Eymore Wood

Ok here we go again. This time a trip to
Eymore wood was planned to try and catch
a glimpse of the reported Crossbills.

Reports of Crossbill's have been pretty high

over this last week,sometimes as many as 60.

I set off early to stand a good chance of seeing

them, as I made my way down the slippery road

towards the wood I spotted a pair of eye's

looking at me it was a Tawny Owl.

A good start to the day. I think I've probably only

seen one other in the two years I've been

birding, mostly heard.

Once it got light I had a good scan of the larches

that they had been reported in but no sign I probably

had a good hour scouring the branches but

nothing, well a few Coal tits.

I decided to take a trip through the woods

down onto Trimpley Reservior to see what I

could find there, on the lower pool I found 10 LBG's

and probably something like 50 BHG's sitting

on the ice but that was about it apart from a

few mallards anyway.

I then took a trip up to the main reservior

to see what was on there, as I made my way

around the pathway I spotted a Peregrine feeding

on the tower with something in it's claws

(not sure what it was bit to far really seemed

like he was enjoying though) again to far for a shot.

Apart from the mentioned Peregrine there was

little else to speak of really apart from the

common stuff.

I made my way back to the top car park of the

wood to have another good search, on my way

back I went round the opposite way on the small

lake to see if I'd missed anything first time round.

I'm glad I did. I found about 20 Siskins amongst

5-6 Goldfinches a Nuthatch in the woods

Great spotted woodpecker a pair of Bullfinches, all

to far for photo's though or in the wrong light..

Typical.

I eventually got back to the top car park and settled

down to search again for the elusive Crossbill's. I

didn't have to wait long before I had my first brief

glimpse's of them (probably about 5-6) Great! at last.

It makes it so much better if you get what you come

to see, I managed one photo and that wasn't the best

really, still at least I got one.

I spoke to few other birders that told me there were few

Goosander along the river and possibly Mandarin.

I took a walk along the river and found the Goosander

and the Mandarin although the later was right over

on the far bank and pretty impossible to get a

decent shot (maybe next time)

I continued to walk back a forth through the

Woods and around the reservior never really seeing

anything like the reported amount of Crossbill's.

I did manage a nice shot of a patient Kingfisher

which rounded the day off nicely.

I thought I'd also mention that I spotted some 43

different species through'out the day, which I thought

was pretty impressive.
The list included Buzzard, Peregrine, Kestral,Tawny Owl,

Mandarin, Goosander, Crossbill's,Siskins and Goldfinches

to name but a few.