Aston End

Yes I'm still here. Last weeks storm kept me in, apart from having to retrieve one of next doors fence panels and try and prop up the rest. Another one came down last night despite the props.
Didn't think I would get out today with storm Dennis still with us, but it seemed to be fairy quiet after breakfast so I went for a walk. There wasn't much wind, and it was dry-but it didn't last and after the first hour it deteriorated and I ended up soaked.
There were a lot of singing Song Thrushes with at least five different birds, and there were a few Blackbirds as well, but there were no sign of any Fieldfare or Redwing. I was also serenaded by House Sparrows, Robins, Tits and a Greenfinch as I headed through Aston End and down to the ford. Here there were five singing Skylarks and a couple of Pheasants.
For once there was some water in the river, due to all the run off. This had implications for me later on.

I was hoping to locate a Short Eared Owl that had been seen a few days ago along somewhere between Bennington and the Walkern road so I detoured slightly through High Wood to check the fields around Lordship Farm. The uphill track was very wet and boggy, and it was around here that the rain really started. Naturally if the owl was still around it was being sensible and staying under cover. I did flush a couple of Pheasants though and there was a Marsh Tit and a Mistle Thrush singing.
The rest of the walk was a bit of a slog along very wet footpaths and while I did get a couple of Red Legged Partridge there wasn't much else happening.