Psithurism

I hear the wind among the trees,
          Playing celestial symphonies,
I see the branches downward bent,
          Like keys of some great instrument.
                 A Day of Sunshine, H W Longfellow

............or..........

The forecast is miserable to gloomy, overcast to grim,
     The outlook sadly bleak to gale force, cold hard rain or wind....
             Forecast, Jeff Lynne

Well, whichever way you like it....it sure was windy today...!

0700 - 0900 Overcast, SW f4 gusting 6-7

All birds flew by at 100mph....well...seemed to I suppose....the western end of the site is a lot more open so the wind always plays around with the scope much better...mostly due to the fact that most of the wind comes from that direction.....

From the east end of the site and most of the way along the pits on the south side there is a fine protection of planted copse....a sort of very dense hedgerow which is maturing nicely....and it was along this long, long row that many, many Redwing and Fieldfare were found....with the former continually calling....never heard so many calling all the time....

In fact the first birds found this morning were those species....as I pulled up in the car a number flew out of the tree by the parking space....nice....

So....what else was around....

Woodpigeon, Crow, Wren, Robin, 3 Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Magpie, 1 Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, 1 Pied Wagtail, Long Tail Tit, Goldfinch, Kestrel, 13 Meadow Pipit, Song Thrush.

On the pit...as its WeBS day...

7 Mallard, 36 Tufted Duck, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 13 Mute Swan, 5 Shoveler, 24 Gadwall, 14 Cormorant, 144 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 3 Teal, 2 Pochard, 19 Black Headed Gull.