I went for a walk from Coxhead to Pont Gogoyan this morning. There were noticeably large numbers of Blackbirds about. I estimated there to be maybe 150 on a 90 minute stroll, scattered evenly about in woods, hedges and fields. There were 40 Siskins at Coxhead. Afterwards I popped over to Pant Pool; 10 Little Grebes and a Little Egret present but I couldn't see the Pochards. It crossed my mind that a whole raft of Pochards could be behind the new slurry tank, unseen. So I walked back down the lane a bit and in fact a pair of Mute Swans were there, invisible from where I normally watch, by the fence.