The colder spell continued as forecast and an outing to the orchards seemed in order. The sheep had been moved into a secure pen so we and Gavin began putting up nets . The apples looked all the worse for the recent frosts but the ground was really hard and likely to remain so until well into late morning, meaning that feeding in the adjacent paddocks would be difficult.. As we continued with four configurations of 2 or 3 nets each, the fieldfares became vocal in the surrounding tall trees. All of the orchard nets were set before 8am and we left the rows of Spartan, Russet, Coxes and Red Pippins with the scent of fermenting fruit in our nostrils. Two singles were also put up along the access road.
The morning seemed promising with large numbers of birds loafing around the orchard and they did eventually build up the confidence to drop into the orchard to feed, but a Sparrowhawk flushed the birds out and they did not return in the same numbers. A buzzard was seen over.
Fieldfares - but out of reach
Chaffinch - adult male
Fieldfare - adult male
Redwing - aged 5
Totals:
Green Woodpecker - 0 (1)
Robin - 1(1)
Dunnock - 1
Fieldfare - 3
Redwing - 1
Blue Tit - 1(1)
Gret Tit - 1
Chaffinch - 6
Goldfinch - 4
