Just a brief, mid afternoon visit, to the lake today. I had hoped to find a Teal in the waterlogged woods or a Grey Lag Goose on the lake itself, but alas none of them showed up. As I scanned the Smallest area of water however, through the gloom, a brilliant blue blob appeared, as I focused in, it was of course the KINGFISHER. On the way back, 12-15 LONG TAILED TITS fed in a noisey flock, joined by the usual BLUE and GREAT TITS, but also present were NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, a couple at least of GOLDCREST and a confiding MARSH TIT, which I got within 6ft of. This latter bird is more than likely the one that comes to the garden feeders, just a hundred meters away (as the tit flies!)

A couple of hours watching the garden this afternoon, saw the first SONGTHRUSH of the month come in. The apples I spiked on the trees worked for this species, all we need is some colder weather and the Fieldfares will be next! As the month ends, my records show that 22 species visited the garden, the best November total for the 6 years of recording, the previous best was November '03 and '05 with 21 apiece. The combined total for November is 26, so I may get another visitor this week.