Thursday 9th. February 2012

Another cold , miserable , grey morning , again with light snow flurries . Work up on the Common was cancelled last night because of the conditions .The expected morning 'invasion' on next door's Cotoneaster didn't materialise , but there was a mini version this afternoon , but nothing like yesterday's numbers . Carol was off shopping , and after dropping her off , I gave the inside of the car a birthday , much needed after all the recent hedgelaying , finding quite a bit of hedge in the process . About 11 o'clock , some brightness appeared that hadn't been forecasted , so I grabbed my binoculars and camera bag , and went for a wander around the estate on foot , meeting Carol on her way home down by the bus stop . There followed a really enjoyable hour , a taste of which follows :

All the shots were taken either in trees along the roads , or in front gardens of houses . A good number of the expected species were also seen , including a pair of Long-tailed Tits , feeding in the

same berry laden tree as the last Redwing , and on the way back home , a Pied Wagtail

looking a bit scruffy , but not surprising as it is living rough on the street . By far the most

unexpected sighting of the morning was a Common Buzzard , soaring high overhead . Apologies to anyone fed up with Winter Thrushes , but I know that when the berries run out , that will be it . I would also add that they are not being posted just to wind up a fellow Blogger , honest Warren ! Strangely , after lunch I went to get some fuel and drove a little way out into the countryside , near a golf course were the lane is lined with Hawthorn and Blackthorn . Just a handful of Thrushes were seen , but as soon as I got back on the estate , there they were again . And that sunshine ? It disappeared as quickly as it came , and we are back in the grey again now .