Mayday Farm

Common Crossbill - Mayday Farm November 2020

Another visit to Mayday Farm, this time to coincide daily exercise with seeing my lockdown niece, as well as looking for Crossbills. I arrived a bit early and had a play around with my Opticron smartphone adapter. A Great Spotted Woodpecker caught my attention as it worked up some of the dead stumps:

Opticron Smartphone adaptor - Mayday Farm - November 2020

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Mayday Farm - November 2020

These stumps which the Forestry Commission leave in clearings are ideal, I dare to imagine a Hawk-owl perched on one, it hasn't happened yet mind! I have seen Tree Pips, Crossbills, Kestrel, Nightjar and Great Grey Shrike on them, I am sure they've hosted nocturnal Long-eared Owls too. 

I got chatting to mountain biker, who lives between Mayday and the Kings Forest, he had two Raven over his Elveden home, which could well be the birds Nick and I saw in the Kings last weekend. 

I am still keeping a weather eye on the crossbills - I arrived a little later than normal - so the initial congregation has dispersed. There was still a group of seven feeding in the top of the pines. Then a smaller flock feeding on deciduous buds. All Common Crossbill to my eye and ear: 

Common Crossbill - Mayday Farm November 2020

Common Crossbill - Mayday Farm November 2020

I am working on the coast tomorrow, literally a mile from the Greater Yellowlegs and Eastern/ Alaskan Wagtail. Seeing one or both, without breaking lockdown rules, mingling with the gran killing crowds they initially attracted, would give me a real sense of moral superiority. I think I would be obnoxious on twitter for at least five days.