You Doity Rat.

So I take time yesterday to mount a defence of my mate Cyrill the Squirrel and how does he thank me ? That North American Tree Rat attacks my garden bird feeders destroying plastic in order to get at the seed and i'm left with a leaking feeder that is going to cost me pounds to replace uuuurrrrgggghhhhh still I guess his entertaining antics are worth it, i'll just have to present my bird seed on a pole feeder, that should bugger him.
A long walk from Bampton across the Thames turned up a bit more interest today starting with a walk through Shillbrook Wood that is now holding many bright coloured shrubs including the soft pastel pinkish fruit of the Spindleberry. Jays were much in evidence and I counted nine in total. Wood Pigeon seemed to be everywhere with about one thousand in flocks varying from one huhdred to five hundred, also prominent were Green Woodpecker and six were noted with one of their cousin GreatSpotted Woodpecker showing briefly, another pleasant sight was a covey of seven Grey Partridge and south of the Thames a Kestrel rested atop an electric post. Several Buzzard performed close by as they played the heavens their wings mastering the breeze and they looked most graceful.
Small farmland birds were represented by Chaffinch,Goldfinch,Greenfinch and Linnet with Bullfinch heard but not seen. A large Warbler played hide and seek not giving me a chace to identify it, a song thrush was seen.
With tractors ploughing and planting Corvid flocks along with Gulls were reaping a harvest of worms etc disturbed by these agricultural operations.

Cyrill having his evil way.

Spindleberry

Kestrel

Chaffinch playing peek-a-boo

Sheep looking like it has measles

camboy