Saturday 17th December 2011 - Shenstone

I started my visit to the patch at Captains Pool.  The pool was almost completely frozen with a small area of water  being kept free by the circling Mallards.  21 Black-headed Gulls were stood on the ice and a Moorhen and a single Canada Goose were also present.  Also of note at Captains were 5 Siskin in the Alders, 2 Jays and 2 Redwing.

At Stanklyn Lane paddocks there were 3 Green Woodpeckers feeding on the deck.  Opposite, along the hedgerow of the carrot field, there were 6 Yellowhammers present.

Heath Lane paddock was very quiet with only 2 Robins, 2 Blackbirds and a Goldfinch of note.

At Willow Marsh Fishery 9 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron and 5 Black-headed Gulls were recorded.  A Common Buzzard was over Witch Lane.

My final stop off was Barrs Lane/Butts Lane where I walked the public footpath a next to the stubble fields.  Whilst doing so I put up 70+ Skylark and 2 Meadow Pipits. In the trees at the back of Stone Manor were 25 Fieldfare.  Also, a Redwing flew over Butts Lane and a ♀ Kestrel was present near Eastfields Farm.  It was also interesting to see that the small drainage pond was starting to fill back up...so perhaps a bit more rain and it may be ok by the Summer for the dragonflies & damselflies.

Mallards on Ice - Captains  Pool
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4 comments:

  1. Warren Baker18 December 2011 at 08:06

    One species that very rarely visits the lakes (pools really) on my patch is the B H Gull, jase.

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  2. Jason K18 December 2011 at 09:14

    It's amazing how certain fairly common species can be scarce on our respective patches Warren. In my case Bullfinch and Marsh Tit are real patch scarcities!

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  3. Anonymous18 December 2011 at 09:39

    Very few winter Thrushes up here at the mo, Jason. They must have moved off to pastures new.

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  4. Jason K18 December 2011 at 12:05

    There seems to be more Fieldfare about around my patch than Redwing at the mo Dean. Although if I am out and about on an evening, I'm still hearing them call as the fly over.

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