Yesterday I walked along the river hoping the cold had
driven birds off the local lakes. This pool to the north of Morton Bridge looked
promising and might hold water for a few days…
It already attracted a Little Egret, Snipe, a handful of
Lapwing, five Teal and four species of gull plus a total of around 60 Curlews…
Along the river there were two more Snipe, two Goosander,
another two Little Egrets, a pair of Little Grebe, a further four Teal and a
Kingfisher…
Walking back along Potter Lane one stubble field held at
least 50 Skylarks, 13 (very distant) Golden Plover were near Swalefields…
And a Grey Wagtail joined the Pieds on the good old muck
heap...
Today was another very cold but beautiful morning. I popped
into the Magic Garden, there were quite a few winter thrushes, mostly Redwings,
along the ditch.
On the Bottom Fields the flood water was mainly frozen but
as the sun melted it, large numbers of corvids, Starlings and wagtails moved in
to feed, following the shadow line
westwards. There were a couple of Meadow Pipits with them and as I crept closer
(to check for Water Pipits) I flushed a Woodcock. Quickly followed by two
more that had all come out of a tiny area of damp willows. A Sparrowhawk and
Jay were the only other birds of note.
A very quick look down Potter Lane this afternoon saw large
numbers of Fieldfares near the river, 500+ in tight, nervous flocks which
quickly dispersed and flew towards the village. On the farther bank six Wigeon
had dropped on to the remnant floodwater.
During the last week Tracey Palmer spotted a Barn Owl hunting along
Greenhills Lane. The first parish sighting for some months.
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