After yesterdays most enjoyable sunshine, it was disappointing to find today reverting back to the gloom once again. It felt a bit colder as well today, making for a very unenjoyable visit to my patch this afternoon, where only 90 minutes was spent out before the dark descended. My visit to the lakes wasn't totally in vain though, as the TEAL was still present, it had moved from the main lake to the ornamental lake, along with 8 MALLARDS, another 8 Mallards were on the other small satellite lake, with a further 14 on the main lake, 9 MOORHENS were the only other birds on the three water bodies.

I had hoped to add Kingfisher to the months list, but my wait on the surrounding lake edge was not a successful one, however, a feeding flock of LONG TAILED TITS, with a TRECREEPER, 2 GOLDCRESTS and a few BLUE and GREAT TITS partially made up for it, I also heard BULFINCH, and SISKIN fly over. A noisy JAY squawked for some time in an ivy draped tree, but when I investigated I couldn't find any Raptor or Owls, there must have been a fox about.

I had a quick look around the Tree Nursery, the most notable birds here were 22 MEADOW PIPITS, while the adjacent Pub Field had 18 BLACK HEADED GULLS, and a nice flock of 30 + LAPWING, I couldn't get an accurate count, as they were mostly behind the rise in the field, and I wasn't about to flush them all up just to count them, they have enough of that from the dog walkers!

The last part of the day, in very dark conditions, was spent checking the tall hedge at Migrant Alley to see if there was anything on the wheat grain I have put out, there was, two CHAFFINCH and 8 YELLOWHAMMER  :-)  In the hedge itself a dozen BLACKBIRDS, 2 FIELDFARE, plus WRENS, DUNNOCKS, ROBINS and a couple more Long Tailed Tits made this the best spot on my patch today  :-)  As I neared home I watched the LINNET flock of about 30 birds wheeling low over the Tree Nursery and Greenhouse Grounds as they prepared to come into roost - it was only three thirty!

The camera stayed at home today, so here's a few of yesterdays efforts at my garden feeders, mostly Blue Tits, but i'll put some of the other species up over the next couple of days  :-)

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

This Robin was in the tall hedge yesterday, I forgot to post it!

Here it comes at last....the sun!

It was a bit misty at first though  :-)

For the first time in ages, I had a full patch walk in sunny and calm conditions, and what a difference it makes  :-) The four hour walk was most enjoyable, giving me 47 species in all, a very good total here for November.

The sunshine was having an effect on the birds too, with song from ROBIN, WREN, DUNNOCK, CHAFFINCH and MISTLE THRUSH too, all very pleasant. Early in the walk, I crossed the Pub Field, where the BUZZARD was again feeding, but it was on it's own today, without the Lapwings, however two LAPWING were found on a paddock at Migrant Alley, and whilst crossing the fields there, I had 5 CORMORANT, and a GREY HERON fly over, as well as the BLACKHEADED and HERRING GULLS, once again it was a WOODPIGEON day, with many hundreds seen heading south in various flock sizes.

The College Grounds were quite lively, with GOLDFINCH, CHAFFINCH, BULLFINCH, BLUE and GREAT TIT, GOLDCREST, SISKIN, SONGTHRUSH all seen, plus 6 flyover FIELDFARE, however there were no Greenfinch or Redwing seen, in fact I didn't record these two species all morning. I walked back through Migrant Alley to check the wheat grain I had put out, but nothing was feeding on it, I suspect the area had been disturbed by either dog walkers or the farmer, as a subsequent visit at the end of the walk revealed not only 6 YELLOWHAMMER but a REED BUNTING there too, excellent!

My next place to visit was over to the Lakes, through the Small holding and Wet woods, both KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK were encountered, as were both the GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, a small group of Tits with a Goldcrest were found in the Wet woods. On the lakes today, there was a surprise waiting for me, for with the MALLARD and MOORHEN was a single drake TEAL (60) the first here since February, It's not unusual to find a few in the Wet Woods at this time of year, but with that being bone dry, I suppose they will have to use the lake, I dont often see them here though.

Teal......Not too good a shot, as I had to peer through the trees!

In the Scrubby Woods, I added most of the regular species to be found here, TREECREEPER, and NUTHATCH, being the most notable, but a STOCK DOVE that went over was only my second of the month so far.

A second look through the Tree Nursery was worth it, as I found a troop of LONG TAILED TITS, and seven MEADOW PIPITS, both species gave me a photo shoot  :-)

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit in tree

Long Tailed Tit

Whilst I chased the above about, the Buzzard came over, allowing for a couple of photo's too

Common Buzzard.....Not quite in focus

This shot was a little better

What an excellent Day!!
I'll post a couple more sunrise photo's, .............went a bit mad with the sun and camera today, in fact I spent the whole afternoon photograhing the garden birds, i'll post them during the week though  :-)