Ogden Res'r

An interesting afternoon - again looking in and around the Firecrest spot along the edge of the reservoir on the western side. No Firecrest unfortunately (though I keep trying!!) but lots of Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits. Also around 1 Gt-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Treecreeper, a Wren, 2 Robins and 15+ Goldcrests and an amazing group of 8 Bullfinch together feeding in the tops of Silver Birch and later on rowan berries.
c40 Fieldfare also flew over the plantation >NE
c80 Common Gulls unusually outnumbered B H Gulls (c60) on the res'r

On the res'r
4 Wigeon
1 Little Grebe
c50 Mallard
2 f Goosander arrived from Soil Hill direction thanks to a call from NK and DP up on 'the hill' in the fog - worthwhile for them with a Jack Snipe on the top though.

In Ogden woodland I surprised a female Sparrowhawk on a kill - a Woodpigeon - headless and breast being eaten. It shot off, the prey was still warm, but it returned to the kill once I had moved away. it still amazes me that a Sparrowhawk takes birds as large as a Woodpigeon but guess they make a good meal!!!