Sunday December 31

I was a bit late for the last morning of the year. Dave was more prompt and reported seeing a few large gulls flying over. By the end of the morning we had counted 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, eight Herring Gulls, and a few Black-headed Gulls overhead, and another hundred or so Black-headed Gulls in the distance over Studley.

There were signs that there may have been a recent shoot, no ducks on the pool, and eighty odd ducks flying from the flash field before we reached the hedge we normally watch from. One that did return was a drake Shelduck, the first since the spring.

Shelduck

The field also contained two Green Sandpipers, 16 Pied Wagtails, and five Meadow Pipits. A single Little Egret stood in the field beyond the flash field.

The Linnet flock has reached 120 birds, and there were also 47 Lesser Redpolls in residence. It will be interesting to see if their numbers continue to grow.

Linnets

So, I guess its time for a quick reflection on the year. The species total was 115 (116 if you include Feral Pigeon). This is a couple fewer than my personal best of 117. I managed to miss the only Common Sandpiper of the year in the spring and a Merlin in November, so I perhaps should have done a little better. The first part of the year was pretty quiet, but things picked up in August when Mark Islip was able to show me the second Great White Egret for the patch. Firsts for Morton Bagot followed in September and October, with a fly-over Osprey, and several Hawfinches. Another second for the site was a Black Redstart in October.

So not a bad year at all, even better if you include the Flecked General soldier fly (second for Warwickshire).