Tuesday 26 December 2017

Tuesday December 26

Just a quick update.

All birding recently has been incidental to my daily routine, but it has contained birds worthy of note. Firstly, at least one Hawfinch has reappeared in the field maples along Coster's Lane. I saw it on 16th, 23rd, and again earlier today. The significance of this morning's sighting was that it was close enough to our house to be visible from our front bedroom. Surprisingly this is not a garden tick, because I managed to see one from the house in March 2006.

Another surprise came on 24th. I was on a shopping errand on the way back from Morton Bagot which took me along the road which encircles Winyates Green. As I approached the Peugeot garage I noticed a Little Egret standing in the bushes at the edge of Ipsley Alders.

The fact that the presence of three Greenfinches in the Costers Lane field maples is worth mentioning is a sign of the times as this species is now Red Listed as declining in the UK. They certainly used to be very common around here.

One disappointing absentee is Blackcap. I struggled to see many winterers last year, and have drawn a complete blank this winter.

The only question remaining is whether the Hawfinches will still be around in January, as they seem to be working their way through all the field maple seeds in Costers Lane.

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