Goldcrests

I took a slightly different route this morning and explored Bunns Lane which leads down to the River Chess near Holloway Lane. This was a fascinating walk with the lane forming a ledge in the hillside at one point. I saw two or three goldcrests and was suprised that they were no more nervous of my presence than a blue or great tit would be. The ones that I have seen in the past have seen much shyer. What I initially assumed to be a fourth turned out to be a wren.

I found a shrub on the path that I hadn't seen before with bright pink seed cases. With a little help from the web this was identified as a spindle tree.

The hedgerows had obviously been properly laid at a point in the distant past leaving the trees grown into strange shapes.

In this one a shoot trained horizontally has obviously grown over the decades.

Apart from that there were the usual sightings of red kite and buzzard and a very noisy mixed flock of crows and jackdaws on some stubble. I have seen buzzard so regularly recently that I think one or more must be roosting fairly locally.