Today was the (meteorological) first day of winter and it felt like it. Mind, I think it's felt like winter for weeks.
A cold and frosty start, even when I got down to the patch at 11 o'clock, the grass was white. It was pleasant in the sunshine but a light NW wind gave it an edge. Autumn is over and hopefully we've seen the back of the rain that has dominated things recently.
I had a wander through the dunes to the north of the turning circle. Beyond the haul road in the recently-sown field, a
peregrine sat, perched on a divot, probably full up with lapwing or some other unfortunate wader.
The dunes were alive with a feeding flock of mixed finches. They wouldn't settle and swirled back and forth behind the dune ridge, making counting them very tricky. I finally guessed at 250 Goldfinch, 50 linnet, 30
twite and a handful of chaffinch and reed buntings. No tree sparrows though - a much scarcer bird now the feeding has stopped in the bushes. Four
grey partridge flushed - I wonder if the nearby release of red-legs will do for them, I hope not.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzvqXb-ha_cnLPJ3HG850eOsRREgNdPX1XTuL_amf1Th6nOVJtCbQ0xRvXPltu2A3KiDy0SJJ2YGskFnSUdfOtbVSlhRTs9jXXQNbcva_3BF4QPbsssSUjVd68sNzyHxGDuh5QPwp_4X7/s640/_U8A5059.JPG) |
Some of the twite flock |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yMOClJH0_gaoA1W2mqR1dZsZat0iAiZaNCnjutWIMqp8nMNvBVFccmAJNMJmRx6PpW417jpNyXyT94j3880jxVg-5aeghNx0h4_yP99cdCnD6qfnAHHxG3bsg2OM-gJKL6bzXPEYsOPR/s640/_U8A5053.JPG) |
Reed Bunting in the weeds |
On to the Budge fields. From the midget-screen (being vertically challenged myself I can say that) not much could be seen on the fields. In the willows along the path a very late (or wintering maybe)
chiffchaff flitted about, calling as it went. A very vocal
water rail was in the bushes at the other side of the path but it didn't show itself.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FdBOkbLvGovBuzKG3YeNUQhVq9uRkJ4kXMjs2ubjV-VToqpQcHOGdOnyg_DcZilDY-Xp0M1mjMGuKlFsdEJz3q_IUtqyd9w7UNkFYNFViU56vZq6EiUXzkHPvumN65fDuNH34seRy5PU/s640/_U8A5124.JPG) |
Blue tit feeding on Alder cones |
Down to the Budge hide. The fields were mostly frozen with a little bit of open water concentrating the fowl. Waders - lapwings and curlews stood on the still-white ridges until they were flushed by a huge female
sparrowhawk. She put up a snipe and an aerial battle commenced, the snipe was the victor as the large sprawk flew off to the fence without its prey.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpYFzU_Ttkj6iWXV7vdoPD3e_COJKTAEVhXwYr3ptqu09mv3iJPc2G5F2ghmfAj4q3CXQQs60SUHop-ltsXbzz1g243HdV1bb4MsXn7spS3LaZBXoY5grrZug-1Ix9-uaJglwZqCvsqiB/s640/_U8A5043.JPG) |
Passing Mute Swan |
I've been checking the fields for the Cresswell dowitcher. As it hasn't been seen at Cresswell for a couple of days I had high hopes... The last long-staying Long-billed Dowitcher stayed at Cresswell until New Years Eve when it relocated to Druridge so I could get it on two year-lists. Maybe history will repeat itself.
From the dune, the spring tides of the new moon meant that the sea was on the horizon. A flock of 120 wigeon and some scoters all of note.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlFlLRI05j5xZ7zF1MdAEPBD43kLMs4ubgL34gwZ3fikMdqCgl01DYW3XeDBzhc0pign2F8R0aSPRp-FRozD6xGpBY_ubThvqE27KpmibQZ8HpDjNcd2o1MSSNEP0JRvtCr4hUzdj6LMj/s640/_U8A5031.JPG) |
Female stonechat in the dunes |
Full list here
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