November 2026 Ramsbury Bird Notes by Paul Swan

Mandarin Duckl

This is that 'in between time' when all our summer visitors have left and the winter visitors have yet to  arrive. In the next few weeks, we should see the golden plover, redwings and fieldfare back on our patch.  What has been notable in the last few weeks is the variety of unusual flocks. There have always been a few  pairs of Mandarin ducks at Priory Bridge and on Manor Lake. We recently saw a flock of over 30 which was  a very dramatic sight and shows that they have had a brilliant year. Unusually, these are one of the species  of duck that nest in trees, rather than on the ground. Their nests can be up to 30 feet above ground, and  the fledgling ducks first experience of flight is falling to the floor beneath! Flocks of goldfinches are not  unusual here, normally feasting on thistles. However, last week we saw a large flock flying back and forth  between an oak tree and a group of larches. Apparently, this is not uncommon in Autumn, but no one  seems to know what they are feeding on. Possibly, larvae under the bark. The final flock was a huge group  of gulls circling over the village. As expected, the weather changed for the worse the very next day.