SUNDAY 1st February

Well, a great day, bright start and clounding over after lunch...It was one of those days nothing terribly rare but plenty to see......

The Grange pool had at least 1 Cormorant and the field to the west running along side the road was full of Starlings, Fieldfare and Redwings. Near the hedge several groups or Chffinch hopped around on the dry bits between pools. A Pied Wagtail sat up on a twig blown there by the severe winds yesterday afternoon. here at least was dry and it took the oppotunity to clean in the warm sun.

There plenty of Buzzards around today, at least 4 at once in the air at any one time. The eastern fields produced probably the biggest flock of Lapwing of the winter some 500 birds flying over head and a further 50 still sitting in a nearby field.

The hawthorn paddock on the eastern side of the old Wall fort had plenty of small birds and they all seemed to be calling on this very warm spring like day.

The daffodils were poking up in farm garden but the Snowdrops were there already, several clumps, up and out in vibrant pink and looking very pleased with them selves. I found no less than three paties of Long Tailed Tits on different sections of the farm this morning numbering over 20 in total. The troup near the hide seemed to be totally unimpressed by my presence and performed only a few metres in front of me.

The pools were stacked with Teal, single Gadwall, two female Wigeon and few Mallard. The teal were very active, the males squabbling and displaying and one pair mating.


Interesting display making use of that dark cream triangle at the base of the tail. They manage to wiggle this around quite a bit towaqrds the end of the display.

They start by dipping their heads and in the quick jerk up catch the points of their beaks in the water throwing a thin ribbon up into the air.

The Buttery had 27 Mute Swans, the famous look alike Snow Goose (duck!!) and lots of Black heaed Gulls feeding with them.

These fields to the south of the farm are well flooded.

Saturday 7th Feb

A busy day by Wall Farm standards with three visits entries in the log. One of the more interesting was a single Coot which is probably the first for the winter this year and I couldn't see it anywhere. Steve and Tony had both recorded it earlier.

I visited late afternoon. The Peregrine was out in the field, sitting amongst the winter corn, the lawn as I call it. A Kestrel was hovering up on the field near the road in the distance. At dusk a Merlin sat on the far fence post, gave the Teal quite a fright! It took off circled the poll flying very low and cam past the hide right to left, lifting over the far fence and then down hugging the ground and disappeared from view.

The Teal on the pools are still on a good day up around 500. You never realise quite how many there are until a bird of prey passes then they scramble out from the rush cover into open water. When buzzards go over they tend to dive under as well.

Amongst the Teal are several Shoveler which still seem to be hanging on in small numbers. Seven Pintail were recorded yesterday day.

Venus Pool

I dropped into Venus on the way back from Shrewsbury. Quite a bit there really for a short visit.Two Oystercatchers up on the central gravel island, apparently the second bird joined today. A Bittern was seen a around 1.00pm but I dint see that. There were three Great Crested Grebes on the pool and 1 little Grebe. It was nice to se two Goldeneye and a pair of Teal. A single Grey Wagtail dropped in.

The river was looking very flooded but he evidence of flotsum on the now drier sections of raod shoed that it had been worse.

THE RIVER SEVERN IN FLOOD AT ATCHAM