A Barmy Januarys Day

Wet wet wet was the order or the day when i got up this morning,and i don't mean some dodgy 80's Glasweigen cheesey pop Group,i meant Rain Rain Rain.I resigned myself to the fact that i wouldn't be doing too much birding today so sat down to watch the feeders,two Blue tits in an hour put me in the mood to get out the house and by 11 0 clock it had stopped raining.
I decided to venture over to Bonnetts Wood to see what was on offer,hoping for Snipe,woodcock,kingfisher and Yellowhammer and anything else that could turn up but i didn't think i would see too much on arriving as there was a twat on a motorcycle shooting around and the all too usual gunshots in the background.I decided to have a little wander around and to try to get over the top onto the old tipper site which seems to be dissused for now,i managed to get onto the land but it was so boggy underneath i decided to go back down to the bridge and stick to the pathways.On heading back down i had a Green Woodpecker and then a couple of Jays flew out of the Oak tree near the path to another just down the stream.The Shooting seemed to have stopped as had the idiot motorcyclist,hopefully he fell off and broke a few bones,i have no sympathy with little chav oiks who think they can ride their pathetic little motorcycles or mopeds around nature reserves and the likes,hope they all break bones.By now the sun was out with blue skies all around,a quick look on the old trusted thermometre showed the temperature as 12c,in January???? Whatever next,actually not too much in the way of birds for the next half hour or so,just the usual tits & finches and a lovely male Kestrel.I decided to head up the stream towards Parklands but before i get there a quick scan over the reeds and then fields produced a Buzzard,it was perched on an old Oak tree about 1/4 mile away but i got lovely views of it,it was being mobbed by two carrion crow but didn't look too bothered to start with but then took off as the crows started actually going for its head.About 60 linnets were over the farmland and landed although i couldn't get good views of them due to the fact they landed on a sunken part of the field(although i did get them later).I then had 2 skylarks over the Farmland,pretty sure these were not Lapland Buntings but you can never be too sure ;).Suddenly about 40 foot in front of me a Buzzard Flew across my eyeline,i got onto it and followed it into some trees the other side of the stream,then another one flew exactly the same path and into the same patch of trees,a few minutes later one of them came out and flew back over Gerpins Lane tip which is adjacent to the tip.The other Buzzard never re appeared,perhaps heading over towards parkland.
Shortly after that i had a Lesser Redpoll looking lost just by the tip,good views for a minute or so,then the last action of the day was c80 fieldfare and then 12 redwings heading towards Parklands.
No new year birds for me today but an enjoyable Afternoon in the Sun and mediterranean temperatures lol
lets hope the Rain holds off for the most part before Saturdays Visit of Lowestoft in the Top of the Table Ryman Premier Clash between AFC Hornchurch and Lowestoft,a must not lose game for either club.Fingers Crossed,come on you mighty Urchins