Montpelier Park!

A nice collection of common birds in the park this morning - a singing Coal Tit, 4 or 5 Collared Doves, 3 Woodpigeons, 2 Chaffinches, a Robin, a Wren, a flyover Pied Wagtail, a party of Blue and Great Tits and a Goldcrest.

St Andrews Park!

A quick wander through the park on my way to the shops revealed a bunch of 15 Redwings flying over, half a dozen Starlings, 2 Great Tits, a couple of Blackbirds, a Chaffinch and a fly-over Raven.

Male Blackbird

Montpelier Station!

A flurry of activity in the trees this morning - half a dozen Long-tailed Tits plus Blue and Great Tits, a female Chaffinch and 2 Blackbirds. Most entertaining.

Great Spotted Woodpecker!

A male Great Spotted Woodpecker was playing hard to get at the station this morning - I first saw it near the feeders, then it flew towards the allotment gardens, then back to the area near the feeders before flying off towards Cromwell Road - maybe to visit St Andrews Park. Also in and around the feeders were a Dunnock, a Robin, a Great Tit, a calling Wren, several Collared Doves, about 4 Chaffinches and a gang of House Sparrows. Up to 4 Grey Squirrels were very much in evidence!

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dunnock

False Widow!

A False Widow spider (Steatoda sp.) was in the bath this morning. A very young one, not much bigger than a money-spider. They seem to turn up at regular intervals but I've not found them anywhere else in the flat.

Fieldfares!

I scanned the sky from the railway bridge this morning and saw between 20 and 30 thrushes flying west. Judging by their stocky appearance and size they could only have been Fieldfares - a couple of smaller birds flying with them were no doubt Redwings. Great to see these visitors from Scandinavia gracing our skies. A group of Chaffinches also flew over and another couple more of these finches were feeding in the treetops on the disused platform along with Blue and Great Tits. A Dunnock and a couple of Blackbirds were also noted nearby.

Montpelier Park

Very quiet this morning, just a Carrion Crow, 2 Jays, a fly-over Chaffinch, a Blue Tit and a couple of Woodpigeons and Magpies.

Montpelier Station

Good to see a small party of Long-tailed Tits feeding in the treetops this morning. Also 2 Chaffinches flew over. The bird feeder opposite the main platform was visited by a Carrion Crow. At nearby Montpelier Park there was a Blue Tit, several Collared Doves and Woodpigeons and 3 or 4 Magpies. Lots of White Deadnettle in flower and a Harlequin Ladybird pupa also seen.

Harlequin Ladybird pupa

White Deadnettle