MORE EGRETS IN THE MEADOW AND A WALK IN YEO VALLEY
WEATHER: overcast on both days with single figure temperatures but lighter winds
Continuing the Egret count from Tuesday 10th, the number rose to 13 on Wednesday morning of the 11th December. The Egret count was the highlight of my day on Tuesday, it was an ever-increasing number, every time I looked another bird had joined the group, culminating in 10 Little Egrets present just before dark.
12 Little Egrets in this picure in the meadow and 13 in the picture below
Yesterday and this morning (Friday 13th December) there was only 1 present!! Maybe the field had dried out and worms were not coming to the surface any more!
I decided to go for a walk in Yeo Valley, I was hoping to get sightings of Redwings,Fieldfares and perhaps Siskins in the Alder Trees that line the banks of the two streams and the River Yeo.
From the very start of the walk I found Siskins and Redwings, in fact they flew along the line of Alders as walked deeper into the valley. I couldn't get close to any of them, so all of pictures are distant shots.
Redwing in the Alder Trees
and again in the hawthorne bushes
Half way down the valley I came to the line of Hawthorn bushes and used those for cover as I scoped the second meadow ifront of me. It was covered with Redwings, a couple of hundred of them were hoping about in the short grass. I couldn't find a single Fieldfare or many other species come to think of it.
my only record shot of a Siskin today!
I did see dozens of Wood Pigeons and large mixed flocks of corvids, mainly Rooks and Jackdaws. Gulls few over, a single Cormorant dashed by and at least three Buzzards sat in the canopy or at the top of dead trees, they looked mournful and reluctant to fly off if I got too close to them.
The view of the block of flats where we live, from the top of 'Rooks Mountain'
looking northwards, down the Yeo Valley with the derelict farm buildings below
It was great to be back walking in the Valley, I have neglected it in recent months, the views from the top of 'Rook Mountain' are stunning.