Tuesday 16th February 2021 - Stanklyn & Stone
I started my walk around Stanklyn today by checking out the paddocks. I was greeted with the sight of two Common Buzzards sat on nearby posts there that were turned away from each other, looking very much like an old married couple that had just had a tiff.
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Further along the lane at the sheep field there were now 3 Stonechats present. This increase wasn't surprising as we were now into the prime Stonechat migration period with a number of birds passing through these lowland arable areas as they return to their upland breeding sites.
Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
I then headed to Butts Lane (Stone). All was pretty quiet there although I was treated to views of a female Sparrowhawk that flew in and perched on a fence post for a while.
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Thursday 18th February 2021 - Stanklyn
I only had chance for a whistle-stop visit to the patch today so I stopped off at Stanklyn Lane to see how many Stonechat were present. Only 2 Stonechat (a male & a female) remained today and interestingly this was the last date that I recorded any present there this winter.
Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) ♀
Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) ♂
Thursday 20th February 2021 - Elmley Lovett
Today I decided to have a walk around Elmley Lovett. What took me by surprise was the sheer numbers of Stock Doves that had dropped off in one of the large field there. I estimated that there were c.300 Stock Doves present. The photo below shows just a fraction of the birds present there. Nearby the flock of c.1000 Linnets were still present feeding within the weedy field margins.
Part of the large Stock Dove (Columba oenas) flock
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