Dreary weather

9th, 10th, 11th February 2015
Birding this week has involved a bit of walking, but with little reward in terms of birds. In fact it was rather depressing to walk around so much farmland near Burton Hastings and see so few birds in the fields and hedges. Apart from a flock of 300+ Woodpigeons, a few Robins, the odd Dunnock and a couple of Reed Buntings it was distinctly quiet. I also had a good walk around the Curdworth/ Wishaw area but whereas the previous week had seen Grey Partridge, this visit produced only Thrushes, mostly Fieldfare, but also Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Song Thrush with Skylark and a single Meadow Pipit. At Cliff pool, Kingsbury there was a couple of Shelduck, 16 Common Snipe and an Oystercatcher. A change of scene was called for and a visit to Wasperton produced 30 odd Corn Buntings and perhaps 50 Yellowhammers. I popped in to Brandon Marsh on the way back where I saw another Oystercatcher and a couple of Water Rails. On one of the greens of the Golf course near the Carlton hide there was a 'cluster' of 18 Moorhens.