Wednesday 27th January - Melted snow

 It took until this morning for Sunday's snow to fully disappear as it has remained cold until today. Little to report other than last night when 2 Badgers turned up on the patio around 9pm, the Fox was also around but kept a distance. The bird numbers have dropped off since the snowy peak on Sunday but still a couple of Brambling and 2 Lesser Redpoll being the highlights although I failed to mention a record early morning count of 19 Blackbirds at the dawn gathering on the lawn.

Having the long lens on the camera wasn't the best for getting Badger pictures through the window at night, but they were great viewing.

Badger

Close up and personal

Monday 25th January - A flurry with falcons

 A cold frosty day on Friday that was bright and sunny and just perfect for a walk on Black Down which was amazing for the views but not surprisingly quiet for birds. During lockdown it has become even more popular as a local exercise domain especially for those with dogs, so is not without a high level of disturbance if you're there just for the wildlife. In the 2 hour walk with Adie my only bird sighting was a single Coal Tit, but despite hearing a Woodlark calling it remained unseen. No sight or sound of any Crossbills.

On Saturday night I stayed up looking through the patio doors to the garden, the outside lights were on but there was also bright moonlight and I had great views of a Badger which came to the logs on the patio were there were a few nuts it seemed to like, a Fox was also inquisitive but kept a distance as did a neighbour's domestic Cat !.

Sunday we had our first snow of the Winter for around 4 hours in the morning and it was heavy for a couple of hours, leaving a covering which lasted into the afternoon. A slushy walk to the east of the village to Lower House Farm where the Linnets were still in the Kale and a Woodlark was calling and this time seen as it flew over. The garden was full of birds around the feeders with the highest count of Chaffinches I've had with up to 40 birds, in with them 5 Brambling, 15 Goldfinch, 5 Greenfinch, 4 Lesser Redpoll and 3 Siskin. 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and the Green Woodpecker appeared. A Grey Heron had a look at the (mostly frozen)  pond. Around mid-afternoon, Woodpigeons irrupted from the trees and I was expecting to see a Goshawk harassing them but it was a Peregrine that glided through. I think this is the same bird that has been seen occasionally since just before Christmas. A Kestrel was seen which was falcon no. 2 they are increasingly uncommon here, but I saw one yesterday just down the road so guessing this was the same bird. The biggest surprise came when a small falcon came over the trees at pace, shot low over the fields and up and through the trees and beyond, a Merlin !. Not the longest view but enough to confirm . It is only the second time I've seen one here. Perhaps not a huge surprise given the number of passerines around. 3 falcon species in one day here is pretty good. I also added Sparrowhawk and Red Kite so it turned into a good day for raptor sightings.

Snow over the veggie patch

Pheasant

At the back of the garden Brambling, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Starling

Brambling, Chaffinch, Goldfinch

Bramblings and Dunnock

Brambling and Greenfinch

Brambling

Stock Dove

Pied Wagtail

Greenfinch

Robin

Starlings

Reeds in the pond

Appropriately Snowdrops are out

Thursday 21st January - Storm Cristoph lays down water

 After 2 days of relentless wind and rain it was almost relief that today dawned without the precipitation. I am lucky here that we do not have an obvious flood risk and it would seem that the luck extended to missing the worst of what Christoph has delivered eslewhere, it just remains very damp underfoot. Even though the winds gusted up to c40mph they were not as strong as the named Winter storms before xmas and last Winter, the combination of high wind and very wet ground has the potential for uprooting large trees around here so I'm pleased this hasn't happened.

During the worst of the rain yesterday I had some trouble looking out of the wet windows, but as far as I could tell the finch numbers feeding had increased again, with 2 Lesser Redpolls being new and 3 Brambling  with 30+ Chaffinch, 20+ Goldfinch and 3 Siskin. The Blackcaps mad no appearance as far as I could tell although I couldn't really see down to the chicken pen where the apples they favour are positioned. The foxes were making some awful noises last night, probably in fox world these were sweet songs but it sounds like excruciating pain is being inflicted on the local wildlife, but thankfully no signs of any carnage this morning. It seemed as if a few of the birds may have thinned out with a bt of clear weather overnight. A Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and 2 Raven  flew over, still no sign of the Blackcaps and visibly less Chaffinch with a single Brambling and single Lesser Redpoll and a group of 15 Redwing flying around. Expecting a colder spell for a couple of days from tomorrow. 

Monday 18th January - Is it bleak mid-winter now ?

A week ago you could barely see out for the continuous low mist, the few days following there was a lot of rain and thankfully yesterday and today have been fairly dry days before the rain starts again tonight. Today is known as Blue Monday, officially the most depressing day of the year ! and whilst I'm not in a position to argue strongly against this notion as it currently feels like the most difficult time of Winter, I do think there has to be a glimmer of hope and optimism as the length of daylight tries desperately to extend each morning. I'm not sure it would officially count as bleak mid-winter but I wouldn't disagree if some insisted it was, with lockdown continuing, and high levels of covid cases stretching everyone's will to the limits, both freewill and goodwill.

Having slightly compounded my position by picking up an ear infection so I currently can't hear out of  my right ear !, I nevertheless have managed 2 decent walks from the house in the last week.

On Friday I walked towards Lower House Farm, then returned a different route, going South through Fernhurst to the small Sewage Plant at the bottom of the village and across the main road returning up the lane (about 9 kms in total). Firstly there were at least 5 Brambling with around 40 Chaffinches in the track up to Tanyards cottage, but nothing in the adjacent Kale crop, it wasn't until I approached Lower House Farm itself that I could see the large Linnet flock in a field right at the back of the buildings and not close at all to the footpath but there still must have been at least 350+ Linnets. Also 2 Yellowhammer and the same of Meadow Pipit and 2 Mistle Thrush, which seem to be fairly visible at the moment. I thought the change of route may have produced different species, but it was quiet. I thought the sewage plant may be harbouring a wintering Chiffchaff as they so often do, but nothing at all was visible through the fence. A group of c20 Rooks , 5 Bullfinch and 8 Siskin were the only birds I saw on the walk back.

Yesterday I walked to the Furnace Pond. Still in hope that I will see a Goshawk, but despite hearing the panic of Crows and a scatter of Pigeons I was in woodland with no view so if there was a Goshawk about I didn't see it. The remainder of the walk was very quiet with the Teal and Mandarin being visible at the back of the pond with a single Mallard and a pair of Moorhen and 2 Grey Heron. Elsewhere a single Fieldfare was seen at the top of the lane, 15-20 Redwing were clustered around Ivy berries and 4 or 5 Mistle Thrush were seen with one very vocally singing in full flow. This walk is about 8kms, depending on exactly which route I take but both walks have exceptionally muddy footpaths at the moment so a lot of concentration on where you put your feet in order to keep upright takes some of the focus away from finding birds (although there aren't many !).

There's actually been more bird activity at home. I have most of the feeders and food on the ground near to the Chicken pen next to the hedge as it gives some shelter for the birds although it is around 25m from the house so the views are not as good. I then have a bird table closer with a smaller nut and seed feeder and a couple of old logs on the patio I scatter food onto. Close to these logs is a small hole at the edge of the flowerbed which is occupied by what I think is a Bank Vole, who occasionally pops out to take some food from behind the logs.

The finch numbers seem to have increased slightly over the last week and currently 25+ Chaffinches are feeding on scattered seed and with them 2 Brambling, 5 Greenfinch, 15+ Goldfinch, feeding on a mixture of the Nijer seed and sunflower hearts, only 2 Siskin using the feeders currently although I would this number to increase and an occasional Bullfinch sighting. The female Blackcap continues to visit and today a male appeared as well and at least one Pied Wagtail continues to try and dominate below the feeder near the patio.

Great Spotted Woodpeckers have started drumming and have a drumming branch close to the chicken pen, I think there are 3 different birds that visit a nut feeder and a Green Woodpecker seems to drop onto the lawn when the rain is at its heaviest.

Larger birds also visit, with 3 Pheasant, up to 20 Starling, 10 Jackdaws, 2 Magpie several Woodpigeon and 8 Stock Doves. Raptors do seem a little thin on the ground at the moment with hardly a sighting of the commonest local bird of prey the Buzzard, but the highlight was a Peregrine that drifted over yesterday and also a Red Kite a Sparrowhawk and the pair of local Ravens.

male Blackcap

finches feeding at the back of the garden, 2 Brambling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch

Brambling near Lower House Farm

Greenfinch

Starlings

Bank Vole home

Bank Vole

Sunday 10th January - Icy and Foggy.

Since Thursday the temperature has barely risen above freezing although we have had none of the snow seen elsewhere just a heavy mist that lingered through the day, there have been occasional threats in the afternoons for the sun to break through but visibility today was appalling. 

On Friday and today I walked to the Furnace pond and back, in all the walk is c8.5k and not quite circular, but the Furnace pond offers the only bit of water in the area and I always hope something interesting may drop in, although today the pond was completely frozen and Friday only a small area remained unfrozen. My bird list on Friday was 35 species and today just 25.

The highlights of the walk on Friday were 15 Mandarin, 8 Teal, 2 Mallard, Moorhen and Grey Heron on the pond, a single Buzzard, c30 Redwing and a few Bullfinch. Several Roe Deer were visible, all female or young and they have also been quite vocal and I saw 2 Reeve's Muntjac barrelling through the undergrowth and the local Red Fox ran across one of the fields near home, but finding much else in the conditions was difficult, I was hoping I may have flushed a Woodcock or seen a Goshawk, which I have yet to see this year, but despite some promising panicking by a group of Crows no raptor appeared in the mist. 

I've had more activity in the garden than out in the fields and woodland. The Chaffinch flock is up to 25 birds and a single female Brambling has appeared 3 times, c15 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, 3 Greenfinch and 2 Bullfinch are fairly regular. I have had 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker start drumming in the Gully over the last few days. A Green Woodpecker is around as are Nuthatch and Treecreeper and 3 Pied Wagtail. The Blackcap is till feeding on apples and up to 8 Stock Doves,10+ Woodpigeon, 6 Jackdaw a couple of Magpie and Pheasant make up the larger birds. There are still some Redwings around mainly feeding in Ivy and I have yet to see a Firecrest but a Goldcrest has appeared.

View down the lane on Friday morning, the sun threatened but never made it.

similar view today, although with thicker fiog

A thick hoar-type frost lingered

Pair of Mandarin

Mandarin

Redwing

Roe Deer

Roe Deer

Thursday 7th January - Lockdamn

 Again !!! 

No sooner had the year started and having dared to entertain thoughts of venturing further afield that we have been firmly bolted down again for an unspecified time but probably until March and at least until the powers of the land believe a sense of control over this invisible virus has been achieved. Not that there's anything wrong with garden birds and birds to be seen on foot from the house, but inland muddy woodland in January will definitely not do much to accumulate any significant bird list.

Yesterday turned out to be a mainly cold and wet day with a constant drizzle, combined with what felt like me pulling a muscle in my lower back whilst of all things topping up the bird food from a feed bin. Today had a better feel although an icy frost remained for most of the day and a lingering mist stayed for the most part there were patches of bright sunshine. Providing I keep the bird food going the birds are still there in the garden. The highlight over the last couple of days has been a female Blackcap. Overwintering birds are known to be regular garden visitors, but this is the first Winter bird I've had here so it goes to the the top of my list. It seems happy feeding on a few halved windfall apples wedged in the shrubs and on the remaining Callicarpa berries which have probably just achieved a perfect ripeness.

Otherwise a Brambling today was the first seen since before Christmas along with the c25 Chaffinches, 15 Goldfinch and 4 Greenfinch and 3 Bullfinch. I have only seen 3 or 4 Siskin and currently they remain feeding in the Alders rather than the bird feeders. 2 Marsh Tits visit regularly and c20 Redwing are still around,mainly feeding in the Ivy covering some of the trees in the Gully. I had a waddle around the fields today but if my back improves sufficiently hope to be back for a longer walk from tomorrow.

Robin

male Blackbird

Pied Wagtail - one of 3 visiting, looks like a first year bird

Blackcap in Callicarpa bush

Blackcap

Female-type

Sunday 3rd January - .. and the year begins

 ...and what will this year be like ? Couldn't make any predictions just hoping..

The start to the year was....erm.. measured.

I went for a walk from the house to the Furnace Pond and back it was pretty misty and cold, but starting the year with a bird list of 43 species was ok. Highlight was a brief view of a Kingfisher on the pond. Plenty of Mandarin there with Mallard, Moorhen, Grey Heron and a Cormorant but no sight of a Teal which I had hoped for. The woods and fields were pretty quiet, the commoner woodland species being seen with the exception of Treecreeper and no Firecrest or Fieldfare. I had brief views of a Buzzard, a Red Kite and a Sparrowhawk, but no hoped for Goshawk. A bird that shot over may have been a Hawfinch but it was too fleeting a glimpse and a moment of excitement when I thought I had a Barn Owl sitting on a post, but turned out to be a woolly hat !!

Yesterday I firstly walked in Rackham Woods, stopping at the viewpoint over Amberely Wildbrooks, it was calm overcast but the sounds of wildfowl emanating from the brooks was magical. The number of duck were in impressive numbers. A very rough count of Northern Pintail estimated 300 but they were well outnumbered by Eurasian Teal and EurasianWigeon and there must have been well over 100 Northern Shoveler and a few hundred Lapwing. With the large flock of Greylag and Canada Geese I counted 36 Greater White-fronted Geese. Only Red Kite, Buzzard and a Kestrel were the visible raptors and they weren't being particularly active, none of the hoped for Harriers appeared. I then went to Burpham and walked up on the downs. The 10 wintering Bewick Swans were in their preferred field, all adults, so no youngsters with them which is a shame to see. The tiny Sewage planted had 6 Common Chiffchaffs and one very clean Tristis or Siberian Chiffchaff. A walk up to the Burgh produced both Grey and Red-legged Partridge, Linnets, Skylark, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting lots more Red Kite a few Northern Ravens and Buzzards but hanging around until the crepuscular light started produced no hoped for owls or harriers for me.

Today was mostly spent at home although Sal and I went for a 'woodland' walk, which was very muddy and zero birds although I did see a Treecreeper at home.

Grey Wagtail in muddy field

Grey Wagtail

Roe Deer

Barn Owl ?,... no woolly hat !! - had me fooled for a few moments !!

A mixture of Greylag, Canada and White-fronted Geese on the Wildbrooks

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff

Grey Partridge

Linnets

raven in silhouette