When I got home from volunteering yesterday , Carol said that she had seen a female Blackcap feeding on the berries of the shrub in the early afternoon .
As I was not due up on the Common until 1000 , I watched the shrub over breakfast , to no avail . I got ready , and spent the last few minutes before leaving at the back bedroom window . There was plenty of activity on the feeders from Greenfinches , Chaffinches , Goldfinches , a pair of Coal Tits and a single Blue Tit . Underneath the feeders , Chaffinches and a pair of Dunnocks were 'clearing up' , but no sign of the Blackcap .
The sun was just starting to get onto the shrub , and I was due to leave , when a movement in the shrub made me reach for the camera . The female Blackcap had turned up for her breakfast 
, and almost immediately , she was joined by the male . I managed four shots before , together , 
they flew into cover in a conifer , a bit further down the garden .
, and almost immediately , she was joined by the male . I managed four shots before , together , 
they flew into cover in a conifer , a bit further down the garden .
The female always stayed in the middle of the shrub , whereas the macho male fed on the outer branches .
We have noticed this in previous years , where they don't gorge themselves like Redwings or Fieldfares , but just take a few berries then disappear for a while , most likely to digest them .On the way to the Common I did pop in quickly to Keston Ponds , but could see nothing new there . As I looked around from the car , a juvenile Carrion Crow arrived and perched on the rail , no doubt looking for food .
I think the Canada Goose had the same thoughts ,
as did the Black Headed Gull .
I think the Canada Goose had the same thoughts ,
But they were unlucky , I was keeping my sandwiches for my lunch .
aeruginosa-Verdigris Agaric . When I posted this fungi before , it was in a woodland situation , but this was in a grassland situation , which is where I have seen it more often .
You can just see two males and one female , resting on a half submerged branch . The other male and female were even harder to see a bit further back . At least I know that they don't actually disappear off site when I can't find them , just that they are good at hiding . On the top pond , a group of Mallards were taking communal ablutions , probably knowing that the sunshine was short lived .They took it in turn to have a good splash , followed by a good flap to get rid of the surplus water .
Then it was the Drake's turn .
Just before the sun disappeared , I noticed a large dragonfly , hawking along the far side of the pond . I followed it backwards and forwards along the bank . It was a male Southern Hawker , but despite my efforts to keep it in sight and get a shot , it disappeared as the cloud cover came over , not to be seen again , but it was my latest ever record for this species .
Apart from that , it was very quiet .
There he sat for another couple of minutes , whilst I took another 15/20 shots , albeit of poor quality . Eventually , he flew off down the garden at low level , and then reappeared in a Silver Birch in a neighbour's garden , three houses down . We watched him for a while , and the rain got even heavier , then he flew down , presumably to get shelter in a shrub or the like . We never saw him again , but feel privileged to have been so close for so long , even knowing why he came to the feeders . The only sighting on the feeders in the hour+ since he left , was a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the peanuts halfway down the garden , perhaps he is still about . Looking through the shots I got , I wish the light and weather conditions were better . Shooting through double glazed window streaming with rain is not conducive to good shots , but if conditions were good , then he probably would have been gone before the first shot was taken , and if Carol hadn't been at the window , we would never have known he was there at all .
Before I reached the car , the first spots were on the wind , and by the time I got to the car , it was raining quite hard .
fewer Winter Thrushes in the Holly tree , but a bit further along , my first Meadow Pipit of the Winter on the site . In other years , I have had good numbers on the phone wires across the bridleway . In the field with the grazing sheep , a large flock of Starlings had joined the Corvids .
seemingly oblivious to our presence , even when I approached with the camera , it didn't move .
with the Coal Tit . Blue and Great Tit , Dunnock , Wren , Collared Dove , Wood Pigeon and Jackdaw all put in an appearance .
