Thursday 17th. December 2009

Not a lot to post , but during the last three days , the first two hedgelaying up on the Greensand Ridge and today working up on the Common , I did manage to record the following .
On Tuesday as we were packing up for the day , I found a party of 4 Bullfinches , at least two males , foraging along the newly laid section of hedge . In the bright morning sunshine at home , Carol saw two Fieldfares on the Cotoneaster bush next door , but they were quickly moved on by the local Magpies . This is part of the Cotoneaster in next door's garden , but apart from very brief visits by Redwings and Fieldfares , the only birds that I have seen eating the berries , are the Rose Ringed Parakeets , one top centre of this shot .
On Wednesday , whilst driving down a quiet lane up on the Ridge , I put up a Woodcock from the verge , that flew for some distance , very low in from of my vehicle . When I got home that evening , Carol said that she had seen a male Blackcap in the Callicarpa bush , not long after \I had left .
This morning , I was at the back bedroom window before heading off to the Common , and saw him briefly , with his back to me . The consequent shot does not show his head as he was feeding , but I will hopefully get a better one in days to come . Whilst waiting for him to show , a large flock of Chaffinch , Greenfinch and Goldfinch came in to the feeders , necessitating a queueing system . This male and female Chaffinch were waiting their turn . Also calling in for breakfast , was this male Great Spotted Woodpecker , a daily visitor , who takes Sunflower hearts from the feeder , places them in the drilled hole in the post , before breaking them open to feed . With the drop in temperature , we have also noticed that more and more Starlings are 'bullying' their way on the feeders .
Today , up on the Common , it was very cold , and we had several snow flurries . The only thing of interest found , was a specimen of Tremella mesenterica-Yellow Brain Fungus , that came down on one of the trees that was felled , even that was frozen , rather than being it's usual jelly-like form .