Penduline Tit wintering at Longford in Gloucestershire

An early start as is the norm in these limited daylight days saw us arriving in Longford just after first light this morning. Parking in the small car park at Plock Court we could see three birders had arrived even earlier than us and it appeared they had the bird in site so we approached with care and from behind the others managed good views of the little cracker. With time the bird came to feed on the mace heads around the small pool and gave us great opportunity to grab some images.

Penduline Tit

Penduline Tit

A little star

A Stonechat also sat on the reeds as if to say don't forget me guys so I grabbed a couple of quick shots of it too.

Stonechat

We then drove the eighteen miles to the Forest of Dean and having told the Jims to keep an eye open for wild pig I was shocked to actually find four feeding by the road as we drove by. I pulled over and we managed some images to record our first encounter with Wild Boars in the forest despite several visits. The Boars paid little interest in us or passing dog walkers save one small charge that had us running for cover. We later found another two as we drove away from Parkend where we'd seen three Hawfinch but with the best pitches taken up by committed photographers we moved on to let them grab the shots they wanted.

Wild Boar

Wild Boar in the Forest of Dean

Our next stop was the New Fancy watchpoint and we managed some really nice scope views of no fewer than five Goshawk with a couple displaying really well for us. Ravens came and went and Buzzards soared overhead. We tried for the Great Grey Shrike at Crabtree but dipped on the location taking the wrong path or atleast we think we took the wrong path. I did manage a year tick on the walk though with several Siskin feeding in the Alders along the footpath.

A fab day in Gloucestershire giving four year ticks and a memorable encounter with the pigs of the forest.

Year list now 159