Nice and slow

 

This morning I was out of the house before dawn, and was surprised to see a number of moths flying in the car headlights as I drove along the wooded lanes at Headley - maybe I shouldn’t have been, as the temperature had turned remarkably mild. My arrival at the ribaldry-named Dick Fock’s Common coincided with daylight attempting to break through a low, stubborn cloud. A good couple of hours were spent walking the footpaths, venturing out into Effingham Forest, spending as much time watching my footing on the slippery muddy paths as I did any birds. It was quiet, with three Hawfinches being the highlight.

Onto Ranmore Common, where I criss-crossed the area, up and down the wooded slopes, for a good three hours in total. As to be expected in winter woodland, the birding came in helpings of ‘feast’ and ‘famine’, with seven Hawfinches (a flock of five and two singles, one pictured below) and at least 55 Brambling (above). A number of tit flocks were working their way through the dead bracken, Holly and Yew understory, which provided me with a minimum of 120 Blue Tits and seven Marsh Tits. I took my time, a slow and gentle walk, which gave the morning’s birding additional pleasure. Sometimes there is no need to rush about, no need to ‘be on the hunt’. Just walk on and allow the birds to come to you. Works every time. The sun tried to break through a couple of times, but lost out to the low stubborn murk, which even had enough about it to coat me in drizzle a few times.