Never mix dog walking and birding!

Now, these blog entries are in serious danger of becoming too long, but I have so much to say, so in advance "I'm sorry if you get bored and feel the need to snooze".
Another Friday comes and goes and time to look forward to the weekend. How excited am I? Very! Tea in the garden this morning and here goes: Magpies having a scrum in the tree, Songthrush, Robin, 4 Wood Pigeons, 6 Blackbirds (now they always look like they are doing the relay, chasing each other from branch to branch), 2 Gt Tits, then 2 Robins dualling at the feeder (only one got to feed, obviously), 2 H Gulls, 2 Blue Tits, 6 H Sparrows, 2 Dunnocks, Blackcap (F), 5 Chaffinches, 7 Starlings, Goldfinches around (I can hear them), 1 Firecrest (all by myself....!), 4 Carrion Crows flew over, 1 Coal Tit, and just as I was thinking of going in, 2 Long T Tits. Lovely morning, but I was cold.
On the roof at work: 2 Jackdaw, 16 H Gulls, 40 ish F Pigeons, the tail-less Pied Wagtail that I saw yesterday and a fine looking Grey Wagtail. Now Fran, you are in serious danger of getting into birding with me at work!
Lunchtime at home I saw the Goldcrest (glad he's still kicking about).
Now, when I got home tonight the Abbot said he was going shopping so I could walk the dog alone. Freedom - this excited me. Now don't take this down the wrong route Abbot, I love your company, but let's face it, deaf men talk a lot (I love to listen mind you), and you have to admit you said last night you did not see those Magpies and you could not miss them if you were concentrating on birding even slightly!
So off I went and here's what I saw: 14 Starlings, 1 Robin, 8 Blackbirds (which the dog loves to chase), 2 Collared Doves, 1 Gt Tit, 12 Magpies.
Now, here's the tricky bit and this is why you should not watch birds and dog walk. The mobile goes - a text from a friend... I fetch it out... reading it... my arm is yanked from the socket - a cat! I shall struggle to lift my bins tomorrow I thought! Then, wandering around (looking up in the sky mostly with my mouth slightly open) all of a sudden - wham, a pile of mud and twigs hits my face - the dog had done a pee and started kicking those back feet out along the ground all proud of her achievement! What's that all about? Why do they do that? I copped a mouthful of dirt and my hair was full of all sorts! I'm just thankful she'd only done a pee I can tell you! Hesper's not the brightest of pooches so I have to watch that she does not paddle in it!
So, to the rules: Never mix dog walking and birding. If you do, don't look up. If you do look up, close your mouth and prey you have a sensible Wuffa!
Can't wait for Sunday. I feel it is going to be a very enjoyable day.
I love birding!