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Brambling? (1 Viewer)

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Birksy

Member
I wonder if anyone can help? I (like many others I suspect) have a list of birds I want to see, some of these are rare and elusive, some I have already seen and want to see again, while one or two are just frustrating!
For me, Bramblings fall into the last category. I have had them fly over my head calling, but never sitting in front of me or visiting a nearby feeder. This is supposed to be a relatively common bird!
I live in South East London, and pay regular visits to Kent and other nearby counties.
Can anyone suggest somewhere in the vicinity that I have just described that I can get a good look at one of these?

Cheers!
 
Birksy said:
I wonder if anyone can help? I (like many others I suspect) have a list of birds I want to see, some of these are rare and elusive, some I have already seen and want to see again, while one or two are just frustrating!
For me, Bramblings fall into the last category. I have had them fly over my head calling, but never sitting in front of me or visiting a nearby feeder. This is supposed to be a relatively common bird!
I live in South East London, and pay regular visits to Kent and other nearby counties.
Can anyone suggest somewhere in the vicinity that I have just described that I can get a good look at one of these?

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Hi, I have seen a few on the feeder tables at Bough Beech NR near Sevenoaks.

Hope this helps
Chris
 
If you can get down to Hampshire then Blashford lakes(hampshire wildlife trust)has plenty of Bramblings coming to a feeding station,with a supporting cast of Redpoll siskin,goldfinch greenfinch chaffinch & sometimes bullfinch.

Steve.
 
Thanks for the pointers, Bough Beech is a good call.

I was in the New Forest last weekend, but I didn't go to Blashford lakes, and I wish I had! It wasn't a wasted trip though, Lapland Buntings and a big female Goshawk cruising over Denny Wood....
 
They tend to be quite mobile and often move through an area. The best thing is, during the winter, just look at every chaffinch flock you see. They're easily overlooked, but if you get into the habit of chaffinch-checking, you'll see them sure enough.
 
Hi Birksy,

A warm welcome to BirdForum from all the Moderators and Admin. Glad to have you on board :t:

I'd second the idea of Bough Beech.
 
stevo said:
If you can get down to Hampshire then Blashford lakes(hampshire wildlife trust)has plenty of Bramblings coming to a feeding station,with a supporting cast of Redpoll siskin,goldfinch greenfinch chaffinch & sometimes bullfinch.

Steve.
Click to expand...

Not to mention Bitterns, Great White Egret and Bewick's Swans.....

John
 
Thanks for the suggestions etc. I tried Bough Beech, but no bramblings! The feeders were packed with birds but not the ones I wanted. I asked someone there and they said they hadn't seen any for quite a while.

Anyway, my mission has now been accomplished. I paid a visit to Sheppy today, had great views of a purple sandpiper, hen harrier, and finally...a brambling! It was amonsgt a flock of chaffinches and reed buntings near Muswell Manor (by Swale NNR).
 
Well done! I saw 2 bramblings in Norfolk just zipping across the road infront of our car... not a great view but still a tick!
 
I'm going over to Blashford tomorrow, the Great White Egret is still around, according to their blog and there was a Great Grey Shrike there today which I hope is still there tomorrow because, despite no lack of looking on my part over the years, I have never seen a shrike of any species. There was also a Caspian Gull there today.

I hope all these goodies are still there tomorrow...! I'm also hoping for Bittern because I've never seen one of those either.
 
Apodemus said:
They tend to be quite mobile and often move through an area. The best thing is, during the winter, just look at every chaffinch flock you see. They're easily overlooked, but if you get into the habit of chaffinch-checking, you'll see them sure enough.
Click to expand...

You'd think so but the ones in this area (particularly my garden) have been here for several weeks.

Well done on finding your target bird Birksy.
 
I'm pleased you caught up with yours Birksy, there's nothing worse than having a target bird and totally failing to connect with it.
There were quite a few Bramblings at Blashford Lakes on Tuesday and I managed to get some good shots of them around the feeders.
 
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