Today was the date which had been set for the autumn West Midlands Alldayer. On this occasion several potential team-members found themselves otherwise engaged and so we were a team of three; Gary, Martin, and myself.
I have to admit that organisation is not one of my strengths, and consequently we were probably the most disorganised team taking part this year. It didn't help that I didn't know Gary's phone number, and neither did Martin. I was able to contact him using Twitter (X) until my phone ran out of charge but somehow, despite the fact that we were sharing the area all day, I didn't finally meet up with him until 18.00, thirteen hours after the birding had commenced. As a result, my beleaguered team had to rely on me to keep them up to date on what species we needed, while I wasn't always sure what they had seen.
It all started quite well though. I spotted a Tawny Owl in the car headlights near the church at 04.55. Then, in complete darkness I heard another, followed by the strangulated call of a Barn Owl. So that was a good start.
By the time it got light I was at the nearest flash in time to count over 200 roosting geese, roughly 50/50 Canadas and Greylags. This is a spectacle I never get to see as they have always dispersed long before I generally get there.
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| A small part of the flock |
Other useful additions in the half-light were Song Thrush (not seen again all day), Skylarks, and Snipe. By 06.55 I had to head home. I saw Gary's car, and then Martin, who was getting out of his as I left.
An hour later I was back, and headed to Netherstead to start my normal circuit. A Lesser Whitethroat along the access road was the only one seen all day, and a Collared Dove was also a handy tick. A calling Meadow Pipit was the first of two seen today, and evidence that at least some migration was underway.
I met Martin who had found a Whinchat on the plastic tree guards in the newly planted part of the field. He said Gary had gone to see it (and I later learned he saw two there, as did I). Martin also reported a Kingfisher, and while we were chatting, the day's only Grey Wagtail flew over calling.
After failing to add anything on my second visit to the flash, I had a distant view of the Whinchat.
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| Whinchat |
The promised sunny day was not in evidence, in fact it was getting gloomier. At around 10.25 I had my one bit of birding luck today when I noticed a moulting juvenile Spotted Flycatcher heading for the top of some Ash trees bordering the Morton Brook. I struggled to see it well in the poor light but did manage a record shot.
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| Spotted Flycatcher in the gloom |
Unfortunately it then disappeared before Martin arrived. As I waited by the nearest flash I realised I could hear Starlings and was pleased to see a flock of about 40. This species is largely absent here in the summer. Once Martin joined me we managed brief views of a fly-by Cormorant, again the only one seen today.
I had to leave for lunch, and to recharge my phone. Martin was planning to keep birding until 14.00, while Gary had gone home having told Martin he would return later in the afternoon.
By the time I got back, the weather had improved dramatically. It was now warm and sunny. Martin spotted my arrival, and drove up to tell me he had seen some Red-legged Partridges. I was then left to my own devices and quickly added Nuthatch and Siskin, the latter calling as it flew over Bannams Wood.
Later on I added Red Kite, a relief after I had had hopeless views of a large raptor over Bannams late in the morning which could have been a Kite or several other large raptor species (but definitely not Buzzard). This was at 14.35, and was followed by two tick-less hours as I tried unsuccessfully to pick out a Rook among some distant ant-catching Jackdaws. At least, in the sunlight I had good views of two Green Sandpipers on the Kingfisher Pool.
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| Green Sandpipers |
The tick drought ended when I spotted a Peregrine flying over the flash field. By this time I was near the road and had rediscovered Gary's car.
I eventually established that he was in Bannams, so I headed there. Messages told me he had found Marsh Tit, Willow Warbler, and Coal Tit. I eventually saw the latter. Several Swallows were perched on wires by the church.
By 18.00 I was ready to give up. We appeared to be on 65 species. Fortunately as I started to drive off, Gary found me and we were at last able to compare notes. It turned out that Gary had seen a Rook during the morning, and so the 66th and final bird was added to the list.
Next year I'll try to get the organisation right.
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| Juvenile Swallow |
I've just remembered that I also had a couple of non-avian highlights.
A Badger ran passed me in the morning, and a Grass Snake swam across the bulrush pool in the afternoon.
The full list:
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