The heavy rain did at least give the pool the impression of actually being a pool. But no doubt it will all drain away again.
I walked the entire length of the patch before completing the circle by 1pm. Such effort deserved reward, but birding in wind is hard work and the best I could manage was a Little Egret, 10 Teal, 70 Redwings, eight Fieldfares, a Barn Owl (usual place), and a singing Chiffchaff (which I couldn't see).
In fact, not seeing birds was something of a theme. I still need some record shots for my photo-year-list including Green Woodpecker (two heard yaffling in the distance), the aforementioned Chiffchaff, Jay (heard only), Sparrowhawk (seen circling about half a mile away), Yellowhammer (heard only), not to mention Nuthatch, Treecreeper, and Siskin (all not recorded at all today).
I have been considering splashing out on a new camera. A chance meeting with Mike Lane helped me make up my mind. He has an Olympus something or other which he absolutely loves. He also described it has the most complicated camera he has ever owned. As I would struggle with the technology if I was somehow transported into the Bronze Age, there is no way I am going to spend three grand on a camera I cannot use. So I'll stick with the easy peasy bridge camera I currently own.
The only insect species on view was the odd Buff-tailed Bumblebee, so that just left mammal watching.
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| Brown Hare |
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| boxing hares |
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| Muntjacs |
Terry kindly rang me at about 12.45 to ask if I knew about the Ring-necked Duck. Of course I didn't. It was at Westwood near Droitwich and access had been arranged until 1pm. That's a shame. Plan A was to go to Hillers with Lyn.
I stuck with it, and a pair of displaying (or jousting male) Red Kites would have been full compensation if I had bothered to take the binoculars. Oh well.
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