SUNDAY.

Great day after heavy rain yesterday. The skies showed some blue, but as the day went on the the wind became fairly serious. The sky was busy, big flocks of Fieldfare and Redwings dashed across the fields hedge to hedge. Large flocks of Starlings lept into the sky and settled again in the small pastures the rush of wings could startle you if you hadnt seen the birds among the grass.

The Squirrels were up early and I suprised this one. It crept precariously out onto the slender branches of a Hawthorn tree to feast on the haws that the fieldfares had not eaten yet.

 

Buzzards looked on from a nearby telegraph pole. Buzzards were very active during the morning with 5 birds in the air at one time over a nearby wood. They enjoyed the good winds and wealed and dived at each other and at passing Woodpigeons and Stock Doves.

A Sparrowhawk dashed into the busy hedges and a small flock of Siskins were in much the same area as yesterday feeding on the Alder Catkins.

The Stonechat was sitting on a fence on the other side of the farm today.

The farmhouse hedge was busy. large numbers of tits going to the feeders and thirty House Sparrows sat in the hedge for a communial singsong. When I passed this hege later a couple of Tree Sparrows called.

The Little Owl was back in its hole.

The hide was busy this morning, lots of visitors sat and compared notes on the weeks birding highlights. In the distance a flock of Golden Plover crossed the sky. A few minutes later two Cormorants followed them.

The pool had good number of Teal, several Wigeon and Mallard. Six Herons stood in the fresh grass field to the left of the wetland and another two paced the far boundary of the pool. A Snipe called and a Pied Wagtail flew over the hide.

Other birds today, Lapwing, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Moorhen, Water Rail.

MONDAY

TUESDAY Martin Grant - The Stonechat was in its usual area of the Marsh on the boundary hedge to the right of the telegraph pole. A female Kestrel was on the pump house roof and one was also on the telegraph wires to the right of the footpath to the hide. A Jay flew down on to the ground in front of the hide and a second was in the back field to the right of the Marsh, 70 Black-headed Gulls caused quite a commotion as they landed on the pools where there were around 150 Teal not so many as Sunday when shooting in the area must drive them onto Wall Farm for refuge. A flock of 400 Wood pigeons were put up by a small falcon, possibly a Merlin, dashing after the Skylarks on the stubble. The usual couple of Buzzards and Grey Heron were also seen.

Pete Jordan - visited the hide in the middle of the afternoon between 14-00 and 16-30. He saw
the Stonechat and at 15-00 he watched the female Hen Harrier in its favoured area over the wet field to the left of the Marsh. Shortly afterwards the Water Rail was seen to swim across the pool in front of the hide and as if he hadn't already been lucky enough he had close views of a Short-eared Owl flying across the Marsh at 16-15 just as it was getting dusk.

WEDNESDAY Pete Jordan - I visited for an hour at 14-00, the Stonechat was again seen and Neil Jones, who was also in the hide at the same time, picked up the female Hen Harrier over its favourite field to the left of the hide.

THURSDAY Martin Grant - Good number of Teal today probably over 300 and a Little Grebe. A juvenile Mute Swan was also on the pools when it took off it startled a female Merlin that had been in the
smaller tree to the right of the large willow. I had a good view, in the bright sunlight of the Merlin flying away from me very low and fast over the stubble field. It may be worth checking that tree again perhaps it is a
favourite for the Merlin.

The stubble field has been half ploughed now but it still held around 1000 Woodpigeons, 500 Starlings, 20 Lapwings and 20 Skylarks. The usual couple of Buzzards a Kestrel and 4 Grey Herons were in the Marsh area.

DH- Recorded in the log book by a visitor [ DH ] In the morning, 2 Ravens, the Water Rail and 50 Fieldfare.

Pete Jordan -visited at dusk recorded Water Rail.

FRIDAY

SATURDAY Jon Lloyd, Tony Seagrave et al - very dull overcast and decidely cool today. Visitors today had a good time. During the day both male and female Hen Harriers have been seen. The female in her usual spot ventured near the hide and gave the occupants a rather good view. Merlin was seen again to day and a first winter Peregrine chased a flock of Woodpigeons before landing in the field behind the wetland some distane away.

The pool had good numbers of Teal and Water Rail was seen and heard by a number of birders. Eight Mute Swan flew overhead, 7 adults and a juvenile bird. Tony Seagrave was one of earlier watchers and found the Stonechat somewhere on the farm. Other birds recorded today were;

Fieldfare 500, Redwing, Cormorant 3, Little Grebe 1, Willow Tit, House Sparrow, Starling, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Little Owl, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Raven, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Rook, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Snipe, Pheasant, Blackbird, Song Thrush. Goldfinch.