Saturday 23rd December - xmas rush

The shortest day on 21st seems to coincide with frustrated shoppers and knackered commuters, the latter then have to become frustrated shoppers with a couple of days to go, I put myself in the knackered commuter category, and having the luxury now of a few days break which will combine more sleep than usual with ample food and drink !. The sharp cold spell earlier in December has abated and given way to the familiar damp, heavily overcast skies and quickening westerly wind that always seems to return just before the festive break.

Encouragingly, the bird activity at home still seems to have interest, particularly with finches. I am still seeing a Hawfinch almost daily when I watch, but always very brief often in flight or perched at the top of a not so near tree. I wonder whether there is more than one in the area. Goldfinch and Siskin are still in good number with a sizeable flock of c70 birds frequenting the tops of the Alders and 3 or 4 Bramblings are still regular around the feeders and just yesterday 5 Redpoll were on the feeders.

I walk yesterday afternoon was generally very quiet although as I returned a flock of 100+ Redwing flew over and 20 + Pied Wagtail were in the field with the horses at the top of the lane. Earlier in the day, as I drive to Petersfield, there were 9 Little Egret in another horse field at the end of Vann Road, which is an unusual record for here.

Merry Christmas to all !

some Brambling pictures below