Bird of the day!

[Deer Stalker]

Hawfinches singing on the New Forest today.

[Pete Collins]

I saw a treecreeper today, the first one I've seen in ages. It was in a wood near the village of Satwell in the Oxfordshire part of the Chilterns.

[pressld2]

Took a drive out to the Isle of Sheppey today in search of the sanderlings that Snake uploaded such lovely photos of a couple of days ago, see Sanderlings.

I timed it for high tide but never made it as far as Shellness as the road (Road? Pah! To call it a track would be to give it airs...) was flooded and I didn't want to risk it.

But no matter, there were loads of the little darlings fishing in the surf by the sea wall at Leysdown. I love the way they run down to grab anything left behind by a retreating wave then run back up again as the next wave comes in. There were lots of turnstone amongst them, plus a few redshank and what I think were probably knot - need to check when the photos have downloaded.

Then, as I set off for home, about 5 mins from Leysdown, the icing on the cake - a fantastic view of a barn owl flying towards me along the edge of the road.

Dave P.

[thebeard]

Originally Posted by Pete Collins

I saw a treecreeper today, the first one I've seen in ages. It was in a wood near the village of Satwell in the Oxfordshire part of the Chilterns.

i saw a treecreeper today for the first time in about ten years! brilliant.

my bird of the day though was 2 Firecrest. thought they were goldcrest at first (not seen either sp. before) but on watching them for a while, i noticed the broad white supercilium and black eyestripe, definately firecrest. absolutely stoked about this one, great birds to watch!

EDIT - oh yeah, and over 100 lesser redpoll feeding on some alders

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by pressld2

what I think were probably knot

Quick update - not knot, greenshank.

Dave P.

[LynM]

Goldcrest on my walk with the dog earlier. It was in the leaves under the trees and I thought it was a Wren until it moved. First one I've seen since last summer.

[lil'wagtail]

Yesterday, a Black cap was eeding on my fat ball feeder First one I have ever seen.

[rlchew]

Excellent morning at Lynford Aboretum in Norfolk today.

2 Hawfinches and 2 Firecrests were definitely my birds of the day .

Unfortunately I missed the Crossbills that other birders saw.

Richard

[aeshna5]

Today at Kew Gardens some good highlights: 70 Redwing sat in trees by the main lake, A Goldcrest foraging c 2metres away at eye-level in a conifer + Great to watch c60 Siskins, 5 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Goldfinches + a couple of Coal Tits feeding in some Larches. These were then spooked by a Sparrowhawk.

[clare]

Two little pink lollipops (long-tailed tits). A rare visitor to my garden. One was on the fat balls briefly and then they both spent a few minutes on the shrubs near to the window where I was sitting, so I got a lovely close view but no photos. I didn't want to reach for my camera and scare them away.