I was still off work yesterday with the virus slow to release its grip. However it did allow me to indulge in a bit of window birding and add 3 more species to the patchwork list. First was a single Redwing in the top of an alder, my first for the year. Next a Goldcrest, trapped inside the netting protecting my purple sprouting broccoli plants from the ravages of the local vast population of woodpigeons. This was quickly rescued, a tiny bird in a human hand, and safely released. Finally a flock of about 50 Golden Plovers appeared out on the marshes.
Other winter birds were a flock of 15 Fieldfares, handsome as ever, and the flock of Pink-footed Geese also remained. Raptor wise, there was a total of 3 Buzzards on various gate and telegraph posts, 2+ Marsh Harriers and a Barn Owl.
The snow finally arrived in the evening but we escaped the worst and woke to only a light covering. Back at work in Gorleston there was no snow at all despite the rest of the county being badly hit especially this afternoon. Several small flocks of Fieldfare were evident today and a single Song Thrush, now a rarity in the garden, put in an appearance under the bird feeders, another patchwork tick. If only it were the weekend. Birds may be being pushed to the coast by the weather so there could be some patchwork ticks out there for me and a Winter Thrushes survey could produce more than just a few blackbirds. Fingers crossed.
My patchwork challenge list is now on 71 species and 82 points.
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