Ruff and Tumble.......

I had a very unexpected garden visitor this morning in the shape of a tristis type Chiffchaff, which I spotted whilst on the way to the car. I took Rex for a walk along the River Coly before the post Christmas dinner rush began.It was still pretty busy though!(the pre-Christmas dinner rush no doubt). The floods a week last Saturday had taken their toll on the quality Environment Agency bank stabilization. I only took some photos a couple of weeks ago, if you remember them.Today it was much worse:

There were hundreds of Redwings and Fieldfares in the trees and a nice highlight was a feeding flock of around 40 Siskins in the riverside alders, the first I've seen here this winter.

On the way to Colyton I bumped into Gav at Colyton WWTW and he mentioned that he'd seen a Black Redstart at the AYC earlier in the morning, I hadn't seen it yet but when I got home I soon found it on next door's front garden. It was visible on their roof on and off all day.

Yet another Black Redstart

Here's a typical view of a Black Redstart from my kitchen window.

I stopped by at Bridge Marsh and saw the Brent Goose and also the Ruff which Gav had found this morning. There were also (well I counted) 52 Black-tailed Godwits here.

Bad points of the day were, breaking a tooth (dentists not open 'til New Year either I suspect) and falling down the stairs!! I'm OK, just a little bruised. I was carrying the cat at the time, he's non too pleased either!!