There are two ways to approach the #LocalBigYear challenge. One is to target particular sites at particular times of the year, to visit good habitats with possible scarce species in mind. This seems like the best way to go, and I'm sure I'll be doing just that...sometimes.
The other is to take a pin and stick it randomly in the map of your Circle, and go there to see what you can find. That is what I did today, and it probably explains why I didn't see anything thrilling. But it was fun.
My pin found an area called Heath Green, a few miles north of Redditch. Apart from a foggy start it was a gloriously sunny day and I trudged across fields of improved pasture, though muddy gateways, down a very muddy bridlepath, and back past an equestrian centre with nothing better than a singing Mistle Thrush, a surprise flock of 46 Lapwings, over 100 Redwings, and loads of Robins, Blue Tits, and their ilk to show for the day.
One thing I didn't mention about this middle of nowhere place, I parked next to Lion Wood. Ring any bells? Its a deciduous wood full of holly bushes which in 2020 hosted a Red-flanked Bluetail, a strong contender for the bird of the decade in the West Midlands.
And another thing. Previous pin in the map efforts this winter have brought me a Black Redstart and a covey of Grey Partridges. So yes, I'll be targeting the good places, like Morton Bagot, but I won't be forgetting the unknown random spots. How else are you going to stumble on the next good place?
In the absence of unusual birds to photograph, I opted for arty farty.
There are two Brockhill Woods in the Circle, this is the pretty one.
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