Still at last 4 Bramblings this morning, including a cracking male with about 50 Chaffinches at ST156358 along ‘The Drove’ halfway between Crowcombe Park Gate and Triscombe Stone feeding on beech mast. Also, Crossbills widespread in small groups at Black Knap, The Slades, Cockercombe and Triscombe Stone. Plus Dartford Warbler, groups of Siskins, 2 Green Woodpeckers, several Ravens.

Large flock (500+) chaffinch with occasional bramblings near Crowcombe Park Gate at midday. Then walked up to Triscombe Stone car park but no finches etc on the way or at Triscombe. Flock had moved on from Crowcombe Park Gate and area by 2pm.

Spectacular finch fest today on the Quantocks with around 1000 Chaffinch and 250 Brambling seen in three flocks:
- The first flock in the field just NE of Triscombe car park contained about 900 Fringilla with roughly a 4/1 ratio of Chaffinch/Brambling.
- The second flock further up the line of Beeches contained around 200 Fringilla, with at least 20 Brambling amongst them.
- There was another much smaller flock of c.130 Chaffinch towards Crowcombe Park Gate but I couldn’t pick out any Brambling from these.

Of interest, I also saw a flock of 26 Crossbill fly over Great Wood and found about three others towards Triscombe. Other stuff in the wood included: 1 Nuthatch, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Redwing, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Redpoll (heard only) and 3 Siskin.

Note: I was doing the Avon Blog yesterday and accidentally put the Westhay Moor Glossy Ibis photo as being from Greylake. Many thanks to Mike Moxon for pointing this out!

Minimum of 30 Brambling Crowcombe Combe Gate, with several hundred Chaffinch. Birds were feeding on both sides of the road.

Very much a minimum. Had roughly this many in one scan of the flock and birds were constantly coming and going.

Hello Alistair,
Don’t know what you are doing as SS Grid Square is not the Quantocks which is ST. Your ref for east of Black Nap should read ST171354

Yes sorry Jeff the reference for the first site east of Black Knap should be SS171354.

The second site mentioned is SS155369.

Hello Alastair, could you check both your OS Nat Grid Map Refs please, as I think Black Knap is at ST168353. Thanks Jeff.

At least12 Bramblings this morning with a flock of around 120 Chaffinches just east of Black Knap, SS1553689, and along main drove east of there. Also, around 20 Crossbills in area showing well at times.

Another minimum of 2 Bramblings at SS171354 with at least 150 Chaffinches, just to west of main drove between Crowcombe Park Gate and Triscombe Stone. One Crossbill unusually loosely associating with this flock, perhaps attracted by the commotion.

On an all day walk today from Dead Woman’s Ditch to Lydeard Hill and back: c200 Fieldfares and a few Redwings feeding on berries between Crowcombe Park Gate and Dead Woman’s Ditch on the south side of the road. Around 200 Chaffinches and 5 Brambling along ‘The Drove’ which runs between Crowcombe Combe Gate and Triscombe Stone at ST158365.

Another flock of around 100 Chaffinches and 4 Brambling at Bagborough Plantation ST171346. Both flocks were very flighty and mobile and difficult to get close to.

Finally a flock of 6 Crossbills in pines at Black Knap ST168354. Also Raven, Green Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch.