Willow Chiffs

A group of Spotted Flycatchers at the farm wood this morning moved on soon after I started watching them. Gerald Segelbacher good a couple of good pictures of them at the top of the trees.

While we were watching the Spotted Flycatchers at the top of the trees behind the farmyard Gerald noticed a Little Owl watching up. It looks quite fluffy and seems to still have some down among the newer feathers. I presume this is a recently fledged younster.

There were a few Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs about, juvenile Willow Warblers have the complete underparts a rather nice shade of pale yellow.

Along with the warblers Blue Tits and Great Tits are beginning to form feeding flocks that move in circuits round the chosen feeding territories. I haven't detected any differences in how the two leaf warblers feed, although I suspect that there may be some subtle differences.

This Blue Tit seems to have its head on backwards.

The yellow feet and paler legs of the Willow Warbler help separate it from the Chiffchaff. In addition the Willow Warbler has longer wings, the primary projection being about equal to the length of the tertials. This is often said to be because the Willow Warbler is a longer distance migrant than the Chiffchaff, but I'm not sure that this is the whole story, there are several quite short winged passerines that migrate longer distances than Chiffchaffs.

It not yet Christmas and the trees are being decorated, unfortunately by some moronic dog walkers who, having put their dog's poo in polythene bags hang it on trees rather than take it home and bin it. If you know or see any of these disgusting, antisocial people, please tell them to stop doing it and to behave more responsibly.

A fuller list of the birds found at Bockill today can be seen on the Bockhill page of the KOS Website.

I ran my moth traps last night, but there were so few moths that it was really a waste of time. except ofr my first Gallium Carpet of the year.

A last anecdote. I went to Tesco's this evening, mainly to get some bits and pieces that Pam needed for her Chutney making. I wanted two Kg of raisins, but they only had one Kg in stock. The young lady who I asked about it told me, that it was because people were getting prepared for Christmas, I have to say that I think that is a load of...................