2nd February 2011 - Fermyn Woods

This morning I decided to pop over to Fermyn Woods. A local patch that's famous for it's Purple Emperor and White Admiral butterflies in the summer, but is also a superb site during the winter months. It has held Hawfinch in the past but these haven't arrived over the last couple of years. After leaving the car the first bird I saw was a Red Kite soaring low overhead, then on entering the park lots of Great, Blue, and Long Tailed Tits were around the car park, with Marsh Tit and Chaffinch on the feeders. A trip round into the woods got another Red Kite, loads of Fieldfare and a large flock of Redwing overhead. Into the deciduous section of the wood saw a large flock of Long Tailed Tits being closely followed by Blues and Greats with the odd Coal Tit and Goldcrest thrown in. A Nuthatch could be heard but frustratingly I couldn't get a view of it even though it was very mobile. A Jay flew off the ground infront of me and perched nicely in a tree giving fantastic views before realising how conspicuous it was and shooting off. Such a beautiful bird and yet so rarely seen well. Into the coniferous section brought up more of the same, with lots of various Tits and Finches. More Red Kites soaring overhead, one wing tagged individual made a fantastic sight as it flew down low paying as much attention to what I was doing as I was to it. Back towards the park got around 8 Bullfinch with some cracking male birds. They seemed oblivious to me being there as they sat right out in the open until one called next to me and they all shot off into the bushes. Back into the deciduous section and an even larger Tit flock was discovered. long Tailed Tits as always leading the way with Blue, Great and Coal Tits all following. 2 Treecreepers showed well on the trees next to the path and then the call of another (or possible the same) Nuthatch was heard, and this time I managed to locate it flying from tree to tree. In the park itself I decided to take a short rest on the benches next to the pond dipping pond, and a quick scan found 10 Siskin standing on what looked like an old fence post floating in the water as they all took a drink from the water below. Cracking views but unfortunately as I was birding the woodland I didn't have my scope with me so I couldn't digiscope a clip. Never mind, another Red Kite on the way back to the car rounded the trip off nicely.; Nothing rare just lots of good birds and in good numbers too.