Wildlife sightings in Sambourne 2022
Mid January 2022 to mid-February 2022
13th Jan. We decided to have a change of scenery, so paid our first visit for a couple of years to the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust’s Upton Warren nature reserve. It was very cold and misty when we arrived, but the sun soon began to break though. The shallow water of the Flashes was partially frozen, so a lot of birds were just standing around, mostly Lapwings, Coots and Moorhens, and one Meadow Pipit. The deeper water of the Moors was ice-free and contained many ducks including Teal, Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Shoveler and Mallard. While we were watching from a hide, we were pleased to see a female Goosander fly in and land in front of us. On the lake surround we noticed a Heron, Cormorants, and four each of Common Snipe and Curlew.
15th Jan. A Lesser Redpoll visited our garden to feed on sunflower hearts.
16th Jan. The Harris Hawk is still in the area having been seen by Christine and David as it consumed a pigeon in their Sambourne Lane garden.
17th Jan. A Fox crossed the field behind our garden.
18th Jan. Two Nuthatches visited the black sunflower seed feeder in the garden.
21st Jan. As is our normal practice, we didn’t remove the seed heads from the various perennials in our borders and were rewarded by the sight of a small flock of Goldfinches feeding on them.
25th Jan. As we walked along Wike Lane quite loud bird “chattering” attracted our attention. A large flock of Siskins was feeding in the trees alongside the lane with much contact-calling.
27th Jan. Unusually, a Dunnock fed from our sunflower heart feeder.
30th Jan. We watched the Siskin flock again in the same area. Jeannie mentioned having seen a Red Kite over Astwood Bank. I did the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and was rather disappointed by recording only thirteen species. Not many years ago there were eighteen.
3rd Feb. Adam managed to capture some video of a Jack Snipe caught in his tractor’s headlights near Studley Common. He had recently seen another locally. These are winter visitors, far from common and difficult to see.
11th Feb. Back in Wike Lane a number Lesser Redpolls had joined the flock of Siskins. We had better views of them as they flew down and drank from the ditch at the roadside. They are usually silhouettes high in the trees.
Mid-February to mid-March 2022
As we’ve moved from winter into spring, signs of the season changes have begun. Wild garlic is shooting up in the verges and blackthorn is now in flower to brighten the hedgerows. We’ve also noticed the start of the switch between winter and summer bird migrants.
18th Feb. I was pleased to see a Great Tit investigating a new nest box that I’d fitted just a few days earlier.
26th Feb. We paused in Wike Lane to listen to a flock of Siskins twittering in the trees and as we looked up, we noticed a Red Kite circling overhead.
27th Feb. After an absence of many weeks, it was good to see a Greenfinch in the garden feeding on sunflower hearts. Presumably their numbers are still being reduced by the trichomonosis disease. A Peacock butterfly settled in a sunny spot in the garden.
1st Mar. A Collared Dove spent some time in the garden – the first I’ve seen here for some months. Four Greenfinches were feeding on the sunflower hearts. Later, four Siskins fed from the same feeder, but departed when a Great Spotted Woodpecker swooped onto the feeder.
4th Mar. Recent rains have caused a small pool to form in the corner of the field behind our garden and we were amused to see two Mallards take up residence there for a while. The residents of the rookery by the ford at Coughton were very active and noisy as the breeding season approaches.
5th Mar. Peter (Coughton resident) mentioned that he has seen two Little Egrets near the ford.
7th Mar. Viewing from the footbridge over the river at Coughton we spotted three or four Chiffchaffs chasing around in the trees overhanging the river. We presume these are the first of our summer visitors. A Grey Wagtail was on the riverbank.
10th Mar. My attention was attracted by much bird chattering in an oak tree in a neighbour’s garden. Looking through my telescope I saw that it was a flock of Redwings, perhaps gathering in preparation for their return north to their breeding area.
11th Mar. A male Siskin visited our sunflower heart feeder.
12th Mar. Chiffchaffs were calling by the ford.
13th Mar. The flock of Redwings was back in the neighbour’s oak tree, chattering away.
Mid-March to mid-April 2022
The past month has brought more welcome signs of spring with a few more butterflies, flowers in the verges and woodland, and bird migration.15th March. A Brimstone butterfly visited our garden. As we walked along Coughton Fields Lane beyond the ford we noticed Butterbur flower spikes showing in the verge, a Skylark was singing, and several Chiffchaffs could be heard. Patches of violets are now showing in the verges
18th March. A pair of Siskins visited our garden to feed on sunflower hearts. A Nuthatch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker also took advantage of our catering service.
22nd March. Near the ford at Coughton we paused to watch a selection of birds in the trees. We noted Long-tailed Tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a Treecreeper. In the early afternoon, as we waited in the grounds of Redditch Crematorium, we were surprised to see a bat (Pipistrelle?) hunting insects overhead.
23rd March. A Small White butterfly visited our garden.
24th March. On this fine sunny day Brimstone, Comma, Peacock, and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were seen in our garden.
29th March. Three Dunnocks were posturing and displaying in our back hedge. A party of Fieldfares and Redwings landed in trees in Wike Lane.
31st March. There was a bit of excitement at breakfast time this morning when a male Brambling made a guest appearance in the garden. Later in the day as we walked the footpath from Astwood Bank to Sambourne we watched and listened to a singing Skylark.
5th April. A flock of six or so Meadow Pipits was feeding in a field by Coughton Lodge Farm.
8th April. We spotted our first Swallow of this year, perched on a power cable in Sambourne Lane.
10th April. An Orange Tip butterfly spent some time in our garden this morning – the first I’ve seen this spring. Two pristine Brimstones visited dandelion flowers in Wike Lane. We also had a close encounter with a Buzzard that flew low over us and perched in a tree close by.
11th April. In the early afternoon we paused on the railway bridge in Coughton Lane to listen to a Nuthatch calling and were surprised to see another Pipistrelle bat hunting for insects in bright sunshine.
Mid-April to mid-May 2022
I’ve received some interesting reports from Oak Tree Lane residents this month.
Ken mentioned that a Ring Ouzel spent a few minutes in his garden. They are summer visitors to Britain’s uplands, so presumably this one was seeking a snack while on its migration journey.
He has also seen 40 or more Lesser Redpolls in the trees around his garden.
Rachel and family have been aware of several of the regular garden bird species nesting around their property. A parent Song Thrush was feeding four young, and a pair of Goldcrests are thought to be nesting in leylandii. Wrens have chosen a nest site above their back door, causing the minor inconvenience of not using that door to avoid disturbing them. Disappointingly the previously regular visiting Tawny Owls and Hedgehogs have been conspicuous by their absence from the garden.
As we’ve moved further into springtime, more of our summer birds have arrived.
On any walk along Wike Lane one is treated to almost continuous song from Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, but to date I have not heard or received any reports of Cuckoo calling.
We’ve also seen very few Swallows so far and no House Martins. I have read that poor weather in southern Europe has been a possible factor in slowing migration.
13th April. We heard our first Blackcaps singing in Wike Lane.
14th April. A Red-legged Partridge spent a few minutes on our patio wall.
24th April. Near Coughton Park farm we spotted two Lapwings and a Cormorant. In Coughton Park wood we noticed Speckled Wood butterflies enjoying the sunny spots and the usual carpet of bluebells was appearing. Ravens and Buzzards flew overhead.
27th April. A pair of Greylag Geese led a family of seven goslings on the pool at Coughton Lodge Farm.
29th April. As we walked along a footpath near Glebe Farm, we heard a Skylark singing. Nearby we noticed dog-walkers with their dogs running free.
30th April. Our walk took us along the “Monarch’s Way” between Astwood Bank and Cookhill. A Hare ran across the path near Botany Bay nursery. A little further on we stopped to look at a colourful meadow that contained many wild flowers including cowslips and vetch. I noticed a flower spike standing above the other plants, went for a closer look and found it to be a Green-winged Orchid. I have not seen one before and, although quite widespread, they are not common, so we were quite pleased with this find.
8th May. We spotted a Holly Blue butterfly on a footpath off Sambourne Lane.
10th May. We were amused to watch an altercation between a Carrion Crow and a Squirrel over fall-out from sunflower seed feeders in our garden. The battle swayed with attack and counterattack, the Crow ending up the victor when the squirrel fled up a tree. We have learned that two Tawny owlets are being raised in a box in the village.
Mid-May to mid-June 2022
We’re now edging into summer and so far, Cuckoos have eluded us in Sambourne.
Elizabeth and Steve have heard one from Sambourne Lane, Nick heard one near the ford at Coughton, Marjorie from Whitemoor Lane and Janet and Roger from Wike Lane.
We were treated to the evocative sound of Cuckoos calling when we paid a visit to RSPB’s Dinas reserve in mid-Wales a couple of weeks ago. Our trip was to see summer visitors such as Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts, Wood Warblers and Tree Pipits, and for much of the time Cuckoo calls were almost continuous.
Sambourne residents continue to be keen observers of nature.
Pete noticed a Garden Warbler in his Middletown Lane garden. He has been keeping an eye on nesting Buzzards close by, and his garden is regularly visited by a Tawny Owl.
Janet was sad to lose a nest of Mistle Thrush chicks to a predator.
Angela observed a flock of House Martins above the stream at the start of Wike Lane. Sadly, these seem to have become less common around here in recent years, so a really good sighting.
17th May. We noticed the colourful caterpillar of a Drinker Moth on the Coughton Park bridleway.
18th May. More butterflies are appearing, and we spotted a Small Copper by the footpath while heading home from Coughton.
30th May. A Brimstone Moth was active in the afternoon in the grass verge of Whitemoor Lane.
3rd June. A couple of walkers from Astwood Bank mentioned having recently seen a Weasel crossing Whitemoor Lane. They were also pleased to report having seen a Hare.
4th June. As we walked along the footpath beside Coughton Lodge Farm we heard a Yellowhammer singing from a hedgerow. We scanned through binoculars and soon saw the sulphur-yellow head of the male bird perched atop the hedge.
6th June. We noticed our first damsel fly of the year, a Beautiful Demoiselle, by a brook near Sambourne Hall Farm. Pat mentioned having recently visited Upton Warren where a number of Avocet chicks were visible.
7th June. I ran my moth trap for the first time this year. I only managed to attract one species I hadn’t seen before (a Small Magpie moth – common), but it was nice to reacquaint with the very attractive Pale Tussock and White Ermine moths. The “Seek” app on our phone has again been useful for identifying wildflowers in the hedgerows. On today’s walk we identified three species of cranesbill – meadow, split-leaved and druce’s (all common).
10th June. A number of common spotted orchids have appeared in a meadow by the Monarch’s Way footpath.
Mid-June to mid-July 2022
The past month has been the month for Red Kites. The first report was from postman Richard, who saw two fly over near the Green Dragon. A day or two later we saw one flying over Perrymill Lane, then Pete reported three over his Middletown Lane home. One flew over the recreation ground as we watched the minifest evening football competition. Most remarkable were the seven seen by Ken over his Oak Tree Lane home.
13th June. Nick heard a Cuckoo calling by Coughton Park woods – the last report this year. Many Common Spotted Orchids were in the meadow by the Monarch’s Way.
15th June. I ran my moth trap overnight and attracted a Burnished Brass, Common Footman, and Heart & Dart among others. All common species and, I hasten to add, all released back into the wild.
16th June. Chris had a 6-spot Burnet Moth visit his Middletown Lane porch.
21st June. We saw our first Marbled White butterfly by the Monarch’s Way and the first Silver-washed Fritillary in Coughton Park. A Comma visited our garden.
24th June. We were delighted to see a Hare Near Coughton Park.
26th June. As we walked the footpath behind Sambourne Hall Farm, three Swifts flew over – our first this year. Ken and Nicky (apologies if spelt incorrectly) had just seen Swifts, Swallows and House Martins by the path from Coughton. We went on to see our first Ringlet butterfly and Marbled White on this path.
1st July. As we walked along Wike Lane, a Roe Deer regarded us suspiciously from an adjacent field.
2nd July. A Great Spotted Woodpecker appeared to be feeding on ants in our lawn – an activity I normally associate with Green Woodpeckers.
We had a big thrill this evening when, at dusk, we noticed a Hedgehog traversing our back lawn. This came as quite a surprise as we thought it was inaccessible in order to keep rabbits out. It has appeared every evening since. It has taken advantage of a bowl of water and we’re thinking we’d better get some Hedgehog food. Ho hum – another mouth to feed!
3rd July. A family of Crows have now become regulars in our garden – up to two adults and two begging young. Unfortunately, the adults have learnt to perch above the sunflower seed feeders and flaps their wings, causing seeds to be shaken from the feeders. My attempts at deterring them have failed miserably.
4th July. As we sat at our breakfast table, we noticed a Kite fly over. We later saw another being mobbed by a Crow over the Monarch’s Way.
12th July. We saw yet another Kite flying above the playground in Astwood Bank.
Mid-July to mid-August 2022
I do love the summertime, but I miss the birdsong and activity of the breeding season.
Many species are far less obvious than they were last month, although it is a treat to see Swallows and House Martins swooping and wheeling in pursuit of their insect prey.
14th July. When Greenfinch numbers have been hit so hard by disease, it was good to see six of them on our sunflower feeders.
21st July. Chris had five minutes entertainment from a Stoat as it ran in circles, jumped in the air and generally gambolled around in his Middletown Lane garden.
24th July. Pete photographed an unusual butterfly in a garden centre. I managed to identify it as a Zebra Longwing – a species of south and central America. Interesting, and presumably an escapee from a butterfly house.
1st Aug. I enjoyed a bit of a nature fest today.
As I sat at the breakfast table, I noticed a Buzzard fly over and perch in a nearby tree, then a Heron flew by.
On a later walk through Coughton Park we spotted a Treecreeper and a female or juvenile Blackcap (with a brown cap!).
Over a field near Glebe Farm, we stopped to watch a flock of House Martins then noticed a flock of more than 20 Goldfinches feeding on thistle seed-heads.
There has been another Stoat sighting on land off Middletown Lane.
10th Aug. Pete spotted another Red Kite passing over his Middletown Lane home.
12th Aug. Peter (from Coughton) told us that he has seen a pair of Kingfishers several times on the Arrow at or near the ford at Coughton. He also mentioned having been watching fish in the river from the bridge over the Avon in Bidford. He noticed one with unusual markings on its back which someone with knowledge of such things identified for him as a Jack Pike. I read that this is not a separate species, but a smaller example of a Pike.
13th Aug. It’s a sad reflection on this summer, but I was really thrilled to see a flock of five or six Swallows hunting above our house, with the pleasing sound of their constant twittering.
Mid-August to mid-September 2022
Red Kites continue to keep up a presence around the village. Christine informed us that she and Roger had watched from their Wike Lane home four birds circling leisurely over the adjacent field. David and Christine saw one flying over Sambourne Lane.
22nd Aug. A Cormorant and a Heron were perched in the same tree overlooking the lake in Coughton Lodge Farm.
25th Aug. While signs of autumn have appeared with ripening fruit in the hedgerows, a lone Chiffchaff was still calling in Coughton Park woods.
26th Aug. This month’s highlight was an extended view of a Wheatear as it perched on a fence beside the Monarch’s Way, presumably on its migration from moorland here for the summer and south to Africa.
27th Aug. I ran my moth trap overnight then returned indoors after inspecting the “catch.” A buzzing sound seemed to accompany me around the house. Eventually I noticed that I had a Hornet clinging to the front of my shirt. I know they are far less aggressive than wasps, but up close they look quite intimidating, so I made quick exit to send it on its way.
1st Sept. We always thought Wrens were sweet-natured little birds so were surprised to see two having a real set-to on our patio.
5th Sept. We identified two Whitethroats flitting around some bushes by the Monarch’s Way.
We’ve normally seen Whitethroats in the spring when their singing and aerial displays have attracted our attention.
4th Sept. We saw perhaps our final Swallow of the summer flying over a harvested Glebe Farm field.
6th Sept. We had prolonged views of a Nuthatch on our patio wall. Having fed on sunflower seeds, it explored the nooks and crannies in the wall, took a drink, then sat on the wall for more than ten minutes. This gave me time to fetch a camera and take some photographs.
8th Sept. The transition into autumn has been emphasised by the number of fungi now appearing. We spotted a group of greenish fungi growing near the Parsonage, but I could do no better than identify as of the boletus family. Pete sent me a photograph of one in his Middletown Lane lawn, but my sketchy knowledge of fungi failed to identify it.
10th Sept. We watched a number of warblers, we think we could identify Chiffchaffs and a Garden Warbler, chasing insects over the river at Coughton ford.
Mid-September to mid-October 2022
We have just experienced our first frost of the autumn to remind us that winter is on its way, but over the past month we have still been able to enjoy walks in warm sunshine and have glimpsed some of the lingering summer migrants.
14th Sept. Postman Richard mentioned having see a couple of dozen Swallows perched on a power line in Sambourne Lane. We noticed a flock of fifty or more Goldfinches
in a paddock off Sambourne Lane.
It stopped to inspect a small gap in our neighbour’s hedge, then entered the garden for a look around. It browsed there for a few minutes then returned in the field and trotted off. As we walked along the canal towpath near Hanbury Hall we were surprised to hear a Chiffchaff making its onomatopoeic call.
21st Sept. As we walked along Wike Lane, an unusual bird call attracted our attention. We stopped to investigate and caught sight of a Peregrine flying away from a pylon. It reminded us that Clive once filmed a Peregrine devouring a pigeon in his garden by the village green.
28th Sept. Thinking that they had all set off for Africa, we were pleased to see a few Swallows hunting insects over the canal at Dunhampstead.
29th Sept. A Green Woodpecker spent a few minutes perched on our neighbour’s pergola. Peter from Coughton told us that he had watched a Heron and a Little Egret apparently comfortable with each other’s company while feeding in the river Arrow near the ford at Coughton.
4th Oct. As we walked along a footpath near Glebe Farm, we saw three Yellowhammers in the hedgerow and a Red Kite flew overhead. In the next field we watched three Skylarks performing song flights.
5th Oct. As we drove to and from Hillers farm shop, we had two sightings of Kestrels hovering by the roadside.
8th Oct. A Green Woodpecker and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers visited our garden. A Peacock butterfly basked in sunshine. On our afternoon walk we saw a couple of Skylarks, and a Peregrine was circling overhead as we walked the bridleway through the woods.
10th Oct. Near Glebe Farm we stopped to watch three Wrens in the hedgerow. One was singing loudly and it was interesting to watch its whole body vibrating as it delivered the churring call.
12th Oct. Lawyer’s Wig fungi have appeared in our gravel drive.
Mid-October to mid-November 2022
Autumn has been delivering its usual splendour as the leaves change colour, with Coughton Park woods as picturesque as anywhere. It also seems to have been a good year for fungi. We came across some fine specimens of Parasol Mushrooms on a walk around the Croft Castle estate.
15th Oct. A flock of 20+ Linnets flew up from feeding in a Glebe Farm field. Later in our walk through the woods we encountered three Fallow Deer comprising a stag with an impressive set of antlers, a doe, and a youngster.
16th Oct. We saw a Goldcrest for the first time in a while, feeding with a small flock of tits in the woods.
22nd Oct. Tracy and Paul mentioned having heard squealing and witnessed a Stoat tackling a young rabbit near Sambourne Hall Farm. They have also seen an almost white deer in a field by the woods.
23rd Oct. As we walked in the grounds of Coughton Court we spotted a Kingfisher perched on a branch overhanging a pool.
26th Oct. During a visit to see friends in Yorkshire, we were shown around the RSPB St Aidan’s reserve near Leeds. This 400-hectare nature park was formerly an opencast coal-mining area that was flooded in 1988. The first bird we saw was a Little Owl, perched on some mining equipment. We went on to see six more species of raptor comprising a Kestrel, a Red Kite, a Buzzard, a Peregrine, an Osprey, and a Marsh Harrier. Perhaps most exciting, as we have seen them so rarely, was the sight of two Bitterns. Many ducks including Pintail and Shoveler were on the lakes, Cetti’s Warblers were often heard, and a pair of Stonechats gave us fine views. We saw or heard more than fifty bird species during our visit.
27th Oct. Pete noticed what he subsequently identified as a False Widow Spider in his Middletown Lane greenhouse. From his photograph, a quick look at the internet suggested to me that it was one of the False Widows called a Rabbit Hutch Spider. I gather that while they are able to deliver a nip, they are non-poisonous.
5th Nov. Chris emailed to say that he had heard a Tawny Owl from his Middletown Lane home. By coincidence, that same evening we heard loud and prolonged Tawny Owl calling from our neighbour’s garden.
6th Nov. Chris spotted two Muntjacs crossing Middletown Lane about five metres ahead of his car. We once had one come right up to my open car window in Wike Lane. They can be quite bold!
9th Nov. A local photographer told us that he had just spotted five Fallow Deer in the woodland, and had previously seen a herd of up to twenty.
Mid-November to early December 2022
As I sit down to put these notes together there is the first real taste of winter with a hard frost outside. The birds are keeping me busy topping up the seed feeders and providing fresh water, although I fear that will soon freeze over again.
12th Nov. In a spell of fine weather Chris spotted a Red Admiral in his Middletown Lane garden. I read that although they do hibernate, they rarely survive the winter to emerge next spring.
17th Nov. As we walked along Wike Lane an unfamiliar bird call attracted our attention. We identified four Mistle Thrushes moving around in the trees. We met Angela walking Freddie along Wike Lane. She had noticed ten Fallow Deer, including a stag in the woods.
19th Nov. The call of a Tawny Owl was audible from our garden at 6pm.
20th Nov. We have now seen our first winter thrushes – many Redwings were active in the field behind us.
25th Nov. Redwings and Fieldfares were feeding in the field beside the Booking Office in Sambourne Lane, Coughton.
30th Nov. We paid a brief visit to the Upton Warren nature reserve. We spotted good numbers of Lapwings, ducks including Teal, Gadwall and Shoveler, Grey Wagtails, a flock of Linnets and a Meadow Pipit.
3rd Dec. There was something of a feeding frenzy around the bird feeders in our garden. Four Long-tailed Tits and three Blue Tits crammed themselves into a peanut feeder, resulting in tails sticking out in all directions. Then six Long-Tailed Tits squeezed themselves into the cage holding a fat block with a similar result.
5th Dec. A Redwing was flying from tree to tree in Perrymill Lane.
6th Dec. Pete reported having seen a Red Kite flying over the Green Dragon this afternoon.
8th Dec. The first really hard frost of the winter filled our garden with birds this morning. My attention was attracted by a Fieldfare that spent a few moments on the lawn before flying to a pyracantha where it tucked into the bright orange berries. The sunflower seeds, peanuts and fat-block attracted many Goldfinches, a Greenfinch, Great and Blue Tits, a Pied Wagtail, Blackbirds, Robins, six Chaffinches and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers. I’ll be refilling the feeders tomorrow morning.
It seems early to mention it, but don’t forget the RSPB “Big Garden Birdwatch, on 27th-29th January.
Early December 2022 to mid-January 2023
The substantial rainfall over the past few weeks has turned footpaths and the woodland bridleway into a quagmire, so this month’s observations have largely been from the roads or garden. This doesn’t mean that there has been nothing to attract our attention.
12th Dec. It was pleasing to note that we still have regular visits to the garden by Greenfinches. On this frosty morning four fed on sunflower hearts.
14th Dec. We did manage a walk through the woods and came across ten Fallow Deer. There were five does, three mature stags with fine antlers and three with just antler buds.
18th Dec. A Redwing feasted on pyracantha berries in our garden. A Song Thrush visited the garden briefly.
20th Dec. We had a surprise encounter with a Little Egret that was feeding beside the brook that passes under Wike Lane at the entrance to the village. We stood just a few metres away and watched for several minutes.
21st Dec. Definitely the most noteworthy item this month was witnessed by Pete in his Middletown Lane garden. A chicken carcass that he threw out for corvids to scavenge received a visit from a Red Kite. The Kite returned a little later in the day. Kites are thought to have been scavengers in the streets of London up to the 18th century, but as far as I know this is a first for Sambourne.
23rd Dec. At 9 am the garden was so full of birds in a feeding frenzy I wouldn’t have been able to count them had it been the RSPB Big Birdwatch day [27-29 January 2023].
26th Dec. Near neighbours Pat and John mentioned that they had excellent views of a Snipe in their garden shortly before Christmas. They commented on the beautiful markings in the plumage. The other main feature of course is the extraordinarily long bill used for probing for their invertebrate prey.
2nd Jan. I know we’re in mid-winter, but it’s good to see catkins fattening in the hedgerows, snowdrops blooming in Pat and John’s garden and a first anemone flower in ours.
5th Jan. A Sparrowhawk flew though our garden, pausing briefly on the back hedge before being chased off by two crows. Pete mentioned having witnessed similar harassment. Later, we spotted three Roe Deer grazing in a field off Wike Lane.
8th Jan. Pete was fortunate to have a male Bullfinch visit his Middletown Lane garden. The pink/red breast contrasting with grey, black, and white is something to behold!
9th Jan. A lady resident of Middletown Lane pointed out a single daffodil fully in flower in a Wike Lane verge. We later spotted a Treecreeper and two Goldcrests in trees nearby.