Chiltern Birder

I came in just before noon and looked out of the back window to see a totally undistinguished brownish grey bird, about the size of a great tit, at the bottom of the garden. Without any outstanding markings I couldn't identify it so fetched the binoculars, just in time for it to fly into a bush. With some patient waiting it reappeared and returned to the tree, I found the spot with the glasses just in time for it to fly away. Whatever it was it didn't show any interest in the feeders. In Chesham this morning after heavy rain, and reports of flooding elsewhere in the country, water was actually flowing under the Town Bridge. How much of the rain will actually enter the water table is another matter, on recent performance I don't hold out much hope for the flow outlasting a few dry days. Contrary to expectations we are still not seeing more than one or two goldfinches in the garden those that come are still regulars along with the coal tit and nuthatch. The blue and great

With the weather turning colder with frost in the morning the number of birds in the garden as dropped with very little activity although we did get a sudden visit by 8 or 9 long tailed tits on the feeders this morning. Fatalities due to the overnight freezing or have they just moved? I took a walk round by the Town Bridge in Chesham yesterday. Despite the wet autumn the river was dry although some clear channels in the leaf litter suggested that it had still been doing its job in removing surface water.