Berwick's Swan, Church Lawford, Warks.
Berwick's Swan
Berwick Swan
Grandborough Valley
Red legged Partridge, Lawford Heath
Meadow Pipit, Lawford Heath
Corn BuntingThursday 14th January 2010
Fog permitting I was going to base the day around Draycote without actually going to Draycote Water. So when the fog lifted a little I decided to give it a go. Lawford Heath was the first site and I soon had Tree sparrow, Corn Bunting, Meadow pipit and Red legged Partridge. It was then on to the Grandborough valley. I was prepared to give it some time to find a Merlin. As I waited a Raven flew over and then a male Merlin shot through the Linnet flock and perched in a tree. I was joined by Steve Cawthray who was eager to look for the Great grey Shrike even though it hadn't been reported for a couple of days. We had good views of the Merlin through the scope. It was interesting that there were also two male Sparrowhawk in the area but there was no interplay between them and the Merlin. What was also interesting was that a Sparrowhawk took a Field vole despite the huge number of finches around. While all this was going on Steve continued to search for the Shrike. His efforts were rewarded when it suddenly appeared on a distant pole. No sooner had we admired it through the scope and it was gone again, so its apparently become more elusive but still in the same area. I thought it was time for a well earned handy pocket sized Pork pie but as I started to salivate walking back to the car a message came through that there were still 5 Berwick Swans near Church Lawford. The pie would have to wait. I alerted Steve and we set off for the Swans a short distance away. In fact there were 6 Swans when we got there with a large group of Mute Swans.
Well done to Steve and yourself for catching up with the GGS today. I spent nearly 3 hours there looking for it with a dozen others on Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteIn case I go back was it left (west) or right of the path?
Hi Alan, The Shrike was on a pole to the right of the footpath walking away from the car. The wires and poles it tends to favour run parallel to and behind the hedge at the far side of the field. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteGreat top Bewick image, no need for in your face photography to get a good un.
ReplyDeleteI have just entered photography game with Canon 500D and 100-400 Canon Zoom, loving it, but a long way to go to catch this tpye of quality up.
Still a little uncomfortable with not birding proper when I have got it, if you get my drift.