An addition - it looks as though we had two life ticks today (not one). I've been hoping for a Mistle Thrush and my wish came true. I got a shot of two Thrushes at Menabilly that were different so I put one on Birdforum this evening and thanks to the guys on there I am happy to tick it!!!

I managed to get out for a couple of hours with Trevor today. I was feeling a little sad at not having seen the Goldcrest or Firecrest in the garden for 2 days, and wondering if the cold weather had taken them from us and my mood wasn’t helped by the sight of a dead Robin below a tree just after we arrived at Par Beach Pool. It had not been dead long and there were no signs of injuries. In fact it looked in good health really and as I checked it over part of me wondered, if I picked it up and kept it warm maybe it would come back to life, but it was obviously gone. The worst part of it was that there was another Robin perched low in the tree on a branch just above the dead Robin. I had heard it’s alarm call as we had approached (maybe, trying to tell the dead bird there was danger heading their way), but now it was, sort of singing. It wasn’t singing that territorial confident way though; it was that quiet mournful twitter that they sometimes do and it just made me feel so sad. Trevor went to get some food from the car and placed it in front of the Robin in the tree. I would have moved the dead bird normally, but as this other Robin was there I felt it best not to interfere. I just hope he/she realized time was ticking on and it would be better for it to be feeding up all day so that it didn’t end up going the same way.

We also went to Menabilly, which was busy with hundreds of finches, Lapwing, Redwing, Fieldfare and birds of prey. I saw a Buzzard on a telegraph pole and got a shot on the camera, but it was doing a poo in the shot, so I decided not to use it! Maybe I shall put it up later on. Also saw a Kestrel, which caused a commotion in the trees, and then as I was standing on the car park/field watching all the flocks of finches (mainly Chaffinch) I heard a commotion of birds and turned around to see a Sparrowhawk crash into the top of a bush and swipe a small bird, as all the other birds fled in every direction. It all happened so quickly and it was gone with it’s prey in a flash. This part of nature I can deal with (although it’s not nice).

After we returned home quite early I couldn’t settle so I begged Trevor to take me to Porthpean. By the time we got there it was getting late and starting to snow quite heavily, but I managed to end the day on a higher note. We saw more Lapwing feeding among the Redwing on the grass and also had a life tick (Black-Throated Diver) – I just hope I ID’d it correctly!

The day list was 44.


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