December 4th

Two days in a row, wow! I was joined by Mike this morning. Starting at 7am, a few thrushes were leaving their roosts and 3 GOLDCRESTS were by the barn. We headed towards the lake and picked up 9 GREYLAGS heading high north and 2 GREEN WOODPECKERS that flew up from a field and posed on a fence unfortunately too far away for a picture.By the lake there were REDPOLLS and SISKIN flying around and a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER called several times a BULLFINCH or two also called, while 2 MEADOW PIPITS flew over. Around the small pond in the wood a flock of tits included 2 MARSH TITS, the first of 5 seen today, not for the first time the flock seemed agitated, a PEREGRINE drifted over which their latest concern! A BRAMBLING then called as it flew over and a TREECREEPER and NUTHATCH joined the flock. We continued out in to the field coming across another tit flock on the way which contained at least one COAL TIT, also a SPARROWHAWK that flew lazily across the top of the wood. We were doing well for species and one of the first birds we saw as we left the wood was a BUZZARD. More SISKINS were seen, a flock of 13 in the Alders. Other birds added in the fields included REED BUNTING, YELLOWHAMMER, the second GREY HERON of the day, LINNET, JACKDAW, JAY and HERRING GULL. A quick look across the valley produced 4 CORMORANTS and another SPARROWHAWK. We ended the morning at 11am, neither of us managing any pictures in the poor light. I left Mike in the car park, hopefully something posed for him after I left. I got home and totalled up our efforts, 50 species was more than I had first thought. It was a really nice morning with good conversation and a nice selection of local birds.