Sunshine, sleet, rain, cloud.
A very mixed bag of weather over the last few days has not brought any unusual birds to light locally. Everything that one would expect to see about the village has been present. A tawny owl flew across in front of the car, well lit up in our headlights. The first I have seen for some time although we hear plenty especially during the later months of the year when they are establishing their territories.
A couple of trips to New Fancy over the weekend failed to bring any hawfinches into view. I did however see a brambling, a flock of about 20 chaffinches and large numbers of blue and great tits.
A visit to Slimbridge did of course reveal lots of new birds that are never seen at home. Curlews, lapwings, sandpiper, mallard, Canada geese, shelduck, shovelor, wigeon and pochard were all there in large numbers. The starling display, coming up to dusk, really has to be seen, it is spectacular. Large quantities of jackdaws roost on the grounds there too, along with loads of woodpigeons. The bewicks swans were of course present in large numbers.