Chiltern Birder

A rather damp misty day today with that grey light that seems to drain the colour from things at any distance. Giving the front garden some much overdue tidying I was distracted by a pair of blackbirds taking berries from the rowan tree in the garden. There was a good crop this year and most have now been taken although this is the first opportunity that I have had to see this in action. While I was watching I realised that there was a lot of activity in the treetops in Broomstick Lane and saw a flock of redwing making their way along the canopy towards Ley Hill. They stayed in the high branches and followed the line of the lane very precisely with none spilling out to the lower trees in the gardens.

Driving home from Chenies today I had a strange encouter with a buzzard. On the lane between Flaunden Bottom and Ley Hill a buzzard was flying, in the same direction as me between the hedgerows persued by a crow. Unfortunately I couldn't take in the full effect of this as I had to negotiate oncoming traffic in the single track road. Yesterday a buzzard was circling above Cowcroft Wood and making a lot of noise. Apart from crows and kites there was not much else in the way of birds but there was a rather handsome puffball in the pasture between Broomstick Lane and the wood. I had left my phone on charge so I didn't manage a picture. Last week I visited Fishers Green and again not much to report. It was a little early for winter migrants and there was the usual selection of water fowl but far fewer gadwall than last year. In the garden I have had a few sunflower seeds in the feeder and these have been gradually taken, mostly by robins. I have added a small fat bar today, I ...