However the 3rd of February produced the first Reed Bunting(66) of the year with one at the southern end of the lake during a walk on my way home.
The 6th produced a small movement of gulls with five species seen,including Great Black-backed (67).There were good numbers of winter thrushes around the orchards at the lake(Fieldfare(100+) and 70 Redwings).
The lake itself held 2 pairs of Mandarins and a Coot of note.
One of the many Fieldfares.
A walk in the afternoon up to the orchard at Haymans Hill was greeted by over 1000 winter thrushes mostly Fieldfares but probably a third of them were Redwings.There was also a decent flock of Chaffinches with a cracking male Brambling with them.
Sunday 14th and the lake had a prospecting pair of Canada Geese,a pair of Mandarins,a Great-crested Grebe ,a Coot and 14 Moorhens.
The walk down produced three Great Spotted Woodpeckers arguing at the top of an oak.In the alder wood at the southern end of the lake a Lesser Spot was again heard drumming. One of the local Buzzards was seen chasing off an interloper which flew off hurriedly to the north.
The Kingfisher was in lakeside trees but nothing new was on the water.A flock of Siskins also contained a single Lesser Redpoll.
A single Yellowhammer flew over me as I walked back up the road and the field at Kirkins held a small flock of Meadow Pipits.
Back at home and as I looked out of the kitchen window I noticed a Siskin on the feeders.Brilliant! I tried to get some shots from the window and eventually got some from the lounge.
Siskins in the garden
Male Greenfinch
Male Blackbird
In January a pair of Wood Pigeons nested at the rear of our garden and have taken to feeding on the spilt seed so I've attached a shot of the surviving fledgling.
