Brambling - day two

 Although it's nowhere as intense as that first, 2020, "lockdown" scenario, my garden listing has certainly become quite a feature of my everyday routine. The one thing which has impacted upon this activity is the camera kit that I now own. Image quality is completely off the scale when compared to my results with the Sigma 170-500 mm lens on a Canon EOS 400D. I was up before 06.45 hrs and, after the regulation coffee, took a wander around Newlands Farm in the search of Ring Ouzel or Wheatear. I failed dismally, the best I could do was a single male Blackcap, a Linnet and a couple of Skylarks! I'd topped up the garden feeders before I left and, on my return, was rewarded with a pair of Goldfinches on the sunflower hearts. This being quite a result, in 2024, just the second garden sighting of this species.

The second coffee of the morning was sitting beside my laptop, as I looked out of my study window towards the feeders. House Sparrow numbers are very buoyant, probably peaking around fifty individuals, whilst Chaffinches are also very numerous. It was whilst I was watching a group of five females that I became aware of the female Brambling in the same Buddleia bush (tree?) Pretty sure that it is the same individual as was present yesterday, I spent quite a while attempting to grab some better images of this bird in much improved light conditions.

Nothing much else occured during my time watching the feeding station. A pair of Greenfinches dropped in, but couldn't get onto the feeders due to a raucous gang of twelve Rose-ringed Parakeets dominating the scene. If anyone has ideas to prevent these, colourful, birds from using the feeders I would love to hear from you. Yes I know they are an alien species with no legal protection yet, my air rifle isn't an option in this situation. 

An absolutely beautiful little bird and most welcome at the feeding station