, the Gorse bushes coming into bloom along Slack Lane.  These hedges took a bashing in the very cold weather last Winter and didn't recover much through 2011, but they seem to be struggling along nicely now.

The coconut-scented flowers are bright and beautiful in the Spring sunshine, but the spiky leaves are ever present to stab the unwary photographer!

Among the other "G's" yesterday, were a pair of female Goosanders, swimming around on Mapperley Reservoir.  The males are stunning in their Black and White plumage and the females are a little more drab.  Greyish all over except for the rust-red head and long, red, serrated bill.  No sign of any males yesterday, just these two females.