A Wet One

Cloudy with rain showers, 7°, light WNW.

A bit of a non-event today, loads of Thrushes feeding in fields along the Bunk line with probably the wet conditions forcing invertebrates to the surface and a few hundred Black-headed Gull loafing in the fields along with a couple of Herring Gull. The only bird of note was a wintering Chiffchaff on the marsh seen by Alan.

December doldrums

Overcast with early rain, 9°, light W.

Alan out today but extremely quiet with the only bird of note being a leucistic Carrion Crow.

(Leucisism is an abnormal condition of reduced pigmentation affecting various animals (such as birds, mammals, and reptiles) that is marked by overall pale colour or patches of reduced colouring and is caused by a genetic mutation which inhibits melanin and other pigments from being deposited in feathers, hair, or skin.)

As I was in today I just kept an eye on the garden, and it was very busy, the regular flock of Blue Tit and Great Tit accompanied by several Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch and 3 species of Finch and a Treecreeper. And the regular Sparrowhawk also came thru.

A little chilly

Sunny, 3°, light NW.

Fieldfare and Redwing appear to be everywhere around the village at the moment, feeding in fields and hedgerows along with more than average numbers of Blackbird and Song Thrush.

Bunk line/Green lane: apart from the above, 2 Grey Heron, several Yellowhammer and a Kestrel.

Whilst looking towards CSW I noticed all the Gulls flew up only to see a Peregrine Falcon cruise over and a few moments later a tight flock of Starling appeared and that was in response to a female Sparrowhawk flying overhead.

There were in excess of 200 Black-headed Gull, a handful of Lesser Blackback Gull and 2 Herring Gull.

A male Sparrowhawk seen hunting along Green lane later and a Little Owl heard calling.

The fields near Manor farm held 40+ Lapwing and 100+ Golden Plover. Per Alan and myself.

Alan also covered the river area with Kingfisher and Bullfinch of note plus all the usuals.

Another male Sparrowhawk visiting the garden late afternoon.

Plovers always distant

Golden Plover courtesy Alan 

Lapwing

Stonechats and an Auk in the county

Sunny spells with the occasional rain shower, 9°, light to breezy WNW.

Lollingdon still fairly quiet, the usual Fieldfare and Redwing around and also more than average Blackbird and Song Thrush present.

2 Stonechat noted, 1 around the horse paddock and 1 on the hill.

c8 Yellowhammer on the hill and a further c20 at Little Lollingdon.

Alan spent the morning at Farmoor where a storm blown Little Auk had turned up yesterday. The bird was eventually taken into care by the birders present as it was not in an ideal environment and probably would not survived.

The bird has now been released on the coast. Well done to all involved. 👍

The Little Auk is a high Arctic breeder and winters in the North Atlantic, south to approx. the 48th Latitude.

Alan also managed the Bunk line this afternoon with a Barn Owl again plus the regular species.

Stonechat ↕

The distant Stonechat on the hill

Little Auk courtesy Alan ↕

A quiet one.

Cloudy, 11°, light WSW.

Alan on his usual patch along the river today. 20+ Siskin, Water Rail, Redwing, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Kingfisher, 2 Little Grebe, Treecreeper, 2 Stonechat plus other regulars.

Bunk line/Green Lane: Good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing, Mistle Thrush, 2 Herring Gull, Jay, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit and 100+ Black-headed Gull at CSW.

20+ Lapwing and a couple of Golden Plover on Cholsey Hill.

Forgot to mention a Barn Owl along the Bunk yesterday. Per Alan.

Mistle Thrush

Siskin courtesy Alan

A Cold One

Cold and cloudy, 2°, light SW.

A light covering of snow this morning, slowly melting.

Rather quiet all round today, a single Stonechat on Lollingdon hill along with a scattering of Fieldfare, Redwing and Starling.

A definite increase in Blackbird numbers with up to 30 on the north side of the hill and good numbers scattered elsewhere and a couple of Mistle Thrush.

Alan along the River and Bunk line: 2 Stonechat Cholsey Meadows area and the usual Thrushes scattered all over but little else.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Blackbird

Common Buzzard

Redwing courtesy Alan

Fieldfare courtesy Alan

Stonechat courtesy Alan

Stonechat

Overcast, 6°, light WNW.

Alan along the river initially then out at Lollingdon with myself.

River/Cholsey Marsh: Cetti’s Warbler, Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Water Rail, Reed Bunting, Stonechat and Kingfisher.

Lollingdon: a single Stonechat still present between Little Lollingdon and Lollingdon.

Also: Raven, Little Owl, Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush and Jay.

A Misty walk and the Garden

Misty, 6°, light N.

A misty morning’s walk along the Bunk line today with not a lot seen.

Plenty of Redwing and Fieldfare around, approx. 200 of each. A Raven heard but not seen, a Grey Wagtail and Grey Heron was about all of note.

The garden was very active this afternoon with a Great-spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Coal Tit and good numbers of Blue and Great Tit.

Stonechats & Darters

Sunny, 8°, light N.

A little chillier over the last couple of days but the sun is shining and a few larger insects still to be found around some sheltered areas.

Alan out yesterday and found 2 Stonechat around Cholsey Meadows area, a Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail and Corn Bunting.

Today I made the trek out to Lollingdon. Very little on the hill other than Fieldfare and Redwing moving overhead and a couple of Buzzard and Red Kite soaring.

Off the hill and single Stonechat between Little Lollingdon and Lollingdon and the usual Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Skylark and Jay. And a Kestrel nearby.

Alan along the Bunk line area, Redwing, Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk and Bullfinch.

The ponds at Cholsey Meadows, 2 Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Mistle Thrush and Chiffchaff near the marsh.

Mammals: Stoat & Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: 2 Common Darter sunning at SU571854 and Alan had a few by the ponds at Cholsey Meadows.

Butterflies: a Comma yesterday and a Red Admiral today. Per Alan.

Stonechat

Common Darter

Stonechat courtesy Alan

Grey Heron courtesy Alan

Quiet day

Overcast, 12°, light W.

Bunk line/Green lane/Gravel pit today: a few hundred Redwing scattered around and approx. 100 Fieldfare.

34 Pied Wagtail in the cattle field (although the cattle had just been moved out), a Grey Wagtail, 2 Bullfinch, a Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, Jay, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Grey Heron, c150 Starling, 50+ Lesser Blackback Gull, 120 Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull and 2 Sparrowhawk (m & f).

Alan along the river: Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Reed Bunting and 30+ Siskin.

Anyone seen a Great-crested Grebe along the river lately? No confirmed sightings since the spring!

Mammals: Stoat.

Lollingdon & The Thames

Mainly cloudy, 13°, light WNW.

Fairly quiet on the walk out to Lollingdon today. Good numbers of Fieldfare with several flocks of 100+. Fewer Redwing but still 100+, a single Raven over and the usual Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Yellowhammer. 2 Mistle Thrush around the Brook meadow.

Alan along the river: Water Rail, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Siskin, Reed Bunting, Jay, Stonechat, Treecreeper plus Fieldfare, Redwing and Mistle Thrush.

Dragonflies: a single Common Darter, Lollingdon and several Cholsey Meadows.

Butterflies: Red Admiral along the Thames.

Raven ↕

Fieldfare

Green Woodpecker courtesy Alan

Common Darter courtesy Alan

Bunk and the Thames

Sunny spells with light cloud, 11°, light W.

Alan along the river today: Kingfisher, Teal, Cetti’s Warbler, 20’ish Siskin, Common Snipe, Raven, Reed Bunting, Fieldfare, Redwing, Grey Wagtail, Mistle Thrush, Jay and Meadow Pipit.

Bunk line: Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Grey Heron, Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Jay, several Siskin, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Pied Wagtail.

Dragonflies: Alan had 4+ Common Darter at Cholsey Meadows.

Siskin courtesy Alan

Common Darter courtesy Alan

Kestrel

Pied Wagtail

distant Fieldfare

Magpie

Siskin courtesy Alan

Lollingdon & The Bunk

Mainly cloudy, 10°, light SSW.

Lollingdon hill was very busy this morning with 300+ Fieldfare, approx. 50 Redwing and 200+ Starling foraging on the hill and surrounding fields.

Nearby a single Chiffchaff, a couple of Siskin flew over, a few Jay calling and a singing Mistle Thrush. Plus a count of 15 Song Thrush and 40+ Skylark.

Alan’s persistence in checking the 50+ Chaffinch flock near the Bunk line paid off when he found a Brambling with them.

Also, Fieldfare, Redwing, a Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Jay and a Mistle Thrush in song,

Dragonflies: during a bout of sunshine, a single Common Darter flew by in the usual spot.574856.

Grey Wagtail courtesy Alan

Jay courtesy Alan

Mistle Thrush