Hopes were high of Whixall Moss performing with Great Grey Shrike and Hen Harrier seen during the week - I should know better.....
A long flog on Saturday, covering the Shropshire side was memorable for just a couple of Willow Tit on the walk in from Furbers bridge, then not a lot else of note. Walking off via the canal, a flock of c30 Redpoll in the Canalside Alders and then from the canal bridge - on the floods, good numbers of Teal, Shoveler, Pintail (10) plus a few Wigeon and Snipe.
I suppose you've got to do it once in a while.....
On the drive over to Telford, between Isombridge and Longdon on Tern - flock of 25 Curlew in an adjacent field and 13 Goosander on the small pool.
Didn't expect anything at Priorslee late afternoon and didn't get anything of note!
But you never know, unless you look.....
A quickfire Sunday morning session and taking by other reports into account, this is a really good year for Crossbills! Spent a couple of hours on the hillfort at Bury Ditches. Crossbills were soon heard and then seen - initially in two's and three's flying over calling, then one large group of 15. Very mobile though, only two males stopped very briefly within view.
A male Peregrine was the first of the year for me!
Bigger surprise on the way home with a Woodcock flying along the roadside on the A49 from Craven Arms, just after the 'Travellers Rest'. This area is Dave Pearce's patch and following a phone call, apparently not that unusual, a few have been feeding out in the open following the hard weather!
Let's hope for a decent image or two (not to mention birds) in the next week or so.....
