Thursday 7 November 2013

Raptors, Thrushes and a couple of Stonechat.

Overcast, a few sunny spells 10º, light SW.

A 5 hour bash around Lollingdon and the Lees proved very worthwhile today.
Raptors were very much in evidence with 30+ Red Kite, 14 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, and 2 Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine flew west over Lollingdon hill and a Merlin zipped through the fields near the Lees.

Good numbers of Thrushes about especially around Lollingdon, with up to 500 Fieldfare, 120+ Redwing, 15 Mistle Thrush, 20+ Blackbird and at least 8 Song Thrush, also c100 Goldfinch and at least 6 Siskin with the flocks.
2 Stonechat also seen with 1 on Lollingdon hill feeding mainly from the Hawthorns on the hill and another along the long ditch near the Lees.

Also good numbers of Corvids, 500+ Rook, 50+ Jackdaw and numbers of Carrion Crow, Magpie and 2 Jay, also 2 Raven flew SW over Cholsey Church.

A scattering of Lesser Blackback & Black-headed Gulls in the area with c200 LBB’s around the pig farm.
The fields near the Lees held 200+ Skylark and at least 30 Corn Bunting and a handful of Linnet.

Also noted were a Grey Heron, 11 Yellowhammer, 5 Reed Bunting, 5 Great-spotted Woodpecker, several Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail.
A few Tit flocks noted with one on Lollingdon hill comprising 16 Long-tailed Tit, 9 Blue Tit and 4 Great Tit.

2 Common Darter dragonflies also seen during one of the brief sunny spells.
A Chiffchaff in the garden this morning and a Tawny Owl being mobbed by a Robin & a Wren just before dawn and evidence of a Hedgehog in the garden recently.

5 Stonechat pics






 Long-tailed Tit
 Grey Heron
Rubbish pic but the thrush on the left appears to be flying upside down?

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