At least it feels like that today - grey and wet. However there have been quite a few pretty clear days but temperatures not yet making double figures it's been a fairly cold month and seems ages since I last did a blog post. Some half-hearted birding attempts coupled with work related frustrations have meant little seems to have been achieved.
A couple of local walks have been quiet, with the only sighting of note 8
Teal on the furnace pond - a first for me around here. I have managed a single
Goshawk sighting, despite a few attempts in what seemed like perfect weather, on the 23rd when 2 birds were seen flying south before dropping below the treeline. The garden activity increased with a couple of weeks where
Bullfinches were making regular appearances and up to 8
Lesser Redpolls have been on the Nyjer Seed with half as many
Goldfinches and only a single
Siskin. A
Grey Heron called in on the garden pond and both
Great Spotted and
Green Woodpeckers are active,
Marsh Tits are still calling in daily and
Long-tailed Tits are present in pairs rather than flocks.
Redwing numbers are now much lower. A male
Sparrowhawk does a daily swoop on the feeders although I've yet to see it successful.
A half-day visit to the Ashdown Forest, saw me standing around for 4 hours in wait for a Little Bunting that failed to materialise when I was there . It was seen before I arrived and after I left, but my toes started to freeze and 4 hours is a lengthy spell in one area when save for a few
Woodlarks and
Reed Buntings there was nothing else on offer.
Went for a walk at Burpham yesterday a bit cold and overcast but bracing on the downs, the skies were filled with song-flighting
Skylarks. In the fields and hedgerows Grey Partridge,
Corn Bunting, Linnet, Meadow Pipit were seen along with
Red Kite, Buzzard and
Kestrel. A few Hares in the open fields with 3 Roe Deer and
3 Chiffchaffs were in a hedgerow near the village, one with a quick burst of song which still seemed inappropriate given the weather.
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| female Bullfinch in the garden |
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| male Bullfinch |
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| garden Long-tailed Tit |
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| Hare - through the bushes |
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| Slightly odd gathering of Snails |
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| Corn Bunting |
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