Tuesday 8th April 2014 - Wyre Forest (Shropshire)

It was a glorious sunny day today so Bev and I decided to undertake a walk in the Postensplain area of the Wyre Forest (Shropshire).  On arrival we bumped into fellow local birder Sean C who informed us that he had seen a Tree Pipit near the wood store.

Walking along the rides the warblers were in good voice with Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers all belting out their songs.  In the clearing/new plantation area past the wood store we picked up on Sean's Tree Pipit singing away and parachuting into the tree tops.  Also in this area were a flock of c.40 Common Crossbills, although there was no sign of the Two-barred Crossbills that had been present earlier in the year.

Common Crossbill (♀)

Also of interest during this walk was a Slow Worm basking amongst the dried bracken at the edge of a ride and an interesting little invert in the form of a Common Groundhopper (a close relative of the grasshoppers and a lifer for me).

All in all it was a very pleasant walk with the only downside being the lack of butterflies on the wing.

Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis)















Common Groundhopper (Tetrix undulata)