We woke this morning to a chilly blue sky and a howling north-easterly gale. temperatures well below freezing overnight and up to 4-5 C in the daytime. Luckily our feeders are somewhat sheltered and were not blown away like it can happen sometimes.
G had topped the feeders just before lunch and I went to check them in the early afternoon, as an excuse to get out. They were already half empty as Siskin numbers have gone up again, around 30-40. I filled them and then sat with my binoculars in the car (for warmth) for an hour or so. I tried the
5 minute challenge a few times, but never managed to get more than 6 species at a time, although I got 11 altogether:
Siskin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Marsh Tit, Greenfinch, a very welcome
Hawfinch,
Blackbird, Collared Dove, Magpie and
Hooded Crow. Definitely better than I expected!