Bullfinch Bonanza

I have just seen 3 amazing Bullfinches perched high up in one of our trees at the back of our garden (11.05 am) feeding off the buds of the Cherry tree.

Most prominent of the trio was of course the striking male, with peachy pink underparts, who perched higher up and on the front edge of the tree. Whilst one female perched higher up in the middle and the other lower down at the back, their underpart colour was of a less striking mocha coffee-brown shade. The male spent several minutes feeding on the buds, before the higher female took the initiative and flew down to the bushes on Fallowfields followed next by the female and then finally the gorgeous male departed, sadly.

Jenny called these plump stunners "the fat birds" and I was fortunately able to fire off several photo's albeit in poor light with the window open without disturbing them.

There are of course another new garden tick.

A walk down Oulton Marshes/ Fisher Row this afternoon revealed a Barn Owl that from the barn, appropriately enough and flew storngly over to N & S Rede Marsh it flew back strongly and settled on a distant post before flying back again. The bird had several whitish areas on it's upperparts giving it a distinctive appearance. 7 Fieldfare flew up from the Barn and flew east and overhead. 10 Wigeon were on the new cut, the western most flood alleviation dyke, a male and female Tufted duck flew down the river whilst a Cormorant flew up the river. Something disturbed the birds on Peto's marsh and amongst 300+ Lapwing were 14 Golden Plover, about 30 Starlings and 200+ BH Gulls. On the far pool, 3 male Tufted duck were seen. Whilst a Great Spotted Woodpecker seen by the "bowl" area (a Bullfinch was heard here too), one was also seen near the horse field just before the paths winds back up the hill, in the horse field were 20 Redwing feeding.

At Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Marshes 22 Egyptian Geese were seen in the dip of the field together with a seated Pink- footed Goose which soon stood up when a dog walker went past. 

From Asda 300+ Black- headed Gulls and up to 4 great Crested Grebes (1 was also seen on Oulton Broad).

At Ness Point, the Purple Sandpipers had moved north by 100 yards to the sea defence rock protecting the northern section of Ness Point, initially only 4 were seen but several joined them and at 4pm, I counted 8 birds in all, my highest Purple Sandpiper count this winter. 

I will post the photo's later.