noticed two Collared Doves , perched in next door's Laburnum tree , nothing unusual there . Then one of them lifted it's wing , then the other did the same . Over a period of 3/4 minutes , they carried on doing this , until , at one time , they managed to synchronize their movements , 
and now I'm wondering if it is synchronized showering or synchronised semaphore practice ?All the expected species have been visiting the gardens , but fewer Winter Thrushes today , with just 1 Fieldfare and 6/8 Redwings feeding on the Cotoneaster next door , the other side .
Talking of which , Steve / Kingsdowner commented on yesterday's post that the shrub must be
'one helluva Cotoneaster' , and yes Steve it certainly is . This shot was taken from my back
bedroom window , and the shrub must stand 6/7 metres high , is multi-stemmed , the branches reaching the top of the shot , but having already been cleared of berries . Top left of the shot are the Hazels , which the Winter Thrushes use to sit and digest their meal , before swooping down for more . The bottom berry covered branches span about 8 metres , and the branches behind span about the same . Obviously , they start on the ones out of view behind , then from the top downwards .It is not the usual Cotoneaster horizontalis , found in most gardens , and also in the wild now , but one of the cultivars of Cotoneaster frigidus-Tree Cotoneaster .
Wagtail , searching for food in the running water . By now , the light was fading , and she was in the dullest corner of the pond , making photographs difficult . I must have taken 20 shots of her , 
but the light and her constant bobbing and movement , meant most were very blurred , and just managed to get a few reasonable shots .
she prepared the Christmas dinner ? , I seemed to see the male Blackcap feeding on the Callicarpa berries . After a while , I kept a continuous watch on the shrub , and , lo and behold , the reason for the continuous sightings was , that there were in fact two males feeding then leaving , to be replaced by the second . But , every now and again , their timing went out of 
that wasn't enough , one of the local male Blackbirds has also taken a liking to the Callicarpa berries , I have never noticed any other birds eating them before , also starting arguments between the two species .
Ringed Parakeets that came to feed in the gloom . My hopes were raised when a female 
Blackbird landed and proceeded to feed . She chose her berries carefully , moving between almost every choice . At one point , she hopped further up the Cotoneaster , and came face to 
face with one of her overseas relations , helping themselves to her berries . That sighting opened 
the floodgates , as soon , all branches of the tree were moving , as more Redwings flooded in and gored on the berries . The 'chak-chak' call overhead , alerted me to a pair od Fieldfares , waiting around the edges , to join in the berry-fest . Eventually , and very cautiously , they made their 
way closer , constantly on the lookout for any danger . By now , the locals were over-run by the
foreigners , and I managed to get both Winter Thrushes in the same frame . The Fieldfares 
began to feed just as ferociously as the Redwings , but , it only took one alarm call , from somewhere in the surrounding gardens , to send everyone high into the surrounding tall trees .
for the camera , but the only chance I got of a shot of them , was when they both had their backs to the lens . They had probably just fed , and perched in the Hazel above the berries , before flying off again . Talking of pairs , I finally managed to get a shot of the two 
frame . I had just one opportunity , before a couple of Chaffinches flew in and the pair scattered . The male showed well , the female bottom , just left of centre , was more covered by the 
was this female Blackbird .
Rooks , but now , with the thaw , they have returned to the usual horse paddocks . Along the bottom lane , I found several 
of the local Blackbirds . Just managed a quick shot of one as it landed for a split second on the adjacent Hazel . In the grounds of what was the farmhouse , was one of probably 12/15 Rose 
Ringed Parakeets that I found on my walk , and they were apart from the 4/5 that have been raiding the feeders in the garden over the last few days .
Cotoneaster next door , which gave my first chance to get a shot of a Fieldfare this year . In the dull conditions , it didn't stand out as it should , but , hopefully the next one there will be in the sunshine . I also noticed 3/4 Redwings land on the shrub , but I didn't see any berries being eaten .
full house . I couldn't get them all in the same shot , but here , L-R are Redwing , Song Thrush and Fieldfare . Amongst the usual species , I recorded Kestrel again , could well be the one I photographed a few days ago .Coming back down the other side of the horse field , I saw a 
movement right in the distance . It turned out to be another Fox , another dog too , from the size
of it . It sauntered out of the Blackthorn bushes , and after a while , decided to sit in the sun . There he stayed , 
enjoying the afternoon sunshine , and by the time I got to the bottom of the hill and looked back , he had laid down and was having a wash .
his meal . No sooner had he gone , then a Fox , most probably a dog , came sauntering up the garden path towards the rockery . He came up as far as where we put down the bird food , and 
had a good sniff around . After a while , a 
Within minutes , a great slab of grey cloud enveloped the sky , and remained till lunchtime . I considered getting out for a while , but steady rain put paid to that . Just before dark , the rain 
turned to really heavy snow , and everything was recovered in up to 5 
of Finches , but it turned out to be a flock of 10/12 
small skeins of Canada Geese were heading off , must have heard I was on my way . This was the second skein . All was quiet around the 'pick your own' area , and no sign of the female 
think is the first one that I have recorded on the site . A few Tits and a couple of Green Woodpecker were all that was found on the way to the Trout Fishery . About one third of the water was frozen over , mainly on the far side , and it was there that many Black-headed Gulls , 
and a single , much larger juvenile Common Gull , I think , were performing their ablutions . The usual residents all put in an appearance . then , just I was about to leave , two of the 'farmyard ducks' , a pair of Mallard and the Egyptian Goose , appeared from nowhere , and proceeded to 
cross the lake . It's the first time that I have recorded the Egyptian Goose this Autumn/Winter . It is surprising seeing the Goose near the Mallard , just how small this species is . At one point 
the Egyptian Goose came in close to the bank , giving a good close-up . Leaving the Trout Fishery , and heading back into the low Winter sun , not much else was seen , until almost reaching the stile again , when a small flock of what looked like Finches , wheeled around , and started feeding on some weed seeds . Eventually I got close enough to identify that it was mainly 
Linnets , with a few Goldfinches , thrown in for good measure . I managed a shot of them before leaving .
now and again , the male Blackcap dashed in to take a few Callicarpa berries , before being chased off . The comings and goings were frenetic , but every now and again I thought I caught sight of something different . These sightings were even more fleeting than that of the male 
Blackcap , which after a while , built up the courage to stand his ground around the Callicarpa bush , either resting in the Laburnum tree next door , whilst digesting the berries , or just 
sunning himself on the vegetation behind the feeders .
shots of them , I just couldn't resist posting - Parrot in the snow .
feed heartily . It was the female Blackcap that I thought I had caught glimpses of earlier . Now if only I could get both of them in the same shot .......Too late , time to leave .
sunshine in the 
local Carrion Crows and Jackdaws , not forgetting the Rose Ringed Parakeet , caught , unusually , on the ground , at the top of the shot . Once again , not a sign of a Winter Thrush in any of the back gardens .
Mandarin roost , looked very different following the overnight snow , and with just one small patch of the bottom pond free of ice , the Mandarins were nowhere to be seen . The middle pond 
had much more open water , and it was here that most of the wildfowl , including some of the Mandarins were congregated . I had gone armed with some stale bread , and some burnt toast , which I must say , went down very well , and even though the Mandarins are much more timid 
than the other species , I managed to get some of the bread close enough for them to reach , before others muscled in . The species that muscled in most was the Canada Goose , seen here
raising the hackles on one drake Mandarin . It wasn't only Ducks and Geese vying for my burnt toast and stale bread . If the waterfowl didn't get to it quickly enough , one of the many 
patrolling Black-headed Gulls swooped in and claimed the prize . The top pond was all but devoid of wildlife , and with no chance of finding any fungi , I just had a walk around the surrounding woodland . A brief flash , 
bark of a Scots Pine . Fortunately , with snow on the other side of the trunk , the bird stayed on my side , slowly working it's way up the tree , as all good Tree Creepers should , but , unfortunately , giving me the back only view most often seen . It finished high in the Scots Pine , then flew to the base of an Oak , some distance away . I followed , but by the time I got there , it was already some way up the trunk . It then decided to take a side branch , and whilst almost overhead , 
allowed a side on view , showing that white breast , long thin bill , and those Woodpecker type 'climbing claws' . I watched it work it's way to the top of the Oak , before it disappeared from sight in thicker woodland . On the way back to the car , I passed 
much different than when I visit during the Summer , looking for Dragonflies and Butterflies .
out , and it turned out to be a male Kestrel , looking a bit dejected , probably having difficulty finding a meal in the conditions .
