Hello Everyone
Well, we’ve had some really cold days recently, haven’t we? Also, some sunny ones—a bit like winter really! I’ve noticed that the cold days bring long tailed tits
into the garden and on to the feeders. Did you know that on these cold nights, they sometimes roost in large numbers, huddling together to keep warm.
Leonard tells me he’s seen a red kite, over Colestocks. I hope it stays around. He’s also seen a barn owl 
and three muntjac deer nearby. Christine has lots of fieldfares and redwings in the field near her house. These winter visitors will stay around until spring, when they will return to their breeding grounds in Scandinavia. Ray had four greenfinches in his garden recently. I only get one or two at a time.
When walking along the prom. in Sidmouth, we were pleased and surprised to see lots of small waders on the prom., running about amongst the people, looking for titbits. These are very small black 
and white birds, called turnstones, because they turn small stones over on the shore, looking for grubs, worms and any other bugs to eat.
Alan Jones, 841671
