Winter Thrushes etc

There seems to be a lot of winter thrushes in this area recently. Hundreds feeding in the hawthorns along the A40 (killed at least one Redwing as a flock exploded across the road on the way to Cotswold Wildlife Park on Sunday). Mostly Redwings but also Fieldfares. Seems to be more Blackbirds in the garden than other thrushes but also a flock of Redwings. 

Had a Hawfinch at Cotswold Wildlife Park feeding between the Yews and Oriental Spruce by the play area. The same area where there is often Firecrest.  Also lots of Redwing at the park too and a few Siskins. 

Not done much else in the field recently as snowed under with winter work, currently working on the Azores Rare Bird reports for 2018-2020, Portuguese Rarities Committee work (I unfortunately missed the AGM this weekend due to the new baby arrival), the official Azores List (Fortunately Zach has taken on a small job to help with this), also need to put together a supporting document (concise annual report) for Beddington Farmlands, update the species lists and Ebird data for Beddington too and then update the Little Oak Group metrices and end of year accounts for 2021 too. Thankfully its pretty quiet on the tree and garden work on the lead up to Xmas but I've got a few weeks to complete the winter work before we hit the ground running again in early Spring with increased field work.  

Redwing in the garden with a plumage aberration (presumably partial leucism) 

One that came out normal 

First-winter Blackbird- double figures of Blackbirds in the garden, leaf tossing and also feeding on the Cotoneaster, Guelder Rose and Hawthorn berries in the car park. Birds are feeding under the willow, where we have left the leaves on the lawn for inverts and also in the Pony paddock where Pied Wagtails, Chaffinches and Thrushes are feeding on worms and inverts amongst the manure and fallen leaves. Lots of 'mess', means lots of food for birds.  

Lesser Vasa Parrot, at Cotswold Wildlife Park, another curious creature hiding out the Sixth Extinction in middle England. A Madagascar region localised species. 

Grey Wolf - another one of the 250 'exotic' animal species kept at Cotswold Wildlife Park. The gardens and plant diversity is also pretty incredible in the park. I think out of all the 'wildlife attractions' in this area, Cotswold is the most interesting, Rhinos on the country house lawn are hard to beat, plus the incredible range of species set within wonderful creative gardens and grounds. Not over commercialised either (West Midlands Safari Park has a fun fair and roller coasters etc which I reckon is just too distracting for the kids and hard to balance both adrenalin rush and education in the same day).  

Mossy Frog- one of Jacob's favourites

Mum and baby are now back at the Old Vic and the two brothers have met each other- hopefully the beginning of a long story of brothers and adventures