Thursday January 4 - Lower Bentley

 More gap filling took place today. My choice of venue was Lower Bentley, a rather uninspiring area of farmland west of Redditch, and to the south of a wood called The Thrift. I actually parked by the entrance to a Worcestershire Trust reserve called Foster's Green Meadow. Most of this reserve is outside my circle, and its a renowned wildflower meadow. So not really a place to visit in January.

The highlights of my walk were a calling Yellowhammer, a substantial flock of Redwings and Fieldfares, and an exceptionally pale Buzzard.

Redwings and Fieldfares

Common Buzzard (very pale version)

I flushed the Buzzard from a line of trees. In flight it showed a white rump, and some white at the base of its tail, but not enough to get me very excited. It then landed in a tree two fields away, which explains the poor quality record shot. 

You would normally expect to be accumulating year-ticks on your second outing of the new year, but I had just three; a Cormorant flying west, a singing Mistle Thrush, and a Treecreeper.

I should, of course, be out looking for Waxwings. The nearest to me now are a few at Longbridge a mile north of Upper Bittell.