Foot It - Sunday incursion

 

86 species - 45 miles - 94k steps

I wasn’t going to Foot It today, I thought about maybe doing some chores, working or trying to maintain a Foot It - life balance. Then I saw the long weather forecast and couldn’t ignore the blue sky. However, bitterly cold. By midday I was out the door…

As a barrier to the cold I trialled wearing a pair of joggers underneath my trousers, with no pants. It was certainly warm - but absent pants the resulting chaffing is pretty bad. Why do these things happen to me?

The target was Timworth Church, some 4 miles as the Raven flies from my house. There is a stream, wet woodland and some set aside and game cover which can be good:

Timworth Church 

Whilst I couldn’t locate the hoped for Stonechat, I did add Snipe and a particularly pleasing drake Brambling. I was worried Snipe were all frozen out, so this one on the stream was ideal. Brambling are also really thin on the ground. I heard before seeing the Brambling - so when a black-faced male came into view - the hype was very real!

Redwing are absolutely abundant at the moment, literally everywhere apart from my garden apparently. I’ve only seen singles of Fieldfare this year till today, when a 20+ strong flock was chacking about near the church. I even papped one with my phone - mental the quality of phone cameras these days:

Fieldfare - Timworth Church

The only other addition to the list today was Great Black-backed Gull. There has been an adult hanging around Hall Farm for over a year, so it could be that bird - or a different one. Who knows?

Great Black-backed Gull - Hall Farm, November 26th 2024

Great Black-backed Gull - Hall Farm, November 26th 2024

Tomorrow, I have actual meetings and have to work. Which is distressing. The only chance of a Foot It tick would be if I see something on my lunchtime run with Mira. We did find a Black Redstart on a lunch run back on 04th December. I’ve also had Waxwings up on the same airfield - I’ll be sure to walk out to the start - just in case…