Sunday November 23

The predicted rain duly arrived, but it wasn't too heavy and gradually died out during the morning. Dave and I  strolled around trying to winkle out something different from the usual suspects.

The passerine numbers were encouragingly high, and we estimated 80 Chaffinches, and 120 Linnets in various strips of game cover. There are still plenty of Redwings around, maybe 50 or so, and a smaller number of Fieldfares. Starlings are now here in strength. I counted 176 in a tree, and estimated another 100 in the flash field.

Starlings

The flash itself contained 20 Teal and about 90 Mallard, while at least 10 Snipe flew from the marsh as we walked past. The pair of Stonechats were present again along the hedge leading away from the bridle path, and we found another one at the dragonfly pools.

A female Stonechat

 The nearest we came to finding anything new was Dave's discovery of a fresh Barn Owl pellet in the tin shed.

Dave left at 11.00am while I resumed my fruitless attempt to add to my photo list below Bannams Wood. Instead I added a new birder to my Morton Bagot list in the form of Jan, who told me she had seen the Ring Ouzel at Middle Spernal with Mike. Respect.