Back to local birding.

A generally quiet week in Cheshire enlivened only some good, if not rare, local sightings. The local arable fields have hosted a number of gulls recently and I routinely check them all for something unusual. Today, amongst the Black-headed & Common variety I found this beauty.

Not a major rarity but a first on this 'patch' and one I'd been hoping for everytime I see a flock of gulls.
Other sightings include these Buzzards - part of a family group of 4 that seem to patrol the fields surviving on dead or dying rabbits (we have another myxamatosis outbreak).

As can be seen from the sky they were immortalised on two separate days! The same sunny Thursday also sprung a suprise in the form of a late Painted Lady.

A trip to Hilbre resulted in a light passage of birds  including Blackbird, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Skylark, Greenfinch and one or two Rock Pipits. See the Hilbre blog for more details. No matter - it was a beautiful morning to be back on the Island and see the first Brent Geese of the winter and a flock of Starlings overhead.................

Meanwhile winter Thrushes seem to be a hot topic of conversation. A Welsh correspondence reports the first 10+ over the Great Orme this morning whilst Groucho Payne rang me with the exciting news he'd had none over his mid-Cheshire patch. Despite listening out late at night I've yet to hear any passing overhead although an early morning trip to Stanney Woods (whilst almost still dark) Thursday showed there had been some Song Thrush & Blackbird movement Wednesday night with birds coming off roost as dawn broke.