Thursday 7th October 2010 - Shenstone

Today I finally managed to shake off my man cold generated malaise and pay a long overdue visit around the patch.

I started on Stanklyn Lane and not long after scanning the paddocks I had 30 Meadow Pipits drop in from a NE direction. They then spent there time feeding up amongst the short grassy vegetation, occasionally perching up on the nearby fence wires. Also feeding in this area were 6 Goldfinches (3 immature). and 7 Pied Wagtails flew over heading SW. In Stanklyn Lane beet field there were signs that the Corn Buntings are starting to flock together, with 5 Corn Buntings seen perched up on seed heads/stems. A first winter ♂ Reed Bunting and single Linnet were also seen in this field.

5 Skylarks flew W and a Meadow Pipit flew SW over Back Lane. A Buzzard and a Kestrel were also seen. C70 Large Gulls (Herring & Lesser Black-backed Gulls) were in the freshly ploughed field next to Stone Manor.

At Heath Lane model aircraft field there were 5 Yellowhammers (2 adult & 3 immature) along the right hand hedgerow. 9 Skylarks flew over heading SW and 2 Grey Wagtails flew over heading towards (the privately owned) Stanklyn Pool.

63 Lapwings were again in the ploughed field along the A450 between Heath Lane and the Droitwich Rd roundabout. A further 6 Lapwing were in a field along Witch Lane, as were 2 Grey Herons. A flock of c.100 Linnets were in the adjacent field. 11 Skylarks flew over heading South and 30 Meadow Pipits were flushed from one of the fields by a hunting Kestrel. 2 Sparrowhawks were also seen along Witch Lane.

A single Red Admiral and 8 Small Whites were seen around the patch today.

Goldfinches - Stanklyn Lane, 7th Oct 2010:


Meadow Pipit - Stanklyn Lane, 7th Oct 2010:

Wednesday 6th October 2010 - Captains Pool

No sign of Emperor Goose today at Captains Pool, but 3 adult Mute Swans were new arrivals (TS).

Tuesday 5th October 2010 - Captains Pool

The Emperor Goose was again present today with 150 Canada Geese at Captains Pool (TS).

Monday 4th October 2010 - Shenstone

Received a call this afternoon of fellow local birder and proprietor of Tony's Cafe (Tony Smith), informing me that there was strange goose with the Canadas on Captains Pool. I popped down to have a look and saw a small goose that was about the size of a Ross's Goose with a white head, vermiculated frosty blue/grey body, small pink bill and orange legs. To be honest I was stumped and all I cold think was that it was a possible Pinkfoot x Ross's Goose hybrid. I took some photos and emailed former county recorder Brian Stretch (Worcester Birding) to ask his opinion. Brian had indeed seen one of these geese before (at his local patch of Grimley) and he informed me it was an Emperor Goose. This bird, although un-ringed, is undoubtedly an escape as they are an Alaskan and Eastern Russian species. An Emperor Goose, quite possibly the same bird, has been recorded in Worcestershire before at Clifton Pits and Grimley. Although this is a so called 'plastic' goose, its a nice looking bird all the same (see photo below).

Emperor Goose - Captains Pool, 4th Oct 2010:

Also on Captain's Pool were c.100 Canada Geese, 2 Black-Headed Gulls, 5 Great Crested Grebes (4 juvs) and the usual Mallards and Moorhens. Of note in the trees along the pool were 2 Jays, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Coal Tits. A Grey Wagtail was heard calling as it flew over.

Elsewhere on the patch there were 3 Jays and a mixed flock of c.60 corvids (Rooks & Jackdaws) along Stanklyn Lane. Also along Stanklyn Lane were 2 Common Buzzards. Another Jay, a light-phase Common Buzzard and a Kestrel were seen at Heath Lane paddock. 4 Skylarks flew North over Heath Lane and a Meadow Pipit flew South West.

Due to the unusually mild sunny weather today it was a good day for butterflies with 2 Red Admirals, 2 Small Coppers, 1 Comma, 3 Speckled Woods and 6 Small Whites all seen along Heath Lane. Also noted were a Hornet and a Migrant Hawker Dragonfly.

Red Admiral - Shenstone, 4th Oct 2010:

Comma - Shenstone, 4th Oct 2010:

Black-headed Gull - Shenstone, 4th Oct 2010:

Saturday 2nd October 2010 - Shenstone

A pretty quiet day around Shenstone today with the more interesting birds being seen around the Witch Lane area. 13 Skylarks flew over Witch Lane heading SW, as did 4 Meadow Pipits and 1 Cormorant (not a common bird on the patch). c.60 Large Gulls were in one of the ploughed fields and 18 Lapwings were in another. Also of note in the Witch Lane area were 5 Pied Wagtails, 9 Linnets, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Common Buzzard and a Kestrel.

A Green Woodpecker and a Jay were present in Stanklyn Lane paddocks.

A bit of news from yesterday, 5 Great Crested Grebes (4 juveniles) were seen at Captians Pool yesterday morning (TS). This is good news as I could only see three of the young grebes on my visit on Wednesday.