Soil Hill and Garden

Early morning shopping trips today with Sainsburys and Aldi on the agenda.

Lots of berries on the Sainsburys Car Park trees but just 2 Mistle Thrush of note.

A nosy at Aldi found just 1 Mistle Thrush.

A bit of skywatching mid-morning was enjoyable with 1st a large skein of (355+) Pink Footed Geese, not visible to the naked eye, far over Haliafax heading East.

The camera, on full zoom, picked most of them out which was pleasing.

A bit later c40 Fieldfare, calling, were heading North over Roper Lane, again very distant.

Soil Hill.

An enjoyable walk up to and a round Soil Hill on a mild cloudy afternoon.

My luck seems to be holding up with the Black Redstart as it popped up onto a farm wall just as I was passing - albeit at a distance.

A Snipe flused from more or less the same place as last time I was here, along the boggy main track.

A few Meadow Pipit were flitting about as usual.

As I approached the north side tree line a Blackbird sized bird flused and flew way down the north side - it was showing a lot of white on the view I got from behind it.

A good search, flushed the bird again, but from distance and with no better view ...... one that got away.

2 Blackbirds were in the trees here.

A Mallard and possibly 2 Teal on the NK pond but with a photo at this distance the ID is iffy in the extreme.

Looking way down from the NW corner 2 Stonechat were flitting about above some brown reedy stuff.

A better view of a 3rd Stonechat was seen opposite the Comms. Mast on my way back.

A Kestrel was hunting along Taylor Lane (not many Kestrels about this year?).

Lots of Magpies was about me lot.

An enjoyable day.

c355 Pink Footed Geese.

(Probaly not got them all in the photo either)

Snipe - difficult to photograph!

Possibly 2 Teal?