Wed 7th November 2012 - Devils Spittleful/Rifle Range NR

This morning I did a walk around Devil's Spittleful/Rifle Range reserve with a none birding mate, Sparky the Goff.  Spark had come over the evening before and as we had consumed copious amounts of ale it seemed a good idea to go for a walk to blow away the cobwebs.

We parked up at Blackstone car park (where there is a rather useful snack van that does cracking crusty doorstop cooked sandwiches...ideal for the morning after the night before!

The walk between Blackstone and The Spittleful was absolutely chuffing with birds.  Large numbers of Meadow Pipits were present, as were smaller numbers of Skylark.  In one of the fields there was a flock of c.100 Chaffinch feeding and with them was a rather stunning looking ♂ Brambling.  Along the hedgerow between two of the fields there were 30+ Scandinavian Blackbirds present and alongside them were a handful of Fieldfares and Redwings.

I was hoping that there would be a few fungi about on the reserve itself but most of the fungi had seemed to have gone over.  The only fungi of note were Birch PolyporeDecieverHairy Curtain Crust and Meadow Waxcap.  

Bird species noted on the reserve were Green Woodpecker, Jay and Long-tailed Tit

Not the most productive of walks but it still blew the cobwebs away and helped me on the road to recovery.

Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutu)




Click on image to enlarge

6 comments:

  1. Hi Jason, nice to see you out and about once more, albeit a little worse for wear it would seem!

    Good spot on the Brambling, not had one as yet this autumn but here's hoping.

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  2. yayyy...i can access your blog again mate. I`ll be having one o those morning after the night before feelings...tomorrow. Dirt Box Disco in Bradford this evening :)

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  3. Keith - Cheers mate. I'm sure you will...I think it's going to be a good Brambling winter!

    Deano - Welcome back mate...have a great one!

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  4. Cheers Jase...will do.

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  5. Hi Jason, I have just caught up with your recent blog posts, well I say recent but I had to go back to the beginning of October.lol! All of them were splendid reads and with images to compliment your reports, especially so the Fungi images! Nice one with the Ring Ouzel and the recent Brambling! I have recently nailed Fieldfare and Redwings though only a handful. At least that is a start.lol!
    Hopefully a few Waxwings will make their way to our areas soon.
    Hope you have yopur wheels back now, enjoy your birding!

    PS: Have you reverted back to 'Shenstone Birder' or is my PC deceiving me.lol!

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  6. Many thanks Pam. I think it is shaping up to be a good brambling and Waxwing year.

    Yep, I did revert...I just felt Naturalist sounded a tad too pretentious and as I am first and formost a birder I thought I would go back to the old name

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