Soil Hill jackpot plus a bonus.

After a day of dense fog up here in the gods until early afternoon it was good to see clear skies again.
A trip out with the grand daughters to Harden garden centre to see the Christmas display, seeing it was too wet for the swing park, produced a Buzzard over the car park then dropping down into St Ives closely pursued by a Sparrowhawk.
1630 hrs and up to Soil Hill with Snow Bunting, Ring Ouzel and Jack Snipe in mind plus a sky watch for Pink Footed Geese and Fieldfare after a call from HC reporting some Fieldfare on the move.
                                                            First bird was a Jack Snipe flushed from the east summit near the Dunlin pond where it flew low for about 30 yards before dropping again and as I neared the position it flew again dropping down into the reeds at the top of the north slope where I left it in peace.
A check of the tree line produced nothing so on to Ring Ouzel clough where, as I was scrambling down the top part of the ravine to a good vantage point ,  what I expected to be Blackbird flew from the direction of the tree line and disappeared into the thick brambles right down at the bottom just giving me time to get it in the bins revealing a female Ring Ouzel. After 15 minutes watch the bird never re appeared but by now the light was fading so probably gone to roost.
                                                         On the plus side, as it flew across the edge of the field it flushed a Wheatear which headed over the bottom track into the large pile of stones.
No geese or Fieldfare but several small flocks of Redwing in various directions , obviously being bounce back birds.
Still a few patches of gravel and short grass on the east summit which may be enough to tempt a Snow Bunting or two down next month.
As predicted by HC watch the skies this coming week for the flood gates opening to let the Fieldfares through, its got to happen this week weather permitting.
BS.