Hello again
The winter thrushes have arrived, all the way from Scandinavia! They are really called fieldfares and are lovely big thrushes that are very strong flyers. They spend the winter here, in our warmer climes, feeding on the fruits of the hedges, trees and the orchards!
Margaret and I visited North Wales recently, and we went up the Conwy Valley, in Snowdonia. It was a beautiful day, and the colours were magnificent – green hills, blue skies, silver lakes and lots of bright red berries on the rowan trees. Hundreds of fieldfares and redwings up there. We were treated to the super sight of a red kite, which was being mobbed by a couple of crows.
Toni Lister was telling me she’s got goldcrests in her garden. These lovely little finches are uncommon round here. They like conifer trees. Her husband, Paul, is a butterfly and moth enthusiast. He has seen over 450 species of moth in their garden, including the rare Clifden non-pareil!
Some years ago, I visited Aylesbeare Common, an RSPB Reserve near here. I saw a rare bird, one I haven’t seen since, a male hen harrier. Recently, Mary and Jim Whiting went there, and you’d never believe it, they also saw a male hen harrier. The males and females of this species are very different. The male is a beautiful pale grey, almost white, whereas the female is a dowdy brown! These rare birds of prey pass through Britain on their way south at this time of year.
Alan Jones, 01404 841671
