Alive with Birds!

A visit to my local patch around the Corton Old rail track area in the early afternoon (adjacent to the New Sewage works) was very productive, it was quite simply full of flocks of birds passing by. A fair south-east wind interspersed with a few light rain showers, kept the birds on the move. At the end of the stand of trees in the middle of the track a tree was full of at least 15 Chaffinches, Blue & Great Tits, screeching Jays, several Goldcrest and 1 calling Firecrest.

Walking past the feeding station area, 2 Bramblings flew from the Alder trees and perched high in a tall tree. Lots of Tits, Blue & Great were feeding on the seed maize provided. Waves of Long- tailed Tits were also flying past too. A female Sparrowhawk darted past, whilst an amazing flock of 18 Brambling flew past directly overhead heading south. Meeting Jeremy G we looked in the Sallow belt of trees with initially little success but as I made my sole way back to the feeding station, another wave of birds was travelling right through the far southern hedge just behind the feeding station. Mostly Tits, I then spotted a small warbler at 2.20pm which perched up briefly on a branch, it was the excellent Yellow- browed Warbler complete with thick cream supercilia and 2 cream wing bars before it too flew off right. Another Brambling perched up in the fence briefly too. In the rush to retrieve Jeremy, I unfortunately tore my trousers on the wire fence (!), but we saw the Yellow- browed Warbler fly calling to the Sallows but it was quickly lost too view.

The south-east wind was strengthening and rain started to fall so I decided to beat a hasty retreat and go home and for decency reasons change my trousers which were a little too aerated for my liking!! 

Back home, earlier in the day, I had witnessed a Jay fly into the garden and perch briefly on the garage roof and a Jackdaw perched in our middle tree.