The real Winterwatch

Redwing

Golden Plover & Lapwing

Lapwing

Close up of flock

Corn Bunting ?

House Sparrow

After a week of the BBC Winterwatch team talking "Black Cock" it was back to real winter birding. Most birding is still being conducted from the car as stomach pain is still ongoing. Hoping next weeks brings some improvement at last.

I found all the feeders had been blown off the tree in the previous nights wind. The Greylag flock flew over which contained the single Pink-footed Goose found later in the  day by Chris Lane. Sightings were limited to two Shelduck, 31 Teal, 31 Lapwing, 30 Tufted Duck, two Little Grebe, Jack Snipe and a Green Sandpiper. Over at Pophills there were another four Green Sandpipers. 

The allotments on the Broom turn is an area always worth exploring and I was pleased to find a male wintering Blackcap in the hedgerows whilst there were large numbers of Fieldfare & Redwing. I couldn't resist snapping the cheeky House Sparrow shown above. 

A bird caught my eye high on the wires however the light wasn't great. With the wire getting in the way also ID wasn't easy. The heavy set beak indicated a Corn Bunting but it could well have been a immature Yellowhammer. 

Finally I caught up with the Lapwing flock that increased to 1,250 however I could only see 30 Golden Plover. That ends the month with 82 species and 85 points in the patch challenge (including Feral Pigeon).