Green woodpecker digging up my garden.

Yesterday, I went to Canons Farm and Banstead Woods with David Campbell. He was hoping to see marsh tit and brambling. I was just hoping to see anything in the snow which is stopping most birds from feeding on the ground. We didn't see either species but we did see treecreeper, nuthatch, skylark and little owl, all four are year ticks for me (125 for the year). I took some shots of the little owl and used both my 1.4x and 2x converters to get closer. I regretted it later when I looked at the photos on my computer. They were not very good at all. This photo was taken using only the 1.4x.

Little owl, Canons farm.

When I got in I noticed a green woodpecker under the large branch which had broken off the pine tree under the weight of snow, 30cm in one day. He was digging up the lawn looking for something to eat. I got my camera and took some shots through the double glazing. They weren't bad as record shots, but I was then able to open the window and take some straight views. These came out rather better.

Green woodpecker, garden

Green woodpecker has seen something to jump about!

This morning, Sunday 8 February, I went briefly to Bookham common to see the hawfinches which are usually to be found. I stopped to photograph some redwing at Great Bookham, arriving late at the Common, where the hawfinches had already been seen. I had to leave at 12.45 as we were going to lunch with the neighbours and Lynne had told me I had better be home by 1.20! I was leaving to go back to the car when someone said there was a hawfinch in a distant tree. It really was distant and against the bright sun of this lovely morning. I quickly took a few pictures before it flew off and then left. I just made it home in time. The pictures are recognisable as a hawfinch but much worse than last time's record shot (see 27 December 2008 post). So bad that I can't publish it here. I just managed to get home in time not to incur my wife's displeasure!!!