Friday March 18

The high pressure system continues to sit over the UK feeding cold north-easterlies which are blocking migration and causing frustration to birders throughout the country. In addition this morning was resolutely cloudy.

So given all this negativity, I am pleased to say I recorded a decent bird this morning. A single call tipped me off, it called again, and then a third time, this last one the closest. A Curlew was evidently flying over, but though I scanned around I failed to clap eyes on it. For the first four years that I visited Morton Bagot a pair of Curlews held territory in one of the fields and they were guaranteed every March. Then sheep were introduced to their field and the habitat was eaten. The Curlews returned no more.

The latest West Midland Bird Cub annual report, which cover 2013, records just two pairs for the whole of Warwickshire. However each spring sees the occasional bird returning from the coast like a lost soul searching for a mate and some habitat to make a nest in. Their favoured field is now back to how it was, so perhaps all is not yet lost for this wonderful species.

I tramped around, noting a small flock of Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings in a grassy field near Netherstead. A single Siskin flew over, while at the flash field end of the site I counted 110 Redwings, 30 Fieldfares, 90 Starlings, 54 Teal, five Snipe, a Redshank, and three Green Sandpipers.

It certainly doesn't feel like spring yet.

Long-tailed Tit

My camera lay dormant in its bag for most of the morning, so was only brought into action in the final few minutes when a Long-tailed Tit posed for me.