Hammer Time

 After yesterday's efforts and incidents I was amazed I could move this morning let alone get out!! But apart from a bit of a sore hip I was good to go!😀 I decided it was time to have a local wander and reacquaint myself with the local Yellowhammers, I left home in bright sunshine, yet by the time I left the village it was foggy, didn't see that coming!!😂😱 See what I did there!!😂 Kitting up at the car, (yes I drove the 3/4 of a mile to Bullfinch Lane, I've only got a certain amount of steps in me, not wasting them tramping through a birdless housing estate!!) I could hear a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling and a singing Greenfinch was hard to locate but eventually I got onto it at the top of the tallest tree.

Greenfinch

I headed off down Bullfinch Lane, learning my lesson from yesterday with a lightweight hat and no scarf, the usual Blackbirds, Wrens, Dunnocks and Robins all about, at the first crossroads I turned right with a view to scanning the Horse paddocks however the fog was thicker here, nice to see that the pair of Linnets are still present, one of these days there is going to be something awesome on these paddocks they look very Hoopoey !! Although to be honest all I've ever seen on them is Pipits and Wagtails, feel at the very least they should produce a  Wheatear or two, mind you there could have been herds of wildebeest crossing them for all I could see in the fog!

Misty Linnet

Did I mention it was Foggy!

Told you it was Foggy!!

Back on the lane, I went past the farm, a manure heap with nothing on it, The Sparrow colony here seems to have disappeared, the big dead tree being felled probably didn't help, few Tits in and out of the hedge, a few Chiffchaffs but quiet down to the Cutlers Brook.

Some nice Blossom in the hedge!

Great Tit

Chiffchaff in a bush covered in yellow flowers!

Reached the fields at the bottom of the lane, Yellowhammer country, couldn't hear any, possibly because of the fog, I scanned the hedges, all seemed quiet as I walked along the path, a few Skylarks could be heard in the fields, then I noticed a small blob on the hedge in front!! Yellowhammer whoop!

First view, Yellowhammer in the mist

I headed into Yellowhammer Alley, could hear a couple of contact calls in the hedge, I have found these birds are pretty used to people, probably because this is a fairly busy footpath with dog walkers, joggers etc, so if you stand quietly they will usually pop up and so it was today!

Started fairly slowly

Gradually getting closer

Bit closer

Close enough!!

Female also popped up!

These two disappeared into the mist, I walked on to Yellowhammer corner, which is actually a Tee junction and there were another four!! Whoop!!

They weren't all sat on top of the hedge, some had to be winkled out

Though they mostly were

Some say you can have to many Yellowhammer pics, not me😂!!

I dragged myself away, crossing the fields to the Brighton Road, lots of Skylarks chasing each other about but difficult to get  a pic in the still lingering mist!

Still Misty

Skylark

I crossed the road, there was another Yellowhammer on top of a tall Oak, the same Oak that about 8 years ago I saw a Corn Bunting singing in!!  Not seen one locally since!! Was going to track down the path to get a bit closer, but as it made the Grimpon Mire look like a bit of a wet patch, I decided I'd taken enough Yellowhammer pics for one morning!😂

High up Yellowhammer

Soggy Footpath

There were a couple of Swallows on a wire and this Sparrow colony seemed to be doing alright, the fields around the lakes, held a few Geese, sadly all Canadas and Greylags, were also several Mallards wandering about as well!

Swallows

House Sparrow

Swallow

Flowers clinging to a wall!

Mallards

Greylag Goose

Canada Geese

Mallards

I retraced my steps, was beginning to ache big time now!! The fog had pretty much cleared  and the Skylarks were even more active, lots of singing and chasing each other around!! Yet another Yellowhammer welcomed me back!!

Different angle for the Church pic!

Yellowhammer

Skylark

Skylark

The Yellowhammers showed well again, you may not believe it but I have shown quite a lot of restraint here!😂

Heron flew over, giving me a break from Yellowhammer!

Once again I dragged myself away, was really nice to see so many in such a small area, I would say I saw at least 12 different birds, only 2 or 3 females so maybe more about!! Fingers crossed they have a decent breeding season!!

I headed back up Bullfinch Lane, very nice encounter with a pair of Long-tailed Tits and a few Goldfinch the main points of interest.

Long-tailed Tit

Nice patch of flowers

Goldfinch

Now the fog had gone I had another wander off the lane and  a look at the horse Paddocks, no Wildebeest 😏😁 Or much else, though a nice Pied Wagtail, showed well and another Swallow flew over!

Still misty under the Downs

Linnet in the sunshine!

Dunnock

Pied Wagtail

Wolstonbury Hill

Swallow

I headed back to the car, well and truly knackered, nice little Wren on the wall the final bit of quality!

Nice to see the Yellowhammers, seemingly doing well, the Hedges they frequent seem to get lower every year, lets hope they continue to to hang in there!!!