Tuesday 19th January

Thick mist hung over Barming this morning, no sign of the Redpolls in the South Street Silver Birch, they've not been seen since the cold snap subsided. Four Bullfinches lit up the hedgrow by the Water Tower just off North Street, but my attention was drawn to a raptor flying high, north over Gallagher's Gallop. Initially I put it down to a high flying Sparrowhawk which I often see in the area, but this certainly looked bigger and seemed to have a longer, narrower wing. The wingbeats were continous, no flap-flap-glides. To my eyes it looked like a Harrier which would be a patch tick, but it contnued north, and away from me....another one that got away!

Only a very quick visit to Ditton Quarry today, but managed to locate a handsome male Lesser Redpoll. Masses of Chaffinches drinking and feeding near the Kiln Barn Road entrance to the research station, but despite my best efforts I couldn't turn one of them into a Brambling. A couple of Green Woodpeckers and 150+ Fieldfares on the orchard next the entrance track. A few Redwings were also seen but their numbers have dropped dramatically since the thaw.