Black Friday - Rather go Birding

Sunny, 6°, light NNE.

A sunny day at last but still very muddy underfoot and hard going out to Lollingdon.

Rather quiet all round today with Alan also reporting that it was quiet in other areas of Cholsey.

A couple of Kestrel noted and a pair of Bullfinch and a vocal flock of Linnet in the tree tops on the hill.

Fieldfare, Redwing, Blackbird and Song Thrush scattered around and all busy stripping what is left of the berry crop. The area at Cholsey Church for instance had at least 20 Blackbird present and a couple of Fieldfare and Redwing.

Most of the berries have now gone except for a Cotoneaster lacteus (native to China) in the Church yard that still has many berries (or pomes) present and unlike other Cotoneasters the birds do not eat these unless they are really hungry and have no other choice! Presumably they are less nutritious or less palatable?

The Harris Hawk was seen today by Gerry Sexton down at Cholsey Marsh. The first report this year of this bird. It has now been present for at least 6 years in the area.

Quite a few photos today 😀

Robin
Song Thrush (courtesy Alan Dawson)
 Redwing
Redwing & Fieldfare
 Kestrel
Linnet
 Part of the footpath to Lollingdon
Cotoneaster lacteus


from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/11/black-friday-rather-go-birding.html

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