Sunday January 25

A little milder than recently with a very light south-westerly breeze, and a mixture of cloud and sunny intervals. Dave and I set off along the road and soon ran into a flock of 17 Redpolls. We pursued them and eventually got good views. Although they did vary a bit, none was definitely last weekend's bird and we concluded they were all Lessers. I will return to the Redpoll problem later.

We eventually reached the place from where we could see if the Barn Owl was visible, and again it was. I couldn't resist another record shot of it.

Barn Owl still asleep

Eventually we confirmed that the pair of Stonechats were still present, and estimated 40 Yellowhammers and 12 Reed Buntings along the hedge behind the pool. The pool itself contained about 50 Mallard and as we flushed them we spotted a female Wigeon among their number.

Wandering back we discussed last week's Redpoll. I could tell that Dave wasn't convinced. He said things like "not as pale as the one the other year," and "not as pale as the one I saw at Marsh Lane a couple of years ago." After staring at today's Lesser Redpolls I have to say that I am also starting to feel a bit queasy about it.

Here is a reminder.

One of the Lesser Redpolls this week

They are what I would call worryingly similar. True none of this week's Lesser Redpolls had really white flanks, but several did have white wing-bars and also some had substantial pale grey areas in the centres of their mantles.

Last week's bird

We failed to reach a conclusion, but I feel I have to clamber onto the fence which Dave, to his credit, is balancing on, and relegate last week's bird to Redpoll sp.

We are of course crack birders and find it quite impossible to make a mistake. So when we surveyed the ridge field a little later a dark lump immediately excited our attention. Rather Owl shaped isn't it. Could it be a Buzzard? It is a bird isn't it? Oh yes it just moved its head.

I took a picture of what was surely an Asio Owl.

Possible Owl

We marched towards it. It stayed where it was. We walked right up to it.

Definite thistle

There's no doubt about it, we're top drawer expert stringers birders.

Tune in next week to see what else I can get wrong.