Highlights- Hobby, Mandarins and Siskins

Throughout the summer, we have been having regular (daily) visits from at least 3 SISKIN, a pair f which has obviously bred in nearby pines to the garden for the 2nd year running, and a juvenile has been visiting regularly too in the latter part of the 'summer'.
The numbers have gradually increased, and we are often getting 7 around the garden, including this ringed female (Possibly the bird that was regular in the winter?)

At Earlwood we have done little birding, although i did have a family flock of NUTHATCH in the garden, showing well on the willow.

Patch birding has been rather scarce though, as rain has introuded on many 'to be' patch days. However, i got out on the 6/07/12

Straight from the onset, i was glad i had chosen to wear my waterproofs, The first track i walk along at blackstone was completly flooded out, and i had to wade through ancle deep water for much of the track.

Looking down.

The track while standing about halfway along the flood.

The birdlife, was rather quiet, apart from two standout birds. I again came across the female MANDARIN DUCK with chick, but i was immensly suprised when i saw her with 2 chicks! Regular readers will know, 2 weeks earlier she certainly only had one chick, so where did this 2nd bird come from?

(One of the chicks with the adult)

But highlight must go to yet another patch sighting of a HOBBY, which chased a Swallow (Unsuccesfully) for abit across the riverside fields, before flying in the direction of Burlish.