wildlife round up........
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February 12th
2021
Well I can’t remember having weather that has been so cold and has lasted for so long. But if you have been brave enough to get out there, then there has certainly been plenty to see.
There have been lots of small birds around including flocks of Linnet, Goldfinch and small parties of Reed Bunting with a pair or two of Corn Bunting thrown in!
I am also finding small parties of Yellowhammers at the Edgmond end of the Weald Moors which is a bird we don't often see in any number here. The flocks of Skylark continue to grow and are now numbering in the 70s. They are loving the area behind the horse fields at HAU together with small flocks of Linnet, Goldfinch and Chaffinch. Meadow Pipit numbers are still good and you can also find them feeding in twos and threes at the sewage works along with a small number of Pied Wagtails.
Because of the flooding, sections of outlying fields have become waterlogged, making them attractive to Snipe. I have seen several lately, one on Birch Moor behind HAU and 3 on Tibberton Moor, a little further afield.
Tibberton and Cherrington Moor are always worth a visit. There has been large number of Teal at Wall Farm which is a pretty regular occurrence for this time of year... When the open water here is frozen the ducks often move off onto the Strine. There have been a small number of Widgeon here as well this week. I also spotted 4 Dunlin feeding on the edge of flood water at Wall Farm this week. The higher land at the back of Wall Farm has had some flocks of Lapwings this week. The flock have numbered in 70s and a flock of Golden Plover of at least 100. Sometimes these two flocks feed together on the open fields. This week the Lapwings had a large number of Fieldfare with them feeding on the fields.
If you read Wildlife Update last week you might have picked up how pleased I was to see a flock of 80 Pink footed Geese fly over Birch Moor. Well, even better this week! A very high flying skein of 200 plus Pink Footed Geese, in two massive v shapes, actually flew over Edgmond on Wednesday morning.
Stonechat has traditionally over wintered on the Weald Moors. In winter, somewhere in the fields that border the banks of the Strine, you can usually find a pair or two. In my experience they are nearly always seen in pairs however yesterday I saw a single male on the fence posts around the HAU horse pens.
Redwings seemed to have reappeared in the gardens this week. Perhaps they have been driven to do this by very harsh weather. Our Blackcaps are still about, we had a maximum of 7 during January but I am beginning to think their numbers may have fallen. Maximum this week has been 4, two males and two females. Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch are still visiting the garden feeders regularly. Paula has spotted a couple of Tree Creepers this last week one of those in her garden; she has also had a visit to the garden by a Brambling which is a good record.
If you have been reading the reports on the Facebook Group, Edgmond Wildlife you will have noticed that marvellous Robin that comes to the window of John’s truck when he has his lunch! John, Paula and other village residents are still seeing small parties of Long Tailed Tits in their gardens which are always a pleasure. The Song Thrushes haven’t been singing quite as much this week, perhaps they have changed their mind about spring coming early after the weather we have been having!! But hey, the Snowdrops have been up for weeks and in this last week our first Primroses have flowered.
