The Sun sets on 2013

Sunny spells, 6º, a few showers, light SSW.

Final day of 2013 and a late visit to Lollingdon hill, the light was poor for any bird photography but Loren got some good sunset pics as the sun set over Cholsey Downs.

Not a great deal seen, a few Blackbirds & Song Thrush, a couple of small flocks of Fieldfare & Redwing, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Goldcrest, a Buzzard and a Grey Heron were all of note.

Also Venus noted in the sky as a crescent.

First Blackcap of the winter

The first Blackcap of this winter appeared in the garden this morning!

Also Bob Dryden had their first Blackcap (a ♀ also) in another part of the village and a comment on Twitter from someone in Goring (?) to say a ♂ Blackcap was seen there yesterday.

Boxing day walk

Sunny, 7º, light winds, more rain & wind on its way tonight.

A walk out around the west of the village and the Bullshole this afternoon, we needed the fresh air!

Small numbers of Redwing & Fieldfare around the periphery of the village and a scattering of a 100+ gulls on flooded areas, Black-headed, Lesser Blackback and 5 Common Gull, 2 Pied Wagtail on the floods on the playing field.

40 Lapwing seen flying towards Lollingdon hill.

A Sparrowhawk being mobbed by several Jackdaw and 2 Red Kite being very vocal.

Good numbers of House Sparrow along Station road and a flock of 50’ish Starling around, also a Coal Tit heard calling.

Photos by Loren

 Pied Wagtail on the playing field

 Starlings in the village

 Gulls flushed from one of the floods

 The Sun going down by Lollingdon hill

A Little Flooding

Sunny, 7º, moderate SW.

After yesterday’s high winds and heavy rain there is now some light flooding in the local area and it does not take long for birds to make use of these new habitats.

A late afternoon walk along the “Bunk Line” saw a couple of Mute Swans, 20+ Mallard, 100+ Black-headed Gull, a couple of Lesser Blackback Gull, 20+ Pied Wagtail and c10 Meadow Pipit all out on the flooded areas. 8 Lapwing flew over as did several Redwing & Fieldfare and a ♀ Sparrowhawk flew through, a couple of Yellowhammer present in the hedgerow.

Around 100+ Golden Plover on Cholsey hill still today.

A regular visit by a Sparrowhawk to the garden recently & both ♂ & ♀ Great-spotted Woodpecker in the garden lately, also a Coal Tit, Treecreeper and a few House Sparrow along with the regulars.

(The “regulars” being, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Mallard, Carrion Crow, Moorhen, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird).

Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas everyone...............................Paul & Loren.

Blewbury, 3rd March 2013

Pied Wags

Sunny, breezy SW, 6º

A brief visit to Lollingdon hill today found approx 30 Pied Wagtail in amongst the Sheep flock on the hill and the Stonechat still present and on a sheltered area of the hill. Little else other than 2 Red Kite and a Buzzard over the hill.

Pied Wagtails

                                                 Midwinter Moon

Wet'n'windy

Heavy to light rain showers, breezy, 12º.

A day in today as the weather was quite ......................, tempted to pop out as a Falcated Duck was found at Dix pit, Stanton Harcourt but resisted the temptation.

The garden had 6 House Sparrow today, they were foraging the hedgerow in the meadow then moved in to the garden for a time. A ♂ Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Moorhen & plenty of Goldfinch, Greenfinch & Chaffinch along with the other regulars.

A couple of Mistle Thrush around today and the Tawny Owls heard in the garden tonight.

Thanks to Loren for some of the pics.

 House Sparrow

 Chaffinch

 Great-spotted Woodpecker

Robin

Stonechats still present

Sunny spells, 4º, light winds.....cooler.

Both Stonechats still present in Cholsey, the one seen yesterday on the hill and the other still out by the Lees today, feeding frequently on a recently ploughed field, little else seen near the Lees today, a few Corvids in evidence, a single Lapwing present, a handful of Skylark and 3 Buzzard.