MORNING WALK ACROSS TO PAVYOTTS LANE VIA BARWICK VILLAGE
WEATHER: dull, grey and overcast all day, lots of rain. Temp 7-8C
It was yet another dull morning with lots of rain and just like an idiot I went out in it and got soaked. When I first went out around 10am it wasn’t raining so I never put on my waterproof trousers, doh!!! It seemed quite pleasant with a very light breeze. I sat on my garden bench and watched the feeders for a while, it was nice to see that House Sparrows are becoming regulars once more and a small flock of 5 Long-tailed Tits was great watch, I just love the subtle pink colouration on the scapulars and the breast as well as their pink eye-brows.
4 Long-tailed Tits
I walked over towards Barwick Village along a footpath which takes you past an old trout farm, there is no access to the pools and you can’t see the water from the public footpath, but I scanned the area and found species number 51 for the month, a Kingfisher. A pair of Mallards flew up off the stream that runs from the trout pools and quite a few Redwings flew over.
a distant colourful gem at the Trout Pools
Just before I climbed a stile to get onto Rexe’s Hollow Lane A fieldfare flew up from a small horse paddock and a Green Woodpecker called from behind me. Scanning a grass meadow I saw the Woodpecker on the grass and quickly got my scope set up and although I could only see half of the bird I managed a few pics.
female Green Woodpecker
My walk through Barwick Village produced the usual Collared Doves, Blue & Great Tits, I heard Song Thrush singing and many House Sparrows were flitting about, both Barwick and Stoford have healthy populations of sparrows.
By the time I reached the western end of the village it started to rain, very light drizzle at first, so I continued to Pavyotts lane. Once I reached the lane the intensity of the rain increased, I started to get wet. The main cow fields were empty of birds except for 11 Herring Gulls, there was no sign of Lapwings or Golden Plovers. The potato field was now empty of potatoes the harvest was complete, however it was teaming with bird life.
Great Tit with a Long-tailed Tit on one of my feeders
Hundreds of birds were feeding on the disturbed soil, large flocks of Starlings, Redwings and Fieldfares competed for worms and other invertebrates with Rooks, Jackdaws, Magpies and Crows. The rain got quite intense, my trousers were not water proof although my new rain-proof jacket was working well.
I walked a little further to the maize stubble field where very few birds could be seen, I noted a Grey Wagtail flitting around the dung heap and not much else at all.
It continued to rain all the way home which was quite miserable for me, I got soaked and got back home feeling very wet. I changed my wet clothing, my darling Dawn made me a hot chocolate and everything was OK.