Winter Thrushes

I walked up to Walshaw Dean today looking for winter thrushes hoping that they had arrived this far inland following the mass arrival on the East coast on Monday.

Although the mist was stuck at about 700 ft, visibility was OK horizontally, but I didn't go up any further than the lower reservoir as the mist closed in too much.

Walshaw Dean house
Blackbird - 4
Song Thrush - 2
On the water
Canada Goose - 5 and Mallard - 15 (incl 2 hybrids)
Little Grebe - 1 (first one I've seen up here as the habitat isn't exactly ideal with open water and no vegetation at the water edge)

Red Grouse - 2 calling

Walshaw Plantation
Coal Tit - 4
Treecreeper - 1

Blake Dean
Grey Heron - 1 preening by the stream and doing a good job of trying to tie itself in knots
Fieldfare - c.35 overhead, flying to and fro but not landing or calling. There are plenty of Rowan trees here all of which have berries but obviously the birds weren't hungry. Perhaps the mist had forced them down and they couldn't decide which way to go?! They eventually disappeared downstream in the direction of Hardcastle Crags.

No Redwing although plenty were seen and heard locally this morning.