Siskins at Fitzlea and Barrows exposed on Lavington Common

There were at least three Buzzards circling about at various times during the walk.  On Lavington Common a possible Snipe took off - or was it a Woodcock?  A Green Woodpecker was very noisy.

A lot of trees have been cleared on Lavington Common and the southern half has had a brush cutter over it, exposing the barrows.  We were a bit surprised that there were four of them.  Are these the ones that Miss Keefe excavated?  (no, they were not.  Miss Keefe published an excavation of barrows on Iping Common, but P does remember her father meeting Miss K there to discuss them) It seems odd now that the Forestry Commision would have been allowed to plant trees all over them, or that they would even consider it a good idea.  Thank goodness attitudes have changed and the policy now is to expose the archaeology so that people can see it.

There were a few Snowdrops in flower on Graffham Common and at Fitzlea Pond we saw Siskins on the Alder trees in company with a flock of Goldfinches. No sign of the Gadwall that we saw there last year.

Herons

How often do you see a Heron and how often do you see one catch a fish?  Herons are common enough around here; there is a heronry a mile or two up the river so we see them pretty frequently.  One even flew over our house today.  Usually you see them standing at the edge of a stream or pond wary and watchful, or hunched up and grumpy.  But it is not often you see one actually catch something and so we were thrilled to see a Heron fly up from the river with a large fish in its beak.  The fish was silvery and had bright pink fins, so a Rudd, I guess and about 20 cm long.  It flew across the fields and over the treetops to the east and I did not see where it settled to enjoy its lunch.

This came a short while after our first good views of a Barn Owl for some time.  We did get a brief glimpse of one a few days ago, but this time it was flying low in and out of the hedges north of the river bend.  

Snipe have moved in to the Bramber Castle meadows in large numbers and we counted 29 today.  Fieldfares are here in large flocks too and we have seen lots of Lapwing.  They now have to contend with sleet and it is good to see that some are finding food in the meadows around here.  A Fieldfare has taken to eating the apples in that we have put out into the garden and he defends them against all-comers, but has to take his turn when a Green Woodpecker tucking in to them.