Overcast, 5°, light NNW. A Little Egret seen today on the way out to Lollingdon and appeared to drop down near Amwell Spring. The hill hosted around 100 Fieldfare and a flock of c50 Meadow Pipit for a time before moving off over the top. Several Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer around the hill and a single Corn Bunting . A small flock of c20 Pied Wagtail feeding out with the Sheep. A few more Fieldfare and Redwing scattered around the Lollingdon area, a Goldcrest , Grey Heron , Kestrel , a couple of Jay , 2 Bullfinch and several Starling amongst other species. A Brambling in a private garden. Per Alan Dawson. 2 Blackcap in TW’s garden and 2 Chiffchaff at CSW. The flock of c60 Golden Plover still around Cholsey Hill. Brambling (courtesy Alan Dawson) from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/01/2019-off-to-reasonable-start.html
The squirrel has spent a bit of time in the Yew View tawny box this week, which has given me an idea of what my footage might be like during the daytime. I am really pleased with this camera and keep imagining the tawny and owlets I might get in the new year. The squirrels are not showing signs of nesting… just a place to sleep on a cold winter’s day and this individual left at dusk before the tawnies returned. What was really interesting was this footage of the squirrel opening a walnut. Anyone who has tried to open a walnut with nut crackers will know how hard they are! This individual seems to turn the walnut around and around, biting along the seam, weakening it until it could get its teeth and claws inside this seam to break it open… fascinating! from www.wildlifekate.co.uk https://wildlifekate.wordpress.com/2018/12/16/how-does-a-squirrel-open-a-walnut/
Main image: By Elisabeth Winkler Avon Wildlife Trust Communications Assistant In the old days, every farm would have a pond filled with rainwater. Called dew ponds, these watering holes for livestock were also breeding grounds for wildlife. However, with modern improvements such as mains water, these beautiful saucers of water gradually fell into disuse. Silted up with soil and leaves, they ceased to collect rainwater. Without cattle to trample or munch the grass, the ponds became overgrown. read more from Avon Wildlife Trust blogs http://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/blog/wildblog/2018/12/14/what-point-ponds
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