First autumn REDWING and other thrushes on Ivinghoe Hills this morning

A bash around the hills from 0900 to 1015 when I was too wet to stay any longer !!

Steps Hill had an obvious influx of thrushes, with at least 6 Song Thrush, 15 + Blackbird ( some looked continental ) and rather surprisingly a single REDWING. These were all showing well in a dry weather window at 9am, but after returning there an hour later with heavy rain set in they were much less active, although still present. They are favouring hawthorn scrub, but more pertinently two large berry laden trees about 300 metres North of the car park, on the right of the path as you walk the main path towards the S bend. This is probably my earliest ever Redwing on the hills.

Little else of note though, the rain was pretty torrrential at one point, but a flock of c60 Swallows went South.

A quick look at Startop's End Reservoir ( Herts ) produced the 2 Red-crested Pochard still, but no waders or anything else of note.

Back home 9 Blacxkbirds have just invaded the cherry tree, dont usually have any! (Mike Wallen Birding)