The Trailway 25/11/21

Glorious forecast coinciding with day off... where to go, the world is my oyster... "PB, I've booked you in for your covid booster and flu jabs just after lunchtime tomorrow" said Mrs PB... so much for the world being my oyster... the county may be!! (I had been thinking of Slimbridge to use my WWT birthday present, because they had recent Mandarin sightings, and from what I've read, they should be resplendant at this time of year!

However, the jabs were important, and I'm sure there'll be another sunny day!! A winter thrush hunt along the Trailway seemed the best option with the time constraints, and who knows, the Barn Owls may be out...

The good thing about this time of year is still being able to lie in until 6.30am, and still be somewhere for sunrise at 7:45, even if the moon didn't realise it should have gone to bed

As I walked down the farm track toward the Trailway proper rustling caught my ear.... A Song Thrush

There was a constant flitting and twittering and a mixed flock of tits and sparrows moved between the bushes and a feeder put in one of the farm cottage gardens

A lot of tutting alerted me to a Wren that resolutely didn't want to look at me... eventually, amongst the frosted leaves....

The sun was rising now, and spreading a gorgeous light, illuminating everything magically... there were several small groups of gulls flying over, throughout the morning

One of my targets...this Winter's first Redwing

Don't worry, there are better pics later!! It then became a bit of a Finch-fest, with a large mixed flock leading me along the Trailway, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, and a Bullfinch (a bit later)

A Robin interloper that I couldn't resist

Told you there was better!

Along with groups of 3 or 4 gulls, various corvids were doing the same, Rooks in this case

Guessing this is a Greenfinch, but don't know what the thick eyebrow is...."trendy" possibly lol

Four for one!

What I want to know is, how birds can sit on a branch, and almost invariable get a bud, or a twig, or a leaf between them and me?! And also, why they fly off if I', within about 30 yards of them? ThinkingRolling eyes

I think we now have a Mistle Thrush

I promised a Goldfinch....

Something I've not seen before, a Buzzard in a field, looking for (I guess) worms

I loitered for about 10 minutes, but I didn't see it have any luck, and by then my feet were going numb (proper walking socks added to Christmas list!) so I meandered on, and spied Mrs Bully

I was just thinking it was odd I'd not seen a Dunnock, when as if by magic...

On the path itself numerous Robins, Chaffinches and Blackbirds scuffled about, this dark beaked (migrator?) Blackbird was insistent that the berry would fit

And then my other target.... the first Fieldfare of the winter

I saw many fewer Fieldfare than Redwing, as I also did last year, so I guess that is the norm

The tits were still flitting along

And the moon was still in evidence, but not sure what the gull is, white wing tip suggests Common

Not sure if someone had trouble with their Halloween toffee apple, or if this is sap or a fungus? (Something in the back of my mind is nagging about insect activity of some sort?)

A less camouflaged Dunnock

A suitably grumpy looking Redwing...their normal demeanour I think lol

Something caught his attention!

Two or three Lollipops fizzed about above my head, but only this shot wasn't too dark, obscured by bits of tree or just simply missing the bird!

The light was a bit stronger now, lacking that gorgeous dawn orangeyness

There were some Black Headed Gulls, disturbed by a dog walker

And then a final Redwing, which stuck to the unwritten Redwing rule of....DON'T GO INTO THE SUN SHINE....THE SHADE IS YOUR FRIEND" Hmmpphhh

And so concluded a chilly but lovely walk, fabulous to see the winter thrushes back again, and I hope the blue sky and sunshine brightened up your day :o)

Stay Safe All (I'm all jabbed up!!)

  • That was a brilliant walk, thank you PB, nothing better than sunshine and loads of birds, impressed with the Redwing and Fieldfares with the blue sky background, gorgeous Thrush, whichever it is !! Glad you're jabbed, you can have a whole day out soon and double up the post :-)
  • Thanks Gaynor :o) If I doubled up the post, it would take 2 days to sort the photo's lol
  • Hey Robbo, I think this is the first time I've put 2 images of thrushes side by side... doesn't help that one is in shadow, and a closer image. In the post I labelled them song (top) and mistle (bottom)

      

    Having just spent a bit more time with my WildGuides book, I'm now going to change the 2nd to a song thrush and the first to a "I'm still not bleedin' sure and I'm never going to name one again" thrush Scream

    Thanks for you patience with me Grinning

  • Brilliant photos PB, lollipops, redwings and much more!

    Good to read you're fully jabbed up, I will be after Monday and Mrs PR two weeks after.

  • Hi PB,
    Another good (half) day out with plenty to see (and tell). Not seen any winter Thrushes so far this year, not even at Minsmere which has been good for me in the past. Well done with the Fieldfares, I find them very quick to spot you and move on.
    I'm staying safe and my wife and I are both fully jabbed.
    Best Wishes,
    Trevor
  • Thanks Mike, I paid for the jabs yesterday, felt rough as a really rough thing! Went to work, boss said you look awful, so I came home again and wrapped up toasty on the sofa and watched daytime cr*p on the TV..... I'm not doing that again lol!!

    Thanks Trevor, I find locally there are far fewer Fieldfares than Redwing, which makes them harder to spot, and that's not even taking into account their 6th "photographer approaching" sense lol
  • PimperneBloke said:
    Thanks Mike, I paid for the jabs yesterday, felt rough as a really rough thing! Went to work, boss said you look awful, so I came home again and wrapped up toasty on the sofa and watched daytime cr*p on the TV..... I'm not doing that again lol!!



    Thanks Trevor, I find locally there are far fewer Fieldfares than Redwing, which makes them harder to spot, and that's not even taking into account their 6th "photographer approaching" sense lol

    Fair play to you for paying to have the jab.

    It could be you were having a positive reaction to the jab, the body fighting off the (dead) virus from the vaccine, so that could be a good sign, plus a day from the salt mine....

    As for daytime TV, imagine how I felt with two years of it post accident!

  • Hi PB, a cracking set of photos from your day out, my you must have spent ages getting those loaded and on here. Hope you feel better after the jabs. I had my booster a couple of months ago, fingers crossed all will be well and we will. have protection from this new strain. Mask