I remember seeing a Yellow Hammer when I was a kid in the mid 50’s. Are they native to the UK Paul? Also the Hedge Sparrow.
Yes. Used to be a very common farmland bird but now in serious decline.
Now called a Dunnock. It isn’t, and never was, a ‘sparrow’ it’s an accentor.
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Wild weather today. But, new birds arrived, in particular Goldcrests, Brambling and Redwings. Mind you, it was rough going in the 50mph winds.
Even the ‘hard as nails’ Hooded Crows were hunkering down out of the wind
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Bit of a way for you to go, Paul
Yes it is!
My mate saw it on Monday and again yesterday. (mind you, he lives in St Just)
Even rarer (first record for Britain and Ireland) was this White-rumped Swift seen late on Sunday at Hornsea by only a lucky few. Not seen since
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Two new birds on Fetlar (for me) Hawfinch today and Common Crossbill on Tuesday. Excuse the very poor pics, they’re just ‘record shots’ of two elusive birds.
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That second one looks like a mad bastard. He’s definitely at it.
A lack of passerine migrants, but the arrival of 4 Barnacle Geese suggests the first signs of Winter.
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You must be in your absolute element there Paul, living the dream, literally. Good on ye 
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I love every minute of it, Mike. Regardless of the weather or the season.
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Saw a white pheasant on the verge this morning as I was driving back home. Never seen one before.
NB: Not my photo but looks exactly the same
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I used to see one regularly when commuting between Consett and Sunderland. It was invariably in the same field for nearly a year, but it didn’t seem to associate with the other pheasants nearby. Maybe they didn’t accept it, I’m only guessing though.
Female Ring-necked Duck on Papil water today. Only the second record for Fetlar. No pics as it was distant and a bit of a heap anyway.
Much smarter was this (again distant) Brambling in the plantation.
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Racist pheasants, who’d have thought.
Saw and photographed a Kingfisher the other day - sadly though just its back, it only perched for two secs and then it dived off. Not on a mission but I’d like to photograph one, one day.