Seemed to be quite a few Stonechats on the Mounds today. Got some photos of the males to check if they were different birds or the same ones moving around on feeding circuits. The bottom bird here looks like it has broader tertial fringes than the others two male pics but the patchy white on the sub-moustacial area and the white speckling on the supercilium in the other two male pics suggests it could be the same male in different areas. However the paler tips on the greater coverts on the pic 2 bird suggests it is different. Ageing first-winter males is on greater covert moult contrasts, uniformity of outer greater coverts, alula and primary coverts and extent of black on head. The bottom bird looks more like a first-winter male to me as less black and definition to the head pattern. I would say 6-7 birds today.
Female Stonechat
Goldfinches- 90+ Goldfinches, 80+ Linnet, 10 Chaffinch, 9 Reed Bunting, 10+ Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, 2 Song Thrush and 2 Lesser Redpoll all on the eastern flank of the mound today
700+ Woodpigeon moved through this morning. Also 100+ Fieldfare, 10+ Redpoll, 5 Siskin and 3 Redwing.
Lesser Redpoll- feeding on Mugwort with the mixed finch flock. The ruderal areas on the mound, especially the east side are proving extremely productive. Re-wilding at it's best, with natural re-generation from the existing seed bank of teasles, mustards, mellilots and mugwort providing a very rich seed supply.
A 'Caspian Gull' at the back of the lake
The enclosed beds and eastern flank of the mound today. 30+ Snipe and 3 Water Pipit on the enclosed bed today. Also 2 Jack Snipe and another Water Pipit on the Southern Lake. Good numbers of ducks on the lakes and also 100 acre.
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