Frosty over the Cemy this morning.

Friday 1st December 2023.

This adult Herring Gull flew over when I was photographing the Starlings in the trees.

Well, we are now into the last month of the year and it was another very cold start to the day. I had to defrost the windscreen this morning as it was bitingly cold during my first shift today at Pembroke Road and I thought that it was even colder than yesterday! Just 11 species of birds were noted this morning during my hour there and included both the Jay and a Cormorant again. My fingertips were literally frozen despite wearing thick gloves, so I was glad to get home and down a hot cup of coffee. 

Above, a juvenile Herring Gull flying over and below, frosty leaf litter on the grass.

Above, the sun shining on this Starling high up in the Chestnut Trees. Below, this male Blackbird devouring Holly berries.

Again, I took the dogs over to Highland Road Cemetery for their walk and even numbers of species here were down to just 15. Thankfully, there were a few nice birds on show including the Green Woodpecker that kindly perched above my head in one of the trees in the north-east corner. A large number of Starlings (40+) flew over the Cemy a few times, some landing in the tall Chestnut trees and a Robin showed down to about 6 feet, totally oblivious about my dogs as it tucked into a big worm it had just found under some leaves. A total of 15 species were either heard or seen today here. The heavy frost from this morning was still evident on the leaf litter as the dogs crunched their way through them. A few Goldfinches were again over in the north-east corner, favouring the trees there. I did walk around the south-east corner near the gardens for a change, though the only noteworthy sighting was of a large clump of Yellow-stained Mushrooms growing in the tall grass.

Above, a large clump of Yellow-staining Mushrooms were over in the south-east corner and below, this showy Robin was the only one of this species seen this morning.

A few fluffed-up House Sparrows were seen and heard over on the east side. Below, a pair of Carrion Crows high up in the Plane Tree.

Above, only a few Goldfinches were present this morning and below, the Green Woodpecker popped out of no-where and perched high up in one of the nearby trees in the north-east corner

The total of birds seen this morning here in Highland Road Cemetery included:

• Green Woodpecker
• Herring Gull
• Blackbird
• Wood Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Feral Pigeon
• Blue Tit
• Wren
• Robin
• Pied Wagtail
• Magpie
• Carrion Crow
• Goldfinch
• House Sparrow
• Starling  

Despite being disturbed a few times by some thoughtless birders, Pete Appleton managed to grab some nice photos of one of the Short-eared Owls on Farlington Marshes this week.