Finding Finches

1300 hours and the rain has set in for the rest of the day, so I might as well blog for a while; it’s just as well that I got out this morning, paid a few visits, and got a picture or two.

Thursday morning is my trip to the shops, and the compulsory detour along the Esplanade where come autumn, even boring old Knott End may have a few tricks up its sleeve. There had been sightings of Twite back in town, so with a bag of Black Magic, nyjer seed, I checked out last year’s spots at the slipway and below the walkway where I emptied bags of the feed. Someone had beaten me to it, I think I know who, but what the heck it worked already with 4 Twite in attendance, plus a Rock Pipit and a Pied Wagtail. We’ll see what happens this year compared to last when 3 months of ice and cold kept the Twite coming back for more and almost certainly helped them survive the hard winter.

Twite
Rock Pipit

I decided to give Pilling a miss this morning, but instead pay a visit to Farmer John, and check on his finch flock at Cockersands. One of these days there may be a ringing session there if ever the wind drops to something equal to or less than 5mph because on anything more the mist nets would be exposed. Ringers, they are so demanding.

PW and JB saw a lone Brambling with the Greenfinch yesterday. I saw the Brambling today and even managed to take a picture of it amongst the 100+ Greenfinch, 8 Linnet, 10 Chaffinch and 2 Reed Bunting. The Greenfinch proved difficult to photograph as they work on the principle of “one flies, we all fly” and they also favour flying up to the overhead wires when cars pass by.

Greenfinch
Greenfinch
Brambling
Greenfinch
Chaffinch
Chaffinch

I dodged round to Conder Green where I hoped I might get a few more photographs; but things have gone very quiet and all I could muster were 6 Little Grebe, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Wigeon, 1 Little Egret, 4 Snipe and several Redshank. I really shouldn’t forget the 80+ Teal which if disturbed by passers-by always put on a fabulous flying display. Remember the plaster flying ducks that grannie had over the mantelpiece; you know, the ones the family threw in the rubbish skip when the old dear passed away?

Teal
On the way back home I passed the entrance to Lane Ends, and I heard the Chiffchaff in full song; I resisted the temptation for a quick look but decided to save it for another Pilling day.