An early visit on a cold still morning today, where surprisingly the mist and fog restricted itself to the lower fields and valleys so Blackdown was unusually clear.
The early trawl on the paths along Borden Door Bottom proved quite productive before the sun had properly reached the area with initially a
Dartford Warbler calling then briefly showing. A
Mistle Thrush and a couple of
Blackbirds took flight and a group of
13 Meadow Pipits gave chase to a
Kestrel. Then a
Ring Ouzel took flight and landed at the top of one of the pines. As I walked down the lower path I could hear the chink of plenty of
Chaffinches and the occasional buzzy sound of a Brambling and eventually saw initially up to
5 Bramblings and walking back on the lower path another
Ring Ouzel alighted and both birds flew chacking away to a pine at the top of the valley. I made my way round in that direction, but before I got very close both birds took off and headed SE over the trees. The large mixed Finch group of Chaffinches and Bramblings could be seen in the distance - difficult to estimate but I saw
c25 Bramblings and there must have been more. I couldn't get close enough and the flock seemed to be dispersing into the woods.
I continued the circuit adding more
Mistle Thrushes, 4 Stonechats, Goldcrests, Green Woodpecker, Great-Spotted Woodpecker and around
35 Redwing and a return walk along the lower path at Borden Door confirmed
2 Dartford Warblers there. So an interesting couple of hours.
 |
| The odd looking mist over the lower fields |
 |
| Stonechat |
 |
| Partly hidden Goldcrest |
 |
| Very hidden Dartford Warbler |
 |
| Marsh Tit at home |
