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late January 09:

Saturday, 31st January 09:

Winter Aconite in the Orchard at SPF

Honeysuckle Close, Bishops Stortford:

Common Buzzard 1 - heading South over my house at 1030 Hrs is my 101st species of the year and will be a real challenge for me to beat in January 2010. YL#101

Fieldfare 7 (8) - in tree nextdoor briefly with Redwing

Redwing 3

Sparrowhawk 1 - male fast between houses acroos the road

Stortford Park Farm (east):

Grey Heron 1 - Took off from SPF garden's water feature

Linnet - flock of 13... good to see them back as they've been absent all winter

Stockdove 7 - Another high count with one settling in a tree previously used for breeding

Green Woodpecker 1

Fieldfare 13 (14)

Redwing 5

WINTER ACONITE - At last, my entry for January in the SVW challenge, get a photo of a flower in every month of the year.. a few of these around the Orchard

Friday, 30th January 09:

The usual male Blackbird at the Hayter shelter

Hayter, Spellbrook (west):

Stockdove 11 noted today with 7 on North-East field is a great count

At the Hayter feeders today:

COAL TIT 2

Blackbird 5 including dominant albanistic male

Robin 3

Dunnock 4!

Great Tit 3+

Blue Tit 4(+)

Chaffinch 3

Finch Roosts (Greenfinch and Goldfinch) still VERY active

Just north of Trims Green:

Sparrowhawk 1 - male in mid-chase on way home

Dunnock - quite obvious at the moment with much wing-flicking and song

Thursday, 29th January 09:

Greenfinch and Goldfinch

Hayter, Spellbrook (west):

Finch Roost still showing a remarkable number of birds.

Goldfinch tonight numbering well over 200 and Greenfinches around the 200 mark.

Here's a few more pics...

sorry there's been few other sighting of late... watching these birds is quite addictive :-)

Wednesday, 28th January 09:

Hayter, Spellbrook (west):

Finch Roosts - Other reported that they are still very active but i was too busy to get out before they settled

A quick look out at 1630 Hrs produced 40 Fieldfare looking for a spot to sleep... 2 dropping straight down amongst the Goldfinch roost behind the bikeshed

Tuesday, 27th January 09:

Hayter, Spellbrook (west):

Song Thrush - Singing from behind the 'shelter' again

1040 hrs

Jay 3 - on North lawn

Skylark 5 south over factory was a bit odd

1345-1415

Sparrowhawk 1 - female hunting over at 1400hrs

Fieldfare 32 - In trees around North lawn... none noted from the field they were favouring yesterday

Long-tailed Tit c.20 - decent sized flock feeding in trees around main carpark

Hayter Finch Roosts

gathering from 1500hrs, settled and silent (usually) by 1630hrs

Masses of Greenfinch and Goldfinch still giving a good show to all!

Monday, 26th January 09:

GREENFINCH

The pre-roost flock was the most spectaclar I have seen from here and was the talk of the factory!

Will take in my little converter for my digi compact tomorrow as compact on it's own didn't give great results... ...flocks of birds overhead are not for digiscoping :-)

Hayter, spellbrook (west

lunch o'clock:

Fieldfare 200 - around 400 yards North of Hayter at lunchtime

Pied Wagtail 13

Mistle Thrush 4

Kestrel 1

1500 Hrs-Dusk

Greenfinch 200+ in to Canteen Roost

Goldfinch c.150 in to bikeshed roost from 1500hrs onwards,

Starling c.20

Alright so it's not exactly Starlings on Brighton pier, but it got me through the day

Here's a couple more terrible record shots with just 3X zoom :-(

Compared to the real thing these photos are rubbish!

GREENFINCH

Sunday, 25th January 09:

Still under the weather today so still no outings... but at least the rash has gone :-)

Starting to look as if 100 species will be my number to beat in Jan 2010.

This could be quite a challenge for me as I've had a bumper start to the year, locally, with Bewick's Swans, Jack Snipe, Woodcocks, Great Grey Shrike, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Waxwing and Smew... not to mention a lifer; Twite at Tollesbury.

Honeysuckle Close, Bishops Stortford:

Mute Swan 9 - All Immatures, very low heading South over my house at 1230 Hrs. Kate saw these birds from and tells me there were 9 (I wasn't sure 8 or 9). Last seen heading in the vague direction of Spellbrook.

Saturday, 24th January 09:

My best effort today: A 1st Winter Female Blackbird today in my garden

Still feeling rough, so no Rye Meads trip today :-(

Instead I stayed in and did my one hour gardenwatch for the RSPB with a hot drink and paracetemol :-)

If you fancy helping the RSPB, why not give it a go? (24th and 25th January 09):

here's my in-the-garden 1 Hr. results:

House Sparrow 6

Blue Tit 3

Great Tit 1

BLACKCAP 1 male still here!

Dunnock 2

Goldfinch 3

Robin 1

Blackbird 5

Managed photos of 6 out of 8 species seen today.
(great tit and blackcap were far too quick for me)
Stayed at the window for the rest of the day to try and get a Blackcap photo....

...he made 5 visits in 5 hours... and still no photo!

Left to Right and Top to Bottom: Dunnock, Blue Tit, Robin, Goldfinch and House Sparrow

Others noted but uncountable on RSPB survey

(they wern't acually IN my garden):

Mistle Thrush 1 SSW over house,
Long-tailed Tit 1 West over garden... just ONE, very odd.
Collared Dove,
Woodpigeon,
Starling - largest flock c.30 birds

I thought our new garden friend (Songthrush) was a gimme...

...30 mins is the most I'd expect to wait to see this bird.

Five hours and no sightings... does not bode well

Friday, 23rd January 09:

Songthrush: Although I love last weeks face-on photo [see mid Jan '09 this was taken on the 18th], this one's pretty good too.

Our new garden friend was still hanging about when i got in yesterday.

No sightings today... left work at 10 o'clock to spent the day in bed :-(

dreaded manflu :-)

Thursday, 22nd January 09:

My best Skylark effort from the weekend on SPF (west)

shame there's no crest showing on this one.

Trims Green:

Fieldfare 112 (63, 12, 27),

Redwing 7,

Linnet 32 - As if permanemtly attached to farm buildings on North Airfield.

Lapwing 40-45 occasionally airborne but returning to same spot 150 yards into the fields from Mathams Pit.

Mute Swan 2 (on Mathams Pit),

Skylark 60+ (largest flock had c.30 birds)

Meadow Pipit 13,

STONECHAT 2 (m+f) on far north end of topsoil ridge beside new farm buildings on North airfield. Stonechat is my 100th species of the year. I've never managed 100 sp in January so i consider it a personal acheivement (to a seasoned birder or twitcher i imagine it's no biggie) wonder what i'd be aiming for if i learned to drive!
+ usual finches. YL#100.

Wednesday, 21st January 09:

Trims Green:

a quick pit stop in near darkness to listen for any goodies (0655hrs)

Skylark 1

Meadow Pipit 1

Hare 2

Lapwing 0 heard

Golden Plover 0 ... would've expected a couple of calls so close to daybreak

Stonechat - can't beleive i've not seen a local bird since Oct! The're all around me but i can't get there in daylight... gutting! I've never managed to tick one hundred species in January before so this one might just clinch it (seasoned bird watchers and twitchers may well be laughing at this point) Before moving to Bishops Stortford I was learning to drive and very close to my test,,, when i came down here it was forgotton... If i was to pass my test before Jan '10, I wonder what number i'd be aiming for then???

+ usual crows/pigeon exiting Mathams Wd

Hayter, Spellbrook (west):

Blackbird - Albanistic male looking healthier now (mostly thanks to Dave D's efforts in looking after Hayter feeders) taking on all that do not bow down

Green Woodpecker 3 - Almost a permanent fixture on the North Lawn.

Jay 3

Song Thrush 3 - One grounded at the security hut and a further two on North Lawn

Kestrel - Perched Female looking for lunch around North Field

Siskin 0 - quick search of alders turning up no birds again :-(

Another trip to Trims Green at lunch was cancelled as i forgot my knee support and had to return home... another fine lunchtime missed, twas the best light for photos in ages, not to mention another attempt at a Year List # 100 Stonechat :-)

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