Winter Gloucestershire

11 Dec - An early walk at Shorncote on a fine morning, productive as usual. Great White and Little Egrets seen, Water Rails calling, Curlew over and no less than 4 Green Sandpipers in flight/calling. A female Stonechat feeding along the hedge line, 2 Grey Wagtails on the stream, 6 Cettis’s Warblers singing, 9 Siskins flying over, Goldfinches a good Shorncote record. Kingfisher in flight and no less than 9 Roe Deer in the reeds. Cirencester Park this autumn has very good numbers of Bramblings and once more a drive through the minor roads was punctuated by birds flying up from the beech mast where they are feeding. Despite their bright colors they are amazingly camouflaged when on the ground, but their white rumps are conspicuous amongst the Chaffinches when in flight.