Brief wander 18.10.08. Redwing return

A short walk on Saturday morning along the River Ash to the golf course and back. Usual suspects with plenty of corvid activity. Several lesser black backed gulls headed north from their night roost and a party of goldfinches were observed feeding in an ash tree. Green woodpeckers called and skylarks chirped from high.

Photos today depict 2 of a long tailed tit, one at take off point. The others show a late flowering poppy in the garden and the leucistic jackdaw mingling with rooks and other jackdaws, south of the village.

However, highlight was coming across a flock of 35+ redwings in the sheep field south of the ford. Newly arrived, these thrushes migrate to the UK for winter, having bred in Scandinavia and Russia. A male bullfinch was also recorded from this field. Upon returning home, 3 goldcrests were watched in the garden trees.