Did a couple of hours in the garden today. 208 individuals of 31 species (in and from). Ebird list HERE. The new bird feeders are in constant use now, added Niger seeds to the menu to try and get the Siskins down (only two today, feeding in the Lawson's Cypress again). Three Pied Wagtails are feeding in the horse paddock and good numbers of Redwings around.
The usual Kestrel showed well today (I haven't seen our Buzzard for a few weeks so presumed it's got a new favoured perch).
Kestrel- the uniformity of the plumage and squared off tail tips suggests a juvenile and the equal width of the black and reddish brown barring on the coverts and relatively large dark centres on the mantle feathers suggests a female. A juvenile should also have a streaked breast which this seems to have a streaked upper breast and more spotted lower breast. Spots are a feature of older females so the bird could have moulted some underpart feathers. It did have quite a distinctive grey rump which is a feature of juvenile male but still the balance seems to be leaning towards a female. Not sure an adult female can be ruled out altogether either. Any comments most welcome.
Female Pied Wagtail
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