A great morning for Bullfinches starting with a single male near St Mary's Church at Houghton. This bird was seen flying up from a weedy field margin where it would have taken seed. A further pair was found along a leafy lane, however, the most memorable sighting for me this morning was
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| Bullfinch (juvenile) photographed Sept 2011. Lacks the adult birds black cap. |
watching 5 juvenile Bullfinches together, initially in thick Elder, Sallow, and Hawthorn, and then altogether on wires, undoubtedly siblings and evidence of a brood well tended to. From my angle, the young Bullfinches all appeared to a mousey brown-grey upperparts, the typical thick neck small bill appearance, and the lack of the black caps of adult Bullfinches. A memorable observation.
Also seen was a Sparrowhawk, a few Whitethroats and Yellowhammers, including a juvenile bird.
Stow Bedon (midday)
I visited a traditional site for evidence of migrant waders and was pleased to see 4+ Green Sandpipers around a mud-fringed pool. Despite trying to be as quiet as possible, all four birds flew up revealing their stunning dark, unmarked upperwing and highly contrasting snowy-white rump.
Two Oystercatchers overflew.
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