28th October - 3rd November.

28th noticeably more Redwings around than before we went away, with up to a dozen feeding on our Holly berries, Sprawky bathing in the pond for 5 minutes at 11-00am.
29th Badger visited our front garden overnight, digging a small hole 5 feet from the front door.
30th Marsh Tit at Swan Bottom, has been here for at least 12 months.
31st 3 Stonechats at Pitstone Hill (Stewart).2 male Tawny Owls & a female calling near the garden at 5-15pm, along with another distant male.
1st 6 Ring-necked Parakeets over the village (Cathy).
2nd

3rd vizmiging over the local fields between 7-20 & 8-30am produced c229 Wood Pigeon heading south west, c109 Redwings (59 west), Starling c73 (64 west, 9 north), 18 Mistle Thrush (14 south west, then turned back east, 2 south west & 2 singles east), a single flock of 16 Linnet north, 6 Mallard south, Black-headed Gull west, Meadow Pipit north, Sky Lark south, Lesser Black-backed Gull west & 25 Fieldfare came down & settled in hedgerow. Marsh Tit in the garden.
The early morning sun,
Rises behind the trees;
Forming bold silhouettes,
With the Oak leaves.

3rd November..... Greenfinches.

Good to see three Greenfinches at the feeders this morning, but on a more serious note the BTO tell us that the rapid decline of the British Greenfinch first noted in the late summer of 2006 from Trichomonosis .... Avian Pox spread though dirty feeders. So must keep my feeders clean. Greenfinches are also attracted into the garden by the hips of Rosa Rugosa which grows high through the Hawthorn and the blackbirds are enjoying the berries.

   

Have just watched the Paul Weller concert on i-player, pretty good. A bit different to The Jam days.

Stewart.

The last performance ever at Aylesbury Civic Center, before the Walls came tumbling Down.
Paul Weller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyg24OrOscE

Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

31st October..... Pitstone Hill.

Making the most of the weather today we went to Pitstone Hill. Walking along the southern fence line again followed a hunting Kestrel and Red Kite, often flying lower than us.

Also plenty of Skylarks about and further along the fence line came across a pair of Stonechats. The female feeding on what looks like quite hairy caterpillars. Soon after turned around and walked back across the road towards Ivinghoe Beacon.

Lots of Sheep, breeding ewes and tups and most ewes marked with raddle and all enjoying the sunshine.

Found another Stonechat on our way back to the car park.

College Lake for lunch and a colourful walk around after with the trees

 Juniper berries

Wigeon.

                                                                              

All images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

Oxford - Cambridge Expressway.

www.bbowt.org.uk/wildlife/nature-matters/oxford-cambridge-expressway

28th October..... Winter Visitors movin' in.

As usual Jays are becoming a lot more visible this time of year and a regular sight in the garden stashing food in various places ready for harder times to come. Also Pheasants are beginning to come in looking for food underneath the feeders and good to see Greenfinches have found the sunflower seed. A fine male feeding while a juvenile looks on. A large party of  Long Tailed Tits passes through the garden at dusk most evenings now. Goldfinches still feeding at Liberty’s Nature Reserve this afternoon in the wild flower area and another group feeding on

Hawthorn Berries with around 20 Fieldfares and a few Redwings in a near-by hedgerow.

Found an unusual fungi on Tuesday, a variety of Boletus I think after trying to look it up.

Stewart.

All images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

21st - 27th October.

21st a bit of Vizmiging over the local fields between 8-30 & 10-00am produced 385 Wood Pigeons heading west, 119 Redwings heading northwest, 73 Starlings west, 6 Sky Larks northeast, 2 Pied Wagtails, Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch & a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Badgers visited yet again.
22nd never seen a Fieldfare in the garden during October 'til today, when one was at the pond accompanied by a lone Redwing, presumably travelling companions. A Red admiral soaking in the rays on the Oak, been very few here this summer. Mistle Thrush over. A Kestrel constantly harassed by 2 Magpies in nearby hedgerow. Two small flocks of Chaffinches searching the leaf litter in local woods.

27th encountered my first SNOW of the season on the Welsh Borders.

14th - 20th October

14th
15th heard what I thought to be a Buzzard "mewing" close to the house early morning, which seemed a bit odd, so went to check it out & it in turned out to be a Jay, which I'd never come across calling like that before. Dead Badger at Swan Bottom. 15 Mallard grazing in meadow. Mistle Thrush over. Farmer blocks access entrance to HS2 works at Great Missenden, due to compensation payment not forth coming.
16th "warbling" Tawny Owl again this evening & 3 Bats hunting at dusk.
17th 60 Goldfinch at Hunts Green (Stewart). Sky Lark over Swan Bottom. Tawny Owl spent the last few days shut in a room in a nearby house after apparently falling down the chimney.
18th Raven at Ley Hill. Flock of c20 Redwings early morning.
19th c30 Redwings still around.
20th flocks of 8 & 22 Fieldfares flew through heading north west, 12 Chaffinch, 2 Mistle Thrush & a very ragged Speckled Wood. 2 Jays.

20th October..... Strawberry Hill.

A short walk this morning along Strawberry Hill, passing Liberty’s Nature Reserve saw a flock of around 30 Goldfinches busily feeding. Further on came across a few Shaggy Parasol fungi at various stages of their development. Walking back past the Reserve no sign of the Goldfinches but a flock of maybe 20 Fieldfares passed overhead.

Stewart.

 Both images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

18th October..... Pied Wagtails.

Wednesday morning crossed the border again and went to Wilstone Reservoir. Water level is getting low and didn’t see anything of note on way to hide. Passed some interesting fungi but can’t identify it. Walked on to Marsworth Reservoir along the dry canal which is slowly getting restored and will eventually join Wendover to the Grand Union at Bulbourne. Went there to see if the Great White Egret was around but didn’t see it. On the way back tried to see the Spotted Crake at Wilstone at cemetery corner but again no joy. Did see these smart Pied Wagtails. A male and juvenile getting into their winter plumage. Stewart. 

All images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

Reflections

All images Copyright : Don Stone.