This morning I had a plan. I would go to the highest point in my Circle to look for Wheatears etc, and then head for Tardebigge Reservoir in the hope of a hirundine or two. Well that was the plan.
The highest point, 200 metres above sea level, is Cobley Hill. It lies west of Alvechurch and my Birdtrack records tell me I've been there before (which came as a surprise). Two pairs of Lapwings was a good start, and I had no trouble adding singing Greenfinch, but there was nothing remotely similar to a Wheatear.
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| I'm having no trouble finding Greenfinches, have they turned the corner? |
I walked down the hill to Cattespool where I located a few Tufted Ducks and a Little Grebe. A flock of at least 10 Fieldfares, and a Redwing chacked and seeped from the cover of a small wood, and a pair of Mistle Thrushes fed in a horse paddock. Completing the the circuit on the walk back up to Cobley Hill I looked up to see a Red Kite drifting over, and then heard the sharp call of a Brambling. I scanned the trees it had come from, but only succeeded in seeing it flying off.
Moving on to Tardebigge, I parked at the church and found more Greenfinches but no Hawfinch (probably long gone). At the reservoir there were five Greylag Geese, nine Great Crested Grebes and not much else. Certainly no hirundines. However I did get a #LocalBigYear tick when I spotted a Willow Warbler frantically feeding in a Pussy Willow.
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| Willow Warbler |
A couple of Blackcaps were singing, and a Bullfinch called, but neither species showed itself.
The ringers have kindly shared some photographs of their highlight, which eclipses anything I saw today. Unfortunately the Cetti's Warbler they caught was at a private site, so all I am permitted to say is that it was near Studley.
Very nice. Anyone desperate to see one should go to Upton Warren.
Hi Rich, I did wonder about Cobley Hill during the week but forgot all about it yesterday! Went looking for Corn Bunting at Shenstone instead. Saw none. I wonder if Wheatears still frequent Lower Park? Had become scarcer in my last few years of visiting, but still one or two up to 2017. Cheers
ReplyDeleteThere are so many places that could be worth a visit. Not enough time in the day.
DeleteTo partially answer my own question - I popped in at Lower Park late afternoon just to see what it looked like these days. Pools are too small, with quite a lot of deciduous planting around the pools. The surrounding leylandii hedge is now 10 feet high! Therefore, the only chance of Wheatear would seem to be in surrounding fields. Couple are currently ploughed, rest are grassland. Best bet looks to be horse paddocks you can access off Storage Lane.
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