Chiltern Birder

It was quite an exciting moment this morning when I spotted three redpolls on the lawn. I think they were in the garden yesterday as well but they are quite nervy and fly off at the slightest movement at thew window. Today I managed to see them from upsairs and had the little monocular that I carry when not explictly out birding handy. They were working over the patch under the feeder where the goldfinches drop fragments of sunflower seed. At night the badgers are still cleaning up everything in the ground feeding trays with at least two individuals visiting the garden. I had, legitimately under covid rules, to visit the Rush Green area of Romford at the weekend. What struck me immediately was the sound of ring necked parakeets in the taller trees. The usual blue and great tits were audible as well as house sparrows. I was brought up two or three miles to the north and back then all we saw in the gardens were sparrows and starlings.

With the mild wet weather giving way to cold we are seeing some changes in visitors. Among the finches we have seen some greenfinches visiting which is a welcome return as they have been absent as regular visitors for quite a few years. The bullfinches are well established again with three females seem in the gardem at the same time. Chaffinches and goldfinches are as common as ever. Among the tits there seem to have been fewer than usual log tailed but blues ad greats have been active. Marsh tits have been abset this year while coal tits are only ever eratic visitors. We are seeing th occasional starling but nuthatches and woodpeckers have been absent from the feeders. On the ground a pair of blackbirds have taken up residence and our robin seems to have found a mate. With more cold weather on the way we might see a little more variety soon.