Wednesday 25th December 2013

Lunch eaten, now a choice between toy story 3 or an hour on the patch. Guess which won?

As short of time covered the raza and only a bit of the woods.

Weather:- blue skies with few clouds, sunny and a cold nip.

Woods:- blue/great/long tailed tits and spotted my first willow tit on the patch. Lots woodpigeons and magpies and a passing linnet. Couple of goldcrests showing extremely well in the ivy.

Raza:- black-headed gulls, coots, great crested grebe, mallards and a male and female tufted duck.

Decided not to take camera, so soz for the lack of photos. Birds seem to know, most came so close and missed lots of good photo opportunities. Will never do again!

Wednesday 4th December

Finally a day off work, that I'm not called in to do overtime. So time to hit the patch.

Weather:- After a dull start, blue sky appeared and sunshine. 

Woods:- The usual suspects - blue/great tits, long tailed tits, blackbirds, robins, wrens, etc. 

Reservoir:- 59 black-headed gulls, 2 little grebes, sub-adult mute swan, great crested grebe, coots and mallards. Grey wagtail messing in guttering of the keepers house, then flew off.

Netherton Hill:- carrion crows, magpies, more woodpigeons. Redwings have arrived, grey heron on pools bottom of the hill. Bullfinches around the edge by the lane. 2 buzzards soaring fairly low and a female kestrel.

The autumn colour was stunning today, as the sun came out. Still quite a few leaves on the tress.

Then on tabletop, lots of fallen leaves, showing oak galls and droplets of rain.