Ken, I'll see you, and raise you one, as I believe the poker players say
.
Two for the year in the space of 90 minutes this chilly morning, Storm Frederico blasted through here overnight, leaving new snow down to about 1300m and cold air behind him. This is the sort of event that brought me the Pine Bunting almost exactly four years ago, so I was scrutinising all the Yellowhammers extra carefully earlier. The tits and finches emptied the feeders in more of a hurry than usual so I ventured out in the sleet to top them up. With both hands occupied with sunflower container and feeder what do I hear on the wind? "Chaaar", no, can't be - "chaar" - "zut alors" (insert stronger expletive here
)
Yesss, a garden life mega,
number 114, floppy flapping high overhead heading towards the cloud covered mountain up the valley with two Alpine Chough following 100m behind. The AC did a prompt u-turn, heading back down and a couple of minutes later so did the Red-billed, calling once again. Then c30 Crossbill zipped past, the biggest flock this year for me. It's all happening I thought, so I got the camera and 'scope out and had my coffee outside. Half an hour later the Chough announced its presence once again and kindly did a lower fly past and tight turn directly overhead before bravely going back up towards the snow and cloud, the light was not helpful but you get the picture I hope!
To really spoil me, the dung heap I regularly scope in winter finally came good when the Grey Wagtail finally paid it a visit, this is a regular occurrence in the cold season, though I suspect it's more the high level of the streams after the recent deluges that's causing it to wander away from the water to feed at the moment.
87 Red-billed Chough
88 Grey Wagtail
