Friday 16th.January 2009

Having spent the last three days getting soaked and cold out volunteering , I was looking forward to getting out today . Only trouble was , the weather was miserable , misty and wet .
A brief clearer spell emerged around lunchtime , so I took myself off back to Hayes Farm . I haven't seen or heard any Winter Thrushes for a good few days now , but as I approached the stile leading into the farm , a dog owner , about 100 mtrs. infront of me , put up a large mixed flock that were feeding on the ground . It was a mixture of Redwings , I counted over 50 in one Lombardy Poplar when they settled and there were many more in other trees on the boundary with the houses . Far fewer Fieldfares , just 5/10 scattered about . 25+ Woodpigeons landed with the Finches in a large Oak . When looking through the Finches , I could only find Chaffinch and Goldfinch , with no sign of the Linnets that had been with them on the last visit .
I made my way over to the Trout Fishery , which I found still partially frozen . The most numerous on the open water were 11 Coot , sorry to mention it Warren , 1 Moorhen , 2 Little Grebe , half a dozen Mallard , the 3 Bitser ducks and 3 Black Headed Gulls .
As I left the Fishery , a Mistle Thrush burst into full song on a distant Oak tree , only to be outdone by 5 Rose Ringed Parakeets , screeching , as they overflew the Thrush .
Along the hedgelines , I found Great , Blue and Long Tailed Tits and Magpies and Carrion Crows put in an appearance for the Corvids .
As I got to the field used as a car park when the Boot Sales are on , I spotted a flock of 11 Canada Geese feeding on the ground and when I got the binoculars on them , could see a flock of 100+ Woodpigeons some distance behind the geese . A wet area had appeared in this field and 2 Pied Wagtails were feeding around the water .
By now the sky had dulled over again and the threat of drizzle had returned .
As I headed back to the car , the female Kestrel was on her favourite scaffold pole and in the bushes nearby Greenfinches could be heard .
Amongst the remains of a poor Maize crop , 3 male Pheasants strutted off at speed with my approach . As I got back to the stile , a flock of 35+ Starlings settled in the big Oak and started chattering incessantly and at the same time the threatened drizzle started to fall .
I made my way home .