Tweeting in the provinces

Time to complement the report at reference 1 about larger birds.

There have been more buzzards, but no more owls, the tethered owl at reference 2 not counting as a tweet. One heron.

There were lots of small birds, particularly in the hedgerows and at visitor attractions (which often include bird feeding stations), but they have been frustrating in that I was often close enough to see them clearly, but without being able to identify them. My small bird lore has clearly withered away, what with weakening memory and Epsom not running to much more than robins and great tits.

That said, there were confirmed sightings of quite a lot of chaffinches and some more or less confirmed sightings of greenfinches - where I say more or less because the birds in question seemed a lot smaller and a lot less green than the greenfinches which I remember from Hambledon, at the back of the principal seat of the Hampshire Butlers, butlers who once aided & abetted the escape of the prince who went on to become the grateful Charles II. Our temporary home while on detached duty at nearby Titchfield.

Some skylarks, some low, some high. Heard but not seen and not at all like those at reference 3. Some starlings. Some great tits. Some sparrows - something only rarely seen at Epsom. Unconfirmed sightings of some coal tits and some goldfinches. One thrush. One possible wren, glimpsed nipping behind a tree.

A reasonable haul.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/twittering.html.

Reference 2: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/a-different-kind-of-heritage-operation.html.

Reference 3: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/back-to-st-lukes.html.