Cliffe Pools

 At the RSPB reserve today. Large number of fieldfares on estuary fields also some redwings about. On the mudflats: large number of avocets, sandpipers and teal.  Also saw a kingfisher an egret and a single reed bunting.

Snow

 With a covering of snow this morning, it was with some surprise that I saw a large flock of finches (probably linnets) on the field in front of the house. This field is not being currently cultivated and must have a substantial store of wild seeds, but surely mainly beneath the snow. The finches however, seemed to be capable of finding food on this exposed area.

Later, on a local golf course, many redwings were flying between trees though I did not see them feeding at all. Then a sparrow hawk flew across in hot pursuit of a finch. Both birds disappeared into some trees so I failed to see the outcome.

Woodcock

 A woodcock flew over the house at dusk last evening. It is a first for this area, though with all the rain that we have had, there is plenty of soft ground for them to feed in and nearby woods offer plenty of daytime cover. I just hope this was not a one off and that there is a breeding pair this summer.

Jackdaws

 The jackdaws are roosting in a nearby wood. They gather in their hundreds on the fields grabbing a final meal in the murk. On an impulse, they noisily fly in groups to the wood. Here they can be heard communicating with each other before settling for the night. I am surprised to see them roosting in the tops of the trees. You would think that they would perch lower where there is more protection from the wind.

More winter migrants have arrived, with plentiful redwings feeding on the pastures. A visit to the Ashdown Forest revealed fieldfares feasting on holly berries. The female trees were heavily laden with fruit.

Red Kite and peregrine

 It is not all that unusual to see a red kite flying over the house (maybe once a month). I watched one soaring overhead this afternoon, but then another bird of prey caught my eye and it turned out to be a peregrine falcon. These are very rarely seen in this part of the country and to see one in the same sky space as a red kite, was remarkable.

Barn Owl

 Walking along a hedgerow recently, I disturbed a roosting barn owl. It flew from its perch just five metres from me across the field to land in another tree. There it drew the attention of some crows. By the time I had circumnavigated the field, the owl had gone. The tree it flew to, was on the edge of a very large wood, so it would have no difficulty in disappearing from view.

This is only the second sighting I have had of a barn owl in my area in eight years of residence.

Winter

 The cold, wet weather has made the ground muddy and getting about the countryside on foot is difficult. There are still a few migrant thrushes around, but not in anything like the numbers in the autumn. Large mixed flocks of crows and jackdaws gather on the young wheat fields prior to a communal roost in the nearby woods. Jays appear to have continued to increase in number and rarely a day goes by without seeing at least one. The mistle thrush has been singing for a few weeks now and it is possible to hear the occasional song thrush practising for the upcoming breeding season. Goldfinches are not yet coming to the feeders in the garden but a flock of up to twenty individuals can regularly be seen feeding on weeds in the field beyond the garden. The bramble finches have moved on but chaffinches still abound.

Strange Winter Bird Population

The weather conditions have been very abnormal with relatively mild but extremely wet conditions. I have not seen a goldfinch on the garden feeders for the last two months, when in previous winters, a small flock have always been around.
Have hardly seen signs of fielfares or redwings in recent weeks, the odd small flock seen at a distance.
Large numbers of jackdaws (along with carrion crows) are displaying over the nearby wood each evening prior to settling to roost for the night. Not dissimilar to the evening murmurations of starlings.

Migrants

A large mixed flock of swallows and sand martins were flying low over the fields and trees today. No doubt they were on their way south and feeding up before their main flight to the winter quarters.

My dog dived into the base of a hedge today and came out shaking to death a large rat.

Swallows

Despite the autumnal weather we still have a number of migrants with us. I have seen several warblers recently, and swallows are still flying over the stubble fields.
In addition, when the sun emerges, butterflies are still very evident.

Merlin

Driving down towards Llanthony from Hay Bluff, a male merlin flew ahead of us, low to the ground, sparrow hawk fashion. I slowed and was rewarded by the sight of the bird perched on top of the roadside hedge. Differentiated from the sparrow hawk by its size. this small bird was probably hoping to flush out a chaffinch or some similar prey.A lovely and sighting and unexpected at this time of year. This bird had clearly decided to over winter amongst the mountains but down in the valley rather than on the tops where it will spend the summer.

Drumming Woodpecker

Yesterday I heard for the first time this year, the territorial drumming of the greater spotted woodpecker.
The partridges had been missing from their usual location for the last few days, and with a lot of shooting happening on the estate, I feared the worst. However, this morning a flock of about thirty exploded from a local cottage garden.
I walked all the way around the field to try and see the flock of yellow hammers, only to return home and find them in front of the house such that I could see them from the front window. What did surprise me on another frosty day was that beside them in the field was a similarly sized flock of skylarks, the first I had seen here for a few weeks.

Pigeon Damage

A flock of approximately two hundred wood pigeon takes flight most morning as I pass by. They have to date, eaten their way through about one fifth of a field of rape. They stick close to the edges of the field where they can quickly gain some sort of sanctuary in nearby trees. The economic cost of these birds which can be seen everywhere must, nationwide, be quite colossal.

Albino Squirrel

Ryarsh Church: Something white sat at the edge of the wood. Unsure as to what it could be, I kept an eye on it and eventually its movement gave it away. Lovely to see a grey squirrel looking so beautiful and graceful. It was being chase around an ancient oak by a normal coloured individual and the two of them made for quite a sight on the leafless tree.

Murmuration

I am frequently observing an unusual murmuration in the early evening. The number of birds is not great, somewhere between sixty and one hundred. It starts with a smaller group but new arrivals quickly join in. The flight patterns simulate what larger groups attain with sudden changes of direction and altitude, BUT, these birds are not starlings: they are JACKDAWS.
They display like this over the field where are have been getting a last minute feed, they do not roost here but in local woods.

Partridges

Went for a late afternoon walk yesterday and was surprised to see up to thirty partridges rising from a field of rape. They were clearly about to settle to a communal roost. I only saw them in flight but assume them to be the red-legged variety and I can only hope some of them survive the shooting season to breed come the spring. Having previously only seen the group of five that habitually forage on the field in front of the house, I had not expected there to be more.
Lots of fieldfares and redwings feeding on the haws in the hedgerow behind the house.

Field of birds

With newly emerging green shoots of wheat, the field in front of the house is proving to be very attractive to the local birds. I regularly see large flocks (up to sixty individuals) of species such as, jackdaw, crow, feral pigeons. There are also, smaller flocks of skylarks and linnets(thirty birds); red legged partridge, pheasant, fieldfare and meadow pipit. It is quite astonishing that the should be such a large and varied source of food in just one field.
Redwings have now joined the fieldfares as our usual winter migrants.

Winter Migrants

Yesterday I heard the first distinctive call of over-flying fieldfares. This morning, some were feeding on the hawthorn berries in the hedgerow.
A grey wagtail feeding on insects round a large puddle at Sutton Valence.

Singing Skylarks

A flock of around thirty skylarks has descended upon the stubble fields in front of the house. With this unseasonably warm weather, they have been induced to sing, which is a very welcome addition to the sound scape here.
Along with the pheasants, it appears that quite a few partridge have recently been released on the estate and I have seen at least three separate coveys over the last few days.

Goshawk

A small flock of birds flew noiselessly overhead. Not an unusual occurrence, but then I noticed that one of the flock was quite different from the rest. It soon became clear that what I was watching was a flock of about eight jackdaws (strange for them to be silent) surrounding a bird of prey. Too big to be a sparrow hawk it could only have been a goshawk.

Heard a skylark briefly giving song this morning from the mist.