{"id":392,"date":"2010-01-14T16:40:56","date_gmt":"2010-01-14T16:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/?p=392"},"modified":"2010-01-14T16:40:56","modified_gmt":"2010-01-14T16:40:56","slug":"the-hedge-of-reason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/birdwatching\/the-hedge-of-reason","title":{"rendered":"The (h)edge of reason"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;re well into warm(er) weather now, although there was a fresh covering of snow this morning\u00a0and as\u00a0Martin sat through a 2hr meeting at Matfen Hall yesterday morning there was steady snowfall throughout.<\/p>\n<p>As well as the flocks of birds that are visiting gardens so that they can find enough food to survive we&#8217;ve been finding reasonable flocks of farmland birds.\u00a0 One flock we&#8217;ve been watching has lots of\u00a0Linnets, Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers\u00a0and at least 12 Bramblings.\u00a0 They&#8217;ve found a wheat field that hadn&#8217;t been harvested so there was a substantial food source above the snowline even at the weekend when there was still a lot of snow on the ground.<\/p>\n<p>Patience was the key to watching them.\u00a0 Standing motionless meant that they were willing to approach to within the minimum focusing distance of\u00a0our 500mm\u00a0lens.\u00a0 Well worth the discomfort of standing in one place in sub-zero temperatures \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_393\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-393\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-393\" title=\"Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla), Reed Buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus) and Yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0553web.jpg\" alt=\"Mixed flock in a hedge, a warming winter birdwatching sight\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0553web.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0553web-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-393\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mixed flock in a hedge, a warming winter birdwatching sight<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_396\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-396\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-396\" title=\"Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) and Reed Buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0489web.jpg\" alt=\"Brambling and Reed Buntings\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0489web.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0489web-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-396\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brambling and Reed Buntings<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_397\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-397\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-397\" title=\"Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla) and Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0497web.jpg\" alt=\"5 of the Bramblings\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0497web.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0497web-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-397\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">5 of the Bramblings<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_398\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-398\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398\" title=\"Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0513web.jpg\" alt=\"Linnet\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-398\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Linnet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_400\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-400\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-400\" title=\"Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0532web.jpg\" alt=\"Reed Bunting\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0532web.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0532web-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-400\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reed Bunting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_394\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-394\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-394\" title=\"Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0556web.jpg\" alt=\"Reed Bunting\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-394\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reed Bunting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_395\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-395\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-395\" title=\"Yellowhammer (Emberiza schoeniclus) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0473web.jpg\" alt=\"Yellowhammer\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0473web.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0473web-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-395\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yellowhammer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_399\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-399\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-399\" title=\"Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0519web.jpg\" alt=\"Yellowhammer\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0519web.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0519web-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-399\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yellowhammer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Of course, with so many birds concentrated in one small area it was inevitable that ours weren&#8217;t the only eyes watching them.\u00a0 Through the camera lens there was a rush of wings as everything took off, a blur across the viewfinder and then an opportunity for a morbid portrait.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_401\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-401\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-401\" title=\"Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) (c)Martin Kitching\/Northern Experience Images\" src=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0511web.jpg\" alt=\"Who ended up on the menu?\" width=\"300\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0511web.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/DSC_0511web-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-401\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Who ended up on the menu?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;re well into warm(er) weather now, although there was a fresh covering of snow this morning\u00a0and as\u00a0Martin sat through a 2hr meeting at Matfen Hall yesterday morning there was steady snowfall throughout. As well as the flocks of birds that are visiting gardens so that they can find enough food to survive we&#8217;ve been finding [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,16,139],"tags":[118,140,127,851,131,126],"class_list":["post-392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-birdwatching","category-photography","category-southeast-northumberland","tag-brambling","tag-linnet","tag-reed-bunting","tag-southeast-northumberland","tag-sparrowhawk","tag-yellowhammer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=392"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":402,"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392\/revisions\/402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}