Before I get to this morning's visit to the patch I'll just mention that yesterday I picked an area on the northern edge of Redditch comprising mostly Abbey golf course and a little bit of the Arrow Valley. I wasn't expecting to see much and indeed I only recorded thirty species including Whitethroat, Bullfinch, and Swift.
A patch of rough ground between the river and the golf course was the most productive, and was good for Roe Deer. I also ventured north a little way up the slope and found myself surrounded by a field full of curious bullocks.
Overnight I put out the moth-trap because I won't be able to on Friday night. Unfortunately it was cold and so I caught just ten moths of seven species. New for the year were Australian Orange-tip (formerly called Ruddy Streak), and Yellow-barred Brindle. Both are common in our garden.
Having got up at 04.45 for just ten moths I found I had time for a pre-breakfast Morton Bagot visit. Yesterday a Golden Oriole had been found at Ladywalk near Coleshill, so why not park under Bannams Wood and hope for the best?
Of course I didn't hear one of those, but it was nice to see and hear Cuckoo, Garden Warbler, and Willow Warbler. Down at the flash field I couldn't see the Barnacle Goose, but did glimpse what I think was a well-grown Lapwing chick before it disappeared behind the sedge bordering the furthest flash.
A pair of Avocets have reappeared. They were feeding in the rapidly disappearing water in the centre of the nearest flash. A single Little Ringed Plover and a few more Lapwings were the only other waders present.
The ringers were catching birds near the Netherstead beehives, but I only had time for a brief chat before heading home.
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