Local sightings (21st March to 3rd April)

Kestrel perched high above the patch 

Coma

Small Tortoiseshell

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

Peregrine

Peacock

Cold northerly winds have hindered any migration movement but most sites locally are much the same. Since the last blog we have had a number of patch year ticks - Redshank, Curlew & Dunlin both made brief appearances on 27/3, the first Swallow came through on 31/1 whilst the first Willow Warbler was singing on Saturday 2/4. The year list is now 94 species.

Best counts during the period of this blog are as follows:- 10 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 9 Mute Swan, 22 Greylag, 35 Canada Geese, 2 Shelduck, 11 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 145 Mallard, 14 Shoveler, 97 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Partridge, 85 Coot, 3 Oystercatcher, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Lapwing, 1 Dunlin, 1 Curlew in field, 1 Redshank, 60 Black-headed Gull, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Herring Gull, 3 Cetti's Warbler territories, 3 Blackcap, 3 Pied Wagtail, plenty of Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler,  Treecreeper singing, 1 Siskin, 1 Peregrine, 2 Kestrel, 10 Common Buzzard, 2 Red Kite, Sparrowhawk & 1 Stoat (seen twice).

Local Owling

Little Owl delight

On the lookout

Tawny Owl enjoying the sunshine

Hunting Kestrel

A rare session of winter sunshine enabled me to head to a couple of local spots to see some of my favourite birds. First stop was a private farm where I was really pleased to see one of the pair of Little Owls. On my last visit they looked to be struggling with the attention of a clan of Jackdaws, thankfully they look to be still holding their territory. 

I then headed to Morton Bagot where the patch Tawny Owl was also enjoying the warmth as I headed down the hill. Of all the times I've been to Morton Bagot the Tawny has only been viewable a few times….very pleasing. Three Redwings & two Bullfinches emerged from the hedgerow whilst I watched the Owl.

A Kestrel was hunting for a late breakfast whilst I was watching a flock of fifty Redpoll flying around. Strangely enough I met another two birders from Redditch (one of which was a blog reader) on the way to the flash we had a nice chat before I starting scoping the flashes. The Flashes were quieter than I'd hoped & sightings were restricted to 3 Coot, 5 Teal, a Black-headed Gull, a Grey Heron, 2 Stonechat & 7 Lapwing (plus Cormorant over). In the field behind the flashes there were 15 Greylags.

On the way back the car I added 2 Goldcrests to the morning list feeding in the hedgerow where the logs used to be stored. 

Christmas Birding at Salford Priors GP

 Pophills Field

Sunrise on 28th December 

Pophills Pit taken from hedgerow side

 Common Buzzard on Old Barn

 Scaup

 Kestrel

 Yellowhammer

Goldeneye

The Christmas break enabled me to head down to the Gravel Pits for a number of visits. Thankfully the weather was very good even though it was extremely cold. 

Chris & Jon had reported a pair of Shelduck, Caspian Gull whilst @babblingbirder spotted a Barn Owl on the 19th so I was keen to try and find this beauty.

On Christmas Eve I spent a good deal of time on the Pophills Pit side of the site where it was great to see the Yellowhammers at close quarters. There was a number of Sky Larks, Meadow Pipits, Fieldfare and Redwing.

On the main pit there was the second Scaup of the month. Other notable sightings included 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 30 Gadwell, 2 Shoveller, Kestrel and a Grey Wagtail.

On the 27th I headed down for the last hour of day light and the hope of finding the Barn Owl. After scanning all the pits from the bridge I had a slow drive around the perimeter where I flushed the Owl and followed it down the lane before it went out of sight. Really pleasing to find this beauty. I will certainly be hoping to watch him hunting very soon.

An early start on the following morning was rewarded with beautiful sunshine and some new arrivals on the main pit. A female Goldeneye and 9 Wigeon had joined the Scaup who was with the normal Mallard, Teal, Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Little Grebe and the long staying Green Sandpiper.

The Little Owl was being hounded by a selection of birds so remained out of range of the camera. 7 Greylags flew over with 20 Lapwings.

Just above the road a Kestrel was hunting for an early breakfast whilst the Pophills Buzzard looked on with hope he might get the left overs. 

Sightings around the plantation included Green Woodpecker, Coal Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Great & Blue Tits, Mistle Thursh, Fielfare, Redwing and of course large number of Red-legged Partridges (which still give me a near heart attack every visit).

To the north of the pits I spotted my first site Jay which was a bonus and I also noted Jackdaws, House Sparrow and Collared Doves in the village.

(All images digiscoped as always)