Siskins and a Buzzard
4th December 2007, TuesdayToday’s walk from Rye, under gloomy overcast skies, went through Gibbet’s Marsh (between Udimore Road and the railway), along the Cadborough cycle track, up the permissive path to Watlands, and back via Calves Field Wood along the S side of the Tillingham valley. The first surprise was about 15 Siskins feeding in an alder by the railway track at Gibbet’s Marsh, our first since the start of the winter Atlas. A similar first was a Treecreeper at the N end of the copse NE of Great Fagg Farm. A Buzzard flew out of a tree just before Calves Field Wood (only a mile from Rye), while also logged were 2 pairs of Stock Doves and 3 pairs of Stonechats. Flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings were popping out of the hedgerows all over the place - they seem to be increasing all the time.