Friday 16 December 2011

Feeling Christmassy!

Although we get Fieldfares flying over the cemetery every Autumn, and even get some landing in the cemetery trees some winters, I don't think we've ever had a Fieldfare in the garden before. Redwings do come in after snowfalls now-and-again, but never a Fieldfare until yesterday. There were also plenty of Blackbirds. Our Pyracanthus berries were suddenly ripe, and the birds knew it. I was secretly hoping for a Waxwing, but a Fieldfare isn't a bad start. I drew the line at 4 Woodpigeons, and once I was certain the Fieldfare had gone, I chased off the big fat pigeons.

In the afternoon I drove round our premier local owl location, but even though the afternoon was perfect there weren't any Owls. However, when I checked a flock of 35 drab little birds on telegraph wires, I was gob-smacked to discover that they were all Corn Buntings. I've seen 1 or 2 breeding birds in the area most summers, but never seen anything like approaching that number there before - in fact I don't remember ever seeing any Corn Buntings at that bleak location in the winter! I don't think it was an accident that they were perched directly over some set-aside!
Fieldfare (& Blackbird)
Corn Bunting

2 comments:

Barry Warrington said...

Hi Michael,

I assume it was Worlaby were the Buntings were present? If so, I counted 76 there last year around this time of year!

Regards,

Michael Flowers said...

Hi Barry,

Yep, I've seen them there, but these were at Sunk Island. Even the RSPB haven't seen those numbers there in the winter!

Cheers