Sunday, October 16, 2011
Forest and heath
The third woodlark (clip above) was heard calling on Wishmoor; it then flew to the top of a tree and sang. I'd already heard two others; one in the danger area, singing from a treetop, and another on the Surrey heaths. I didn't hang about for that one because a man and a boy were making a hell of a noise with a motorbike in the burnt area where it was singing.
It was lovely to hear the woodlarks singing but I didn't see any song-flights today; perhaps they're beginning to realise they might have this all wrong....
The dead tree near the stream held goldfinches, lesser redpolls and siskins; here's one of each, in a picture that's only interesting because the redpoll is striking a pose.
And a second poor shot is useful only for comparing the tail lengths of redpoll and siskin. 
Returning to the car park I encountered an enormous mixed flock high in the pines; there were certainly siskins and chaffinches, and I caught a glimpse of my first brambling of the autumn.This was on top of a hill that was being used for filming a couple of years ago. I recall that when I googled to find out what was being filmed, I found an American website which informed me that the latest Harry Potter movie was being filmed in "Swinley Forest, Bracknell, Europe".
I walked for miles today, and nary a crossbill did I see. Most unexpected bird was a heron flying over Wishmoor.
// posted by Christine @ 11:09 AM 
