A small flock of redwings on power lines

When the sun came out around lunchtime, I thought it would be short lived. But after a while I suddenly had the urge to go out and be in the fields on the top of the Cotswold hills. I know that flocks of birds gather near Chavenage, a small hamlet close to Nailsworth, so gathered al my bits and set off.

It was already 2-45pm before I arrived on the lane from the A46 to Chaavenage, and the single track road was very muddy and the cloud cover was coming in from the west. I parked in a passing place on the lane which meanders between fields some of which have Cotswold stone walls while others have hedges. A few copses are dotted about the landscape and nearer the hamlet a collection of modern farm buildings rather blights the views.

I was pleased to see a small flock of birds alight on some power lines crossing the field beside which I’d parked. I slowly got out of the car assembled the camera and lens extender and crossed the road to the old hedge bank. I managed to grab a couple of quickly prepared shots before the flock took off. I think they are redwing but am not certain. I've added an 'Extra' of them close to the field's stubble to which they'd descended, which I think had been a maize crop. I grabbed a few more pictures of them swooping about just above the field before they flew away to another field. A few of the birds are nearly in focus!

I must come back on a sunnier day as it is a lovely spot to explore and I generally see various birds. Before I left I'd seen many crows and starlings, as well as a different flock of mid-sized birds with white flashes on the bodies just above their wings. Sadly I can’t identify them from the rather murky pictures I took from some distance away.