A walk late on the sixth saw me adding Pheasant(52) ,Canada Goose(53) and I was chuffed to see a Barn Owl(54) at one of the nest boxes.
The next day the first Siskin was seen at the garden feeders. On the 12th a Goldcrest(55) and a Reed Bunting(56) were down at the lake.
The next day a Great crested Grebe(57) had returned to the lake and the Peregrine was still around the patch.
This weekend has been a dismal one weather wise but there have been plenty of birds around.
The ivy in the garden has been attracting thrushes with some more Redwings coming in.

It was nice to see the first Snowdrops appearing down at the lake.

Yesterday,dispite the rain, I decided on a walk in the afternoon up to Haymans Hill to check the orchards.It held plenty of  Fieldfares and Redwings but little else so I  walked over to Swigs Hole with a view to hopefully adding Yellowhammer to the list.On walking up the track I noticed a flock of Goldfinches flying down from the alders along the track and onto the nearby field.

I scanned through them and to my delight found two Mealy Redpolls(58) feeding with them. They flew up into the alders so I approached them and was gobsmacked to find a Coue's Arctic Redpoll(59) in the tree amongst them. They flew down to the ground and I watched them until at 15:15 they flew off.

I made my way down to Swigs this morning and found a group of Kent birders looking for the bird.Unfortunately it didn't appear although a Redpoll with a very buzzy call went over.

I did go down this afternoon and was joined by Adam Whitehouse and we found the flock of Goldfinches with 4 Lesser redpolls and only 1 Mealy Redpoll but sadly no Coue's.Just as yesterday they flew off at 15:15.

I plan to get down if I can during the week but it may have to wait to the weekend.Hopefully someone else may get down to refind it.

Walking through Swigs I found this Scarlet Elf Cap growing on the edge of the wood.

I did add Cormorant(60) over Swigs Hole but no Yellowhammer!!