14th & 15th January - Trip to the South West

With a 4 possible ticks and many other good birds I headed south west for a bird filled weekend. 1st stop was the Spanish Sparrow at Calshot and our timing could not have been better. We arrived just before dawn so took advantage of the superb bacon butties on offer by the locals. We finished these and headed across the road to join the throng across the road and within 2 minutes the Sparrow worked its way out of its roost sight to provide cracking views before taking flight over the houses.

Next stop was just down the road for the Dark-eyed Junco, and the short journey was magnificent with the open heathland covered in frost giving the whole landscape a magical feel in the early dawn light. The Junco showed occasionally but usually only briefly and high in the tree tops. Several Crossbills kept us entertained between sightings.