Wintering Chiff Chaff

On the 18th on Hopwood a Chiff Chaff was seen but it quickly disappeared in the scrub. I always wonder how many winter in Britain and go unnoticed. Two years ago in Middleton a Siberian one was found and caused quite a stir in the twitchers circles.

At Stakehill on the 17th the rooftop Lapwings increased to an all-time record of 485 and still there were no Golden Plover with them.

In the garden eight Long Tailed Tits were the first of the winter. The big mystery of the week was the discovery of a broken House Sparrow egg on the ground outside our back door. With this years incredible breeding season I cannot believe they are breeding again more likely is that this was an addled egg from earlier this year and was kicked out of the nest when they went to roost one evening- but you never know!! click here