1st and 2nd April 2012 - Shenstone

Sunday 1st April
Didn't really cover the patch today although I did drop into Back Lane, on the way back from a garden centre with Bev, to check if there was any sign of the previous day's Wheatears.   There was just one adult ♂ Northern Wheatear still present.

Monday 2nd April
This morning it was back to the serious business of working the patch.  The weather was definitely starting to turn.  The skies were dull & overcast and the temperature felt considerably cooler.

I started my visit by checking out Stanklyn paddocks.  Feeding on the ground within the paddocks were 1 Fieldfare, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush and a Green Woodpecker.  Two Chiifchaffs were singing in this area and a Peacock butterfly was also noted.

There was no sign of any Wheatears at Back Lane today but a 2 Skylarks and 7 Stock Doves were on the plough.  A ♀ Kestrel was also present here.

Whilst on Witch Lane 10 Meadow Pipits (a flock of 6, a flock of 3 and 2 single birds) flew over.  Two Common Buzzard, a Grey Heron, 2 singing Chiffchaffs and 6 Linnets were also noted.  The only buttterflies observed were a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell.  A small number of  Metasyrphus luniger hoverflies were also seen.

Four Tufted Duck (2♂ & 2♀) were at Willow Marsh fishery. These were possibly the 4 Tufteds that were at Captains Pool 2 days before.

My final walk was over the Butts Lane/Bars Lane field.  Things were fairly quiet here birdwise other than a Common Buzzard, 4 Skylark and 2 more singing Chiffchaffs.  I did however see a few Andrena nitida mining bees feeding on the Dandelion flowers.

Hoverfly (Metasyrphus luniger)

Mining Bee (Andrena nitida)