Hen Harrier at Fisher's Mill

Hen Harrier, Fisher's Mill

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Goldcrest, Kingsbury Water Park

Monday 1st November 2010

Who said birding Warwickshire was boring? If you'd asked me at 12.30 pm I might have agreed, if you'd asked me at 1.30pm I'd have said it was positively exhilarating. Having pottered around Coton pools and Kingsbury Water park I made my way up the canal to Fishers Mill. Along the way I was lucky to get good views of a Cetti's warbler and heard a Willow tit. It had been an overcast misty morning and was still very dull when I got to Fisher's Mill bridge. - Just getting all the excuses in early for the photography. Things brightened up when a Peregrine made a low level run over Fishers Mill, north pool filling the air with Lapwing c70, Wigeon c30, Gadwall c20, and 6 Common Snipe. It was shortly afterwards a movement low to the left caught my eye. It was a ringtail Hen Harrier (177). It flew low out into the reserve then came back over Fisher's Mill across the canal and out of sight. Always a magnificent sight but even more so when you need it for your County year list. On the way back I came across a 'flock' of Goldcrests, involving a group of at least 6 birds and 3 Skylarks over Richards meadow.