When the ringers tipped me off that they would be ringing at Morton Bagot this morning, I was keen to join them in the hope that the Hawfinch might reappear.
So I spent a couple of hours hanging around Tony, Leigh, and Ida as they patiently ringed whatever they could catch. Unfortunately the Hawfinch failed to put in an appearance, but on a gloomy misty morning there were plenty of thrushes in the hedgerows to keep us optimistic.
Only a small proportion of the Redwings and none of the Fieldfares (by the time I had to leave) had found their way into the nets, but I estimated there were 40 Redwings and 30 Fieldfares plus smaller numbers of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes keeping things lively.
Unfortunately there didn't seem to be much overhead passage going on, and all I could come up with was a Peregrine which flew to a more distant pylon while we were there.
Eventually I decided to take a stroll down the hedge before heading for home. This paid off when plinking Blackbirds led me to a sleepy Tawny Owl. Since the regular tree has been abandoned I've found it hard to see this species and this was only my second sighting here this year.
I only got as far as the scrapes (and didn't even check them) before my conscience got the better of me and I headed back home. There was at least a Stonechat visible on the hedge there.