Things continued to be busy on the patch. The Finches (Chaffinch and Greenfinch) continued to be regular visitors to the garden although the Goldfinches seem to have moved on and were not seen after the initial sightings.
The winter Thrushes finally arrived in numbers -a single song thrush and a single Mistle Thrush were joined by up to 12 Redwing. Since their arrival of th Redwing on the patch on the 4th there was only single sightings, but since Christmas the number has risen and flocks of 6-12 are regularly seen. These attractive birds have become a much appreciated visitor to the garden.
32 bird species were seen on the patch this month.The year’s total rose to 54 species with the addition of the Redwing, Little Egret (2 flying over on the 9th) and our ‘resident’ Tawny Owl finally announcing himself on the 28th. I was beginning to wonder if they had departed the wood as we usually hear them a few times during the year, particularly post-breeding season, but this year had been silent.
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Tawny Owl [sp] (Strix aluco)
Common Kingfisher [sp] (Alcedo atthis)
Great Spotted Woodpecker [sp] (Dendrocopos major)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Long-tailed Tit [sp] (Aegithalos caudatus)
Eurasian Blackcap [sp] (Sylvia atricapilla)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
Redwing [sp] (Turdus iliacus)
Song Thrush [sp] (Turdus philomelos)
Mistle Thrush [sp] (Turdus viscivorus)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)
Pete's Favourite Things 