Hadnall - A Grand Start

After two evenings travelling to talks and then a long Saturday Alpine show, this was going to be a quiet day at home. A phone call from Mike Stokes at 7.30 changed all that - "Grey Partridge showing well near Hadnall, looks worth a photograph?" I succumbed, it was off to join Mike, Rob and RV.....

Of course, by the time I got there, it wasn't exactly showing well but it was a year tick! A nice pair too......








And another one was to follow!! Corn Bunting and Willow Warbler (aleady got) were both singing nearby and noted as we homed in on the TSB lad's quarry - Ring Ouzel!! The walk down Painsbrook Lane certainly paid dividends as the Rouzel flew onto a fence post and then dropped into the ploughed field ahead of us.






Rich V then picked up another migrant just a couple of feet away - a cracking male Redstart! Year tick number two!







Realising, they were never going to pose for me, it was off to Venus Pool.....

Venus Pool - Wagtail feast

Venus Pool was notable for a great showing of Wagtails! A Yellow Wag dropped in just after I arrived and presumably the same bird reappeared on two occasions during the following hour - never near enough to capture. There were a couple of Grey and Pied Wags but this superb male White Wagtail stole the show! Great views in variable light conditons.....














Common Snipe and Common Sandpiper nearby.








Couldn't catch the aerobatics but this displaying male Lapwing was trying to impress and get the girl!

Bridgnorth - Owl finale

I finished the session over at Bridgnorth, down by the river where a pair of Tawny Owls have raised a couple of chicks again. Very high up so excuse the odd angle of view! Thanks to Yvonne for reporting these again. We had great fun watching the reactions of local folk - either interested or totally not, some refused to look up thinking it was a wind up!










I know just how he feels!






Catching up as well, a Barn Owl in flight over the top field at Venus Pool during the week.








And showing not quite so well but kinda cute - a distant pair of Little Owls at a private site.

Titterstone - Ring Ouzel!!

Early April is Ring Ouzel time in Shropshire. Any of the highest peaks are in with a shout but Titterstone Clee is by far the 'easiest' and usually most dependable site. Given my recent run of good birds and the fact that I was in the company of Andy Latham (if there was an Ouzel there - he'd be onto it in a flash), I had a confident feeling our luck would be in!

The weather forecast was dire with strong Arctic Northerly winds in prospect and we could see from a distance the snow covered heights!! Amazingly however, it was probably as calm as I can remember up the top. We set to work and by a stroke of good fortune decided to concentrate the car park area first (this was not our original aim!)









We had walked round to the scree slopes which looked pretty treacherous given the snow cover so we retraced our footsteps (easy in the snow!!) back to the car park. As we rounded the final corner, a cry went up from Andy "Thrush"! Yes, flying across in front of us was not just any ordinary thrush but a Ring Ouzel!! An adult female. It settled on the slope about 50m above us, flew a bit higher, a quick look round and then was off up onto the plateau and out of sight! There were literally just a few seconds for strictly record shots only.










What - MORE Wheatears? Well they looked good in the snow and males were predominant, guite a few migrant birds without colour rings. Note the last pic - a juicy worm under that snow cover!










Black Hill was tried for Goshawk but it was 'no show' sadly. There was a distant Red Kite on view however. Then, driving through the centre of Craven Arms an emergency stop was needed - I'd spotted yet another Red Kite overhead! (This was my fourth Shropshire Kite in the space of eight days) The locals were wondering who the crazy guy with the rocket launcher was and someone tried to put me off by tooting their horn (I was parked legally off the road for once!) but I still got the shot!








The day ended where it began, at Venus Pool. A solitary Common Sandpiper present all day plus a pair of Wheatear in the paddock off the causeway were the highlights here.

Chasewater - Crayfish for breakfast

Regular visitors to this blog will know I don't need an excuse to break off a car journey for a bird or two! So, en-route to Chesterfield and with just 15 minutes to spare, I called in at Chasewater. The Black-necked Grebes seem to have departed but the juvenile Great Northern Diver was showing extremely well.......








What do Great Northern Divers eat for breakfast? How about a nice fresh crunchy Crayfish? Simply break off the claws, then down in one gulp.....










Gosh is that the time - better hit the road for Chesterfield......

Cutthorpe - Waxwings!

Cutthorpe near Chesterfield has been home for four Waxwings since the 15th March. They hadn't been reported for two days however - nevertheless, I decided to try my luck as the site was just a mile or two from where I was returning from an AGS plant show.

I really am on a roll right now, not only were the birds present, I managed to take a few pleasing pictures between snow flurries - the sun even made an appearance! Fantastic birds, as I haven't seen these for a few years, I make no excuse for posting a picture or two.......












What do Waxwings do when the berries run out? Well, they don't look quite as nutritious but how about catkins for starters!

Venus Pool - feeling frisky

Let's start at the end of a decent Friday afternoon! Venus Pool, the sun had just come out and there were five buzzards playing/courting on a thermal in from of the main hide......












There were now FOUR Little Ringed Plovers and there was a bit of showmanship in progress to see who gets the girl?












A Great-crested Grebe with the sun catching quite nicely and showing off his swimming tackle!










Finally, back to the start! I was on my way to Titterstone Clee and in the Craven arms area - yet another Shropshire Red Kite! An emergency stop and it was camera at the ready in seconds (shame about the dodgy light and exposure). This was clearly different to the Clunton bird (a pristine stunner) - beginning to look distinctly scruffy and at least in need of new tail feathers! Note the small stick being carried - always a very welsome, positive sign with a Shropshire bird!!!!