This morning I resisted the temptation to return to Morton Bagot on the off chance that the Harrier might reappear, opting instead to resume winter-surveying the Circle.
The previous two venues had been Barnt Green and Bordesley, both more or less restricted to roads. This time I chose the area around Storrage Wood, which is roughly between Beoley and Rowney Green.
A few tiny roads and lots of tramping along little used footpaths was much more to my liking. Added to which this was a place I had definitely never visited.
As is often the case around here, Jackdaws were the commonest bird. The wood itself was small, private and impenetrable, so I didn't enter it. It didn't really matter because the surrounding countryside contained plenty of trees in hedges, while the fields were small and generally grassy, including some rough grassland which looked ideal for hunting owls.
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| Storrage Wood is visible in the distance |
Obviously expectations are low for this kind of exploring, but this means anything out of the ordinary is just that little bit better. Today's surprise was a Woodcock which got up from a grassy field under the shade of an old oak tree and headed back towards Storrage Wood itself. I had a good view of it, but my camera was tucked away in my bag.
Also gaining an honourable mention were a pair of Ravens, four Buzzards, and a flock of 79 Goldfinches.
I'm looking forward to completing the winter project by the end of February.
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