Wednesday 31st December

Well last day of 2008 and wishing I'd kept a year list like Warren in Pittswood (http://pittswoodpatch.blogspot.com/) what a day he had yesterday (and year)! Again I was at home with the kids (in Barming) having spent a few days away in Wiltshire and West Midlands with no opportunity to go out birding except when on the motorway (Red Kite, Raven and Buzzards off M4 near Newbury, and numerous Red Kites on return trip down M40).

The Hawfinch made a couple of flypasts at 08:25 and 11:30, it's heavy silhouette undulating across the garden heading north-east and east respectively, it's massived bill and white underwing markings clearly seen on both occasions. A walk to St Margaret's churchyard, East Barming turned up a couple of Goldcrests (suprisingly not that common here despite it being an ideal habitat for them), 30+ Goldfinches, 20+ Greenfinches and a lone Siskin in the trees on the southern edge of the churchyard. I watched the finches coming into roost but no further sign of the Hawfinch. On the walk back along Church Lane 7x Meadow Pipits dropped onto the wires and a high count of 21x Yellowhammers flew out of tyhe bushes near the playing field entrance into the fallow field bordering the A26.

What will 2009 bring?! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!