An amazing sunny morning for a patrol, the cold weather lulling me into a false sense of security as I disappeared up to my ankles having walked across what I thought was a frozen puddle.
A fantastic view of a Sparrowhawk as it perched on the gate by the Small Copse, as I looked initially it looked like the pale to of a fence post, but on closer inspection the dappled striping of its front was visible. This bird was gazing out as it clasped the gate bar with its pale red foot. As I continued past his yellow eyes followed me.
Having enjoyed seeing one magnificent bird of prey another took flight from the ground, this Kestrel skimmed low across the ground and then rose to do a short hover before jinking into the scrub of Holm Oak and Sycamore. A second Kestrel was perched on the Mile Markers, using this high point as a vantage point rather than making the effort to hover.
In the Blackthorn the usual winter birds were all skulking, with Dunnock low down, their grey heads catching the light as they moved, while a Wren blasted loudly from within. Perched on the outside were 3 Robins, a constant change over between them as they jostled for supremacy.
Nearby a Redwing was pulling the red berries off the Hawthorn branches, thus allowing me a good view, the deep red patch visible under its wings, as it moved along the bunch.
A Song Thrush facing me showing off the pale yellow front was joined by its close relative the Blackbird, many of which are around at the moment, some of whom will have arrived from further north.
As I returned to the Centre the golden orb of the sun was rising higher and losing its intense colour, but flying across in front was a group of Guillemots, fantastically backlit as they headed east.
The call of Bullfinches alerted me to the movement above of a group of 4 of my favourite of finches, a flash of a white rump as they flew by.