Christopher Wren, early bird

Overcast, rain showers, 9º, light S.

The day started early with a Wren in the garden in full song at 03:30 this morning and another Wren in the meadow responding, this went on until at least 05:00 which is when I last looked at the clock!

2 Sparrowhawks over the garden mid morning (♂ & ♀) and a single Moorhen still visiting.

A walk out to Lollingdon was curtailed by the rain today, got as far as the other side of the Bullshole when the rain came down so sheltered for a while then made our way back home as it looked as though the rain was in for the afternoon.

Species noted on our brief walk this afternoon were, Mallard, Red Kite, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Blackback Gull, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Bullfinch. 

A Barn Owl found dead on the road just outside the village by Richard on 21^st Feb. http://stuffthatricharddid.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/bye-bye-barn-owl.html

Crocus & Daffodils beginning to flower and a few Bumble Bees seen recently in the mild weather.

Christopher Wren!!!!!!!!!

Somewhere over the rainbow..............it was quiet

Rainbow over Cholsey hill (taken on a phone whilst on the move by Loren)

Sunny Spells, showers, 9º, felt colder in a brisk westerly (WSW).

Out in the fresh air today on Lollingdon hill with a brisk westerly sweeping across the south face of the hill and subsequently few birds up to 5 Red Kite hanging in the breeze over the hill, a Buzzard and a Kestrel also present and a couple of singing Skylark.

A Mute Swan was seen resting up with the distant gull flock on the floods by the pig fields but no Lapwing there today.

Around 20 Redwings in the ivy covered trees on the north side of the hill and a Wren giving an alarm call alerted us to a Stoat that was hunting the edge of a hedgerow but only seen briefly.

The fields to the north held small numbers of Fieldfare, Redwing, Blackbird and Song Thrush also a pair of Mallard and a couple of Goldfinch.

 Red Kite

Distant Mute Swan with the Gulls

Loren's Robin

 George

Rainbow & Rooks on Cholsey hill
Thanks to Loren for some of the pics.

Garden

Overcast, 8º, light rain, light SW.

A few hours spent in the garden today and a Red Kite decided to spend some time in a neighbour’s tree and sat calling on a regular basis and the local Rooks have started repairing nests.

2 Mistle Thrush appeared briefly in the garden this morning and a few Redwing and Fieldfare flew over and the Song Thrush still singing from various spots around the garden.

The House Sparrows seem to be regular visitors to the rear garden now tending to favour the fat-ball feeder or feeding on seed on the ground.

Other species in the garden today were, 2 Robins still appearing to tolerate (just) each other, 2 Dunnock, 2 Blackbird, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Moorhen, 2 Carrion Crow, a single Wren, several Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch, a couple of Blue and Great Tits and brief visits of Long-tailed Tit and Great-spotted Woodpecker and a Sparrowhawk overhead.

Green Woodpecker calling from the meadow quite frequently today and 2 Mallard in the garden early morning. 

Lollingdon, 18th Feb

A sunny day interspersed with a few rain showers, almost spring like, 10º, light SW.

Decided to take a walk out to Lollingdon hill today rather than drive and as it’s been a few days since we’ve had any significant rain the flooding in the fields has subsided quite a bit, however it was still heavy going underfoot.

The walk out was rather quiet, a Mistle Thrush and Song Thrush singing in the meadow and a couple of Bullfinch and a singing Goldcrest in the millennium wood area and that was about it until reaching the hill.

2 Linnet present in a hedgerow to the west of the hill, a couple of Red Kite and a Buzzard over the hill and I could see the usual Black-headed and Lesser Blackback Gull flock and Lapwings in the distance but apart from that very little on the hill.

The thrush flock out at Lollingdon to the north of the hill was very flighty today suggesting a raptor of some description around but unfortunately not seen by me. At times the Redwing, Fieldfare and Starlings would settle in some trees and the chatter was audible for some distance.

Also in the area were a Great-spotted and Green Woodpecker, a  Grey Heron, 2 Grey Partridge, a Treecreeper accompanying a small Tit flock, and a few Song Thrush and Blackbird.

The numbers of Goldfinch and Chaffinch visiting the garden has substantially decreased this week from around 20’ish of each to 3 or 4, have they moved on or dispersed in to the wider area?

 Fieldfares (above & below)

 Linnet

 Song Thrush

 There is a Treecreeper in the above pic!

 Treecreeper