Birds everywhere

Saturday 13th October 2012
An atmospheric start to the day

From the moment I stepped outside this morning there were birds everywhere. The Ash trees and hedgerows were alive.
Even as I let the chickens out, a Kestrel disturbed a Barn Owl which flew very close along the hedge. By this time I had already seen two species of woodpecker. A Green Woodpecker flushed up from the lawn and a Great Spot feeding in the Ash trees, accompanied by a trio of Jays, a couple of Jackdaws and a very noisy Crow.
Finches were darting around everywhere and Blackbirds clambered around in the hedge and darted across the garden. A thin call announced the first Redwings of the winter (yes, I've used that word). Even Robins and Dunnocks had clearly arrived to boost the resident population, along with Great Tits and Blue Tits.
The winter's first flock of Lapwings flew over, nineteen in total, and a few Skylarks passed over calling too.
And that was all before I'd got back from my morning routines.
Later a flock of Chaffinches arrived and, in amongst them, the buzzing call of a Brambling. Even Sue noticed its obvious call.

So, nothing particularly rare, but if that lot made it to my garden overnight, heaven knows what's hit the East coast this morning.
Hopefully nothing too outrageously rare as I could really do with being around the farm this weekend, at least till Sunday morning when the pigs go off.

After that, anything's possible!