After work on Friday it was onto the patch with Willow ,still mild ,very wet underfoot , with rain in the offing .First bird was a male Sparrowhawk that zipped over the hedge line ,nice start ! sadly it went down hill from there .
On the pastures were 400 plus Starling with just 15 plus Fieldfare , and a paltry 5 Skylark , Meadow Pipits numbered just 8 ,where have they all gone ?
Overhead the by now regular winter pair of Ravens passed over and a 2 Stock Doves zipped through.
On the floodwaters 100 plus Black Headed Gulls were feeding along with the odd Common, Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gulls.
The best of the rest were 2 Mistle Thrush and a flock of 100 plus Jackdaws.
Saturday was going to be better right ? well it was but only just.
Redwings bounced back with 100 plus, Fieldfares 50 plus with 300 plus Starlings for company all feeding on a soaked beet field.
Maybe the first sign of the turning of the year was a flock of 25 plus Linnet that has appeared recently.
On the usual field Skylarks numbered 12 but only 2 Meadow Pipits today , both these species have declined in numbers over the last week or so .
Best of the rest were 2 Raven, Pied Wagtail ,3 Stock Dove 100 plus Black Headed Gulls and a Brown Hare .
The weather forecast talks of east winds and the weather getting colder, is winter finally arriving ? There are a number of species that were regular in the garden last winter that are yet to show hence we are behind on the number of species that have been recorded against this time last year.
