A couple of times I’ve seen a black pheasant in one area I pass through on the way to Salisbury. The bird I see is even more black than this bird, apart from the redness on the head it’s a shimmering black all over!

On Monday I had the perfect opportunity to photograph it but didn’t have my camera with me. On Monday morning we had a couple of snowflakes at about the time I turn into a very rural uphill lane. I got halfway up the lane and the bus just slowed and stopped with the wheels spinning! No choice, since I couldn’t go forward I’d have to go backwards all the way down the lane to main the road. Progress therefore was pretty slow. Then I saw it, the black pheasant was in the ditch alongside my window! I’m about 12 feet from it and haven’t got my camera. Aaaaaaaargh!