Mistle Thrush by the Dozen

This evening I walked around Bestwood Quarry via the Winding House area, producing a single Coal Tit in the firs by the Winding House. Good numbers of the common finches were in the hedgerows along Parkside Pasture, with Greenfinch, Goldfinch, and Chaffinch - the former in dominant numbers with plenty of juveniles. An overhead wire nearby provided a perch for many of the Goldfinch, and a couple of possible Linnet, but the views were too distant, and the evening sun may have been playing tricks on me.

A lack of Barn Swallow at the entrance to the quarry might have been indicative of the Hobby that was seen hunting there on Friday afternoon - no sign of it this evening. The hillside near the entrance had seven Mistle Thrush and a single male Yellowhammer all searching for food on the ground. All flew off as two men with mountain boards walked/rode along the main path towards the entrance. The Yellowhammer flew off to join a female on a nearby overhead wire. The setting sun wasn't in my favour, with most of the birds in silhouette or tinted to strange colours. However, I did count twelve Mistle Thrush by the entrance on the overhead wires over the Horse Paddock.

Walking home I met another birder, Sean, who'd taken a recent interest in my Bestwood sightings. We had a nice chat about the park and its wildlife. He let me know of some recent Woodcock sightings, roding near to Broadvalley Stables, so I'll have to check that area out at sunset.