On a rare sunny morning on the 4th I walked up the Icknield Way to have another go at photographing the bramblings which, along with large numbers of chaffinches and linnets, were feeding in a large field at Greys Farm. All the birds were quite shy, but I did manage some ok images - at least six bramblings were present, but there were probably many more.
Brambling, Greys Farm (Therfield), 4 December
I had a good look for bramblings and other finches in the woodland to the west of the Therfield Road on the 6th, but found nothing of interest, other than a raven which flew over Fox Covert. I rarely visit Royston town centre. However, my friend David Hatton has mentioned on several occasions that he regularly sees grey wagtails there. Since I still needed grey wagtail for this year's 'local patch' list I made an early visit to the town centre on the 7th and there, sure enough, was a grey wagtail perched on a roof a few yards from the Roysia Stone! The following day I braved the tail end of 'Storm Barra' to go on a walk through the local villages. Highlights included a grey partridge at Hatchpen Farm (Reed), the first I've seen to the east of the A10 this year, flocks of 89 lapwings and 25 mallard at Reed End and flocks of 30+ yellowhammers, 14 Canada geese (the highest number of this species that I've seen locally), and 130 chaffinches in Therfield. At least four bramblings were present with the chaffinches. A raven was also seen.
Part of the Lapwing Flock seen at Reed End on 8 December
Following a report (Rupert Evershed) on the 12th of a short-eared owl off the Icknield Way, near Therfield village, I visited the area at dusk on the 14th and was lucky to see the bird hunting over Park Farm, east of the Icknield Way - the first short-eared owl that I have seen locally since 2019. Apart from this there was little of interest to be seen locally. Numbers of bramblings dwindled at Greys Farm, although a huge flock of linnets (est. 450) was flying about there on the 20th. A long walk in the Reed / Barkway area on a typically dull, dank afternoon on the 23rd failed to reveal anything of interest, but as soon as I set off on the car journey home a barn owl flew across the road in front of me, just south of Reed village.
Just a few of around 450 linnets seen in flight, Greys Farm, Therfield, 20 December
The following week was taken up with low key Christmas festivities, family visits etc. but on the 31st I managed a walk around the villages, adding a mute swan (Hatchpen Farm) to my 'local patch' list, the 81st and last species of the year. Five gull species were also seen at Hatchpen, whilst at least four bramblings remained at Greys Farm. It was no surprise to learn that this December was the dullest (least sunshine) for 65 years. Here's hoping for better things in 2022!
Gulls in Flight, Hatchpen Farm, 31 December
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