Of Birds & Cake the Blog of Paul: Guess what? Another local walk!!

Once again Margie and I got kitted up and headed out to the wilds of Hurstpierpoint, a grey, cold day, but undaunted we set off, deciding this time to head up Bullfinch Lane cut across the fields, flirt with the foothills of Wolstonbury, before heading home across the Danny Fields, another 5 and a half miles under our belts, making it 17 miles in the last 3 days which ain't bad, although maybe not enough in the face of yesterday's home made Organic Chocolate melt in the middle pudding!!

Evans in Winter Plumage (action shot by Margie)

Very quite start, we walked up behind the allotments got another angle for me Church shot (Hurrah), a Robin posed well at the top of Bullfinch lane, to be honest I'm a bit fed up with Robin shots (I know, you probably are as well!!) but this one nearly sat on the lens so felt obliged 😊!! Quiet down Bullfinch Lane as well, Margie made me take a pic of a Squirrel, no sign of Paul the bald thrush on the Ivy which was deserted except for a single stroppy Blackbird (is there any other kind?) The fields at the top, so full of birds on Friday were also pretty quiet with just a small flock of Meadow Pipits and 3 Common Gulls of note, though there was a Wren in one of the hedges which is always good!

The Church from the allotments!

Starling

In ya face Robin

Wolstonbury Hill (looking sad apparently?! )

Blackbird

Squirrel (Cute apparently)

Great Tit

Wren

Common Gull

Herring Gull

We headed out over Brighton Road and down past the lakes ,through the small wood and out into the fields at the bottom of Wolstonbury, still quiet, a few Fieldfares, a lot of Mallards and a mixed flock of Greylags and Canada Geese, despite intense scanning couldn't find any White-Fronts or Bean Geese 😢 a distant Buzzard circled but again quiet!

Sky getting funky again

Distant Common Buzzard

More Common Gulls

Common Gull

Hardy Cows on Wolstonbury (taken from the bottom obvs)

We followed the path through the woodland at the bottom of the hill, a flock of Redwing feeding in the leaf litter, a Nuthatch and a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers chasing each other ,the best bits from this section.

Redwing

Atrocious pic of a Nuthatch(was buried in the foliage in my defence)

Impressive Fungus

Leaving the wood behind we headed towards New Way lane some impressive looking farm machinery littering the field and what appeared to be a small Yak in with the sheep!!

Not sure what this does but wouldn't like to be on the end of it😀

Possibly the Jawbone of a mythical beast

Mini Yak!

Trying his luck, well it is Valentines💘!! (she didn't seem very interested though💔)

We crossed the Danny fields, more Redwings, some confiding Pied Wagtails, some less confiding Mistle Thrush, a single Common Gull and Alpacas!

Redwing

Female Pied Wagtail

Common Gull

Male Pied Wagtail

Alpaca Chillin'

Alpaca

Uncooperative Mistle Thrush

Probably a few to many Pied Wag shots there, sorry about that!!

as we crossed the road leading to Danny House a Buzzard flew by at speed! We went over the stile, this field had 2 of the biggest Horses in it I've ever seen😲😯testing my new found confidence amongst such beasts to the limits😱😲, luckily they completely ignored us and I was distracted by a nice flock of Common Gulls so bravely carried on as if nothing to worry about!!

Common Buzzard

The Common Gulls posed ok few pics below

Black-headed Gull (Winter Plumage) Just to confuse you😀😀

Common Gull

1st Winter Common Gull

Was pretty much the last of the good stuff, the fields are very muddy after that and when the Thaw sets in it's going to be a Mudfest for sure!! We did flush (accidently) 5 Snipe from the meadow next to Washbrook farm and there was a small flock of Greenfinch at the start of Policeman's lane but overall a quiet but enjoyable yomp!