Winter has arrived in force since my last blog, written just before I went away for a week. A good coating of snow made The Lodge look wonderful yesterday, although the wet, sleety, cold conditions today aren't so great! We've just been admiring the most stunning sunset, so after such a grey day it was an unexpected but welcome ending and I've not done it justice with the final images of this set!.
Brambling numbers are still sitting around the 30 + mark and are a regular sight under the feeders. Hawfinches are still being spotted on and off, with one very lucky bunch of birders seeing one feeding on the bird table last week. Redwings are stripping the last of the berries, with siskins and redpolls in small flocks flying over, while up to six stonechats are overwintering over on Sandy Heath.
I returned to the normal long email list, but the one I received from Rob McDonald with the stunning images just below, stood out,
Just a quick message and an image I was lucky enough to take of a Hawfinch on the 9th of December by the feeders near the entrance. I was lucky to be standing in the correct spot for the best 10 seconds I could wish for. Feel free to use the images in your blog. I had a fantastic day so much activity including at least 20 Brambling and a part leucistic great tit and the resident red legged partridge made it a fantastic day for photography.
I also had these stand out shots of the reserve from Ray Piercy, before the snow came down!