Woodcock in the Snow

Woodcock

Tell tale signs of Woodcock activity, this 3 hole pattern was repeated at regular intervals as the Woodcock probed the grass and leaf litter below the snow.

Thursday 23rd December 2010

Having checked out the Rowans in Grendon and found that instead of the 2 Waxwings there yesterday, there were now 21, I moved on to some woodland. I was delighted to find 3 Woodcock. The first one was flushed but the other 2 were watched for some time probing the snow out in the open. Quite a treat.

I'd picked up a pager message earlier in the day about a Mediterranean Gull at Long Lawford near Rugby. I still needed Med. for my County year list but after dithering had decided to stay local. When the message was repeated in the afternoon I decided I had to go for it although the light was starting to fade. I eventually got to Long Lawford and started to look for gulls, even when I found the right road there were few gulls and I feared I'd missed the boat. I then spotted Helen waving at me and JJ and I took up a vantage point where John had seen the gull throughout the day. It wasnt too long before the Mediterranean Gull (183) showed well, flying around with a couple of Black headed gulls at roof top height. It had been an eventful dead the only down side was finding a Tawny Owl dead on the road on the way to the Brewery.