Blast From The Past - Finches & Buntings

Chaffinch-Skirmett, Bucks.

Brambling-Lavell's Lake, Berks.

Greenfinch-Skirmett, Bucks.

Goldfinch-Skirmett, Bucks.

Siskin-Skirmett, Bucks.

Lesser Redpoll-Sonning, Oxon.

Yellowhammer-Aston, Berks.

February's Local Sightings.

Redwing.

February started much the same as January with the usual species visiting the garden, a single Marsh Tit continued to visit daily along with the odd cameo from Nuthatch. A male and female Great-spotted Woodpecker have become regular visitors as well as a party of 4 Long-tailed Tits and are regularly found feeding on the peanut feeders, the Long-tailed Tits becoming very tame and giving me a great chance to film them up close.

Long-tailed Tits.

Small numbers of Redwing & Fieldfare have appeared throughout the month and can often be seen feeding alongside Mistle Thrush in the fields around the garden and along Shogmoor Lane,Skirmett. Blackbird numbers have slowly decreased with the remaining birds often being seen together in pairs. Both Black-headed & Common Gull can be found feeding in the fields throughout the Hambleden Valley and would presumably return to roost each night at Little Marlow Gravel Pits. Numerous sightings throughout the month of Tawny & Little Owl and a Barn Owl was seen flying over Shogmoor Lane, Skirmett, early evening on the 1st Feb, Sadly not by me!. Red Kite, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel are all regular species around the garden at the moment with many of the Kites already displaying for potential suitors for the breeding season.

Fieldfare.

On Wednesday 20th a blanket of fog and a drop in temperature encased the valley around skirmett bringing with it the first sightings of Brambling in the garden, 3 males & 2 females were busy feeding along with Chaffinches under the feeders and making the most of some finch seed and black sunflower that I had thrown out on the lawn, an increased number of Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch was very evident with 6 Greenfinches & 4 Goldfinches using the feeders for the day. By the following day 4 of the Brambling had departed leaving a single female which stayed until the 22nd, A single male turned up on mon 25th and was still visiting the garden on the 29th.

Brambling.

Another visit to Chisbridge Lane, Frieth, brought excellent views of the Brambling flock that is still present, at least 30+ are still accompanying the Finch flock that continues to feed on Maze crops near Chisbridge Farm. The Finch flock which is in the religion of 100+ birds are often found sitting in the trees next to the lane and near the double field gates. Whilst watching the brambling a double bang from a nearby crow scarer went off flushing over 200 Woodpigeons from the crops, as I watched them circle up and over the fields 8 red-legged Partridge scurried from the crops and ran down the side of the field, stopping every now and again to look over their shoulder before carrying on across the field . I scanned the area they came from and was delighted to find a single Grey Partridge slowly wandering alongside the crops, just enough time for me to get a few photos before it disappeared into the Maze.

Male Brambling-Chisbridge Lane.

Female Brambling-Chisbridge Lane.

Grey Partridge-Chisbridge Lane.

Padworth GP, Woolhampton GP, Berks. Penn Wood, Bucks. 1st April 2007.

Brambling-Penn Wood,Bucks.

I headed off towards Theale today hoping to catch up with a pair of Garganey that had been present at Woolhampton gravel pits for the last week. Stopping at Theale main pit i soon bumped in to local birder Ken Moore, Ken watches the Theale area like no other and if something turns up he's often the one to find it. Ken gave me the directions to Padworth and Woolhampton and helped me with the access and viewing points, as we walked towards the lay-by a Chiffchaff burst in to song which on a beautiful day like today made it feel like Spring was well under way. Saying our goodbyes i got in the car only to see a male Blackcap perch up on a tree branch in front of the lay-by, a quick flit around the bushes and it soon disappeared again.

Next stop was Padworth, this is the first time i have visited Padworth Gp's and with the weather being so nice a walk round the whole pits was in order. 2 Chiffchaffs were calling from the trees along the River Kennet and a Mute Swan was sat quietly on it's nest. Scanning the gravel pits i soon found 2 Redshank as they probed along the waters edge, Pied and Grey Wagtail were busy checking the mud for insects and a solitary Green Sandpiper was busy wading further along the bank. 4 Egyptian Geese joined the number of Canada and Greylag Geese feeding and sleeping in the surrounding fields and at least 5 Shelduck were present.

Woolhamton Gp's is another site that i had never visited until today and on arrival it didn't take long to hear a Chiffchaff calling as i walked towards the gravel pits. Sadly there was no sign of the Garganey on the small pit but looking out across the largest pits 5 Shelduck were present, a few Cormorant and the usual odd and sods. My first year sighting of Sand Martin as at least 5 circled above and 2 Cetti's burst in to song from the reeds.

Off to High Wycombe next to see the mass Brambling flocks coming in to roost at Penn Wood, entering Penn Wood a Nuthatch was soon spotted clinging to the side of a beech tree and was soon joined by it's partner with a bill full of nest material, standing quietly gave me excellent views as it flew to the tree above me and disappeared into what i presume was an old woodpecker hole. A male Brambling flew out of the bushes and was joined by another 3 or 4 as they flushed in to the trees above, their wheezing calls could be heard distinctly from the tree tops. Continuing down the pathway a Chiffchaff was sat in a tree calling out across the woods and was soon joined by another close-by, their "chiff-chaff" calls echoed through the wood. Approaching the roosting spot the wheezing calls of Brambling could be heard once again, this time increasing in volume as small flocks joined up with each other in the tree tops. Small flocks alternately flew to the conifers to feed on the cones and clung on tightly as they were blown in the evening breeze. I was surprised to see how agile they were, much like the Siskin when they feed upside down on Alders. Goldcrest and Coal Tit also made a number of appearances. Walking back towards the car still more Bramblings were flying overhead, heading off to roost. I've seen large flocks of Brambling in Thetford, Norfolk but this flock dwarfs my previous sightings and 900+ have been recorded in Penn Wood recently.

The first Chiffchaff in the garden for this year was heard and seen on the 27th March, it sung for over an hour before departing along the hedgerow and out of sight, a Blue Tit carrying nest material was also seen entering a small hole in a Apple tree. I cleaned the next boxes out the previous week and found that 3 had definitely been used for roosting, within days of cleaning them out i watched 2 being entered by Great Tits and another being entered by a pair of Blue Tits. My Camera nest box is also in use by a pair of Blue Tits, last year a pair of Blue Tits successfully raised a brood of 12 in it.

I actually manged to see a Bullfinch which had been eluding me for this year, a female flew across the road in front of me near Skirmett, Bucks.

Added to my year list

119. Bullfinch

120. Blackcap

121. Green Sandpiper

122. Sand Martin

123. Brambling