Geoff WORCS
Well-known member
Not one for treading well known paths these days and back for a breif visit to my beloved Blighty I spied a diamond in the rough. Between Lickey and Lydiate Ash stands a mound of rugged grassy scrub, a heath no less. Suspecting a prior landfill site with its unobtrusive methane vents and having half an hour to spare I took a hike. I love these sort of sites, the way that nature reasserts, resurrects itself after a razoring from mankind.
Mostly rank grassland with a smattering of woody shrubs and small trees. Around its edges some excellent mature trees in the hedgerows and ubiquitous creeping brambles. But interestingly this hillock, an oasis in the manicred desert of arable farmland holds water. Tiny pools matured sufficiently to hold bulrush and juncus ! Ahh yes the birders heart leaps at the site of such aquatic beauties, portents off wetland delights. And I wasn't to be disappointed for here I found snipe, 6 or maybe 9 and one silent and diminutive jack !
Moving on skirting the summit I passed an unseen woodcock which moments later exploded from the weathered grasses, its beating wings alerting me to its escape.
On the summit another surprise a tiny flash. Open on all sides with the coverted shoreline which catapults the mind to Spring and Autumn when a shoebird may ponder and rest from its global wanderings. Ah yes temminck's stint......... dream on.
So here then is my self discovered and uexpected list at the little oasis in the ward of Marlbrook -
Common snipe 6
Jack snipe
Woodcock
Grey heron
Meadow pipit
Pied wagtail
Skylark
Green woodpecker 2
Stock Dove 2
Kestrel
3 Roe deer
Mostly rank grassland with a smattering of woody shrubs and small trees. Around its edges some excellent mature trees in the hedgerows and ubiquitous creeping brambles. But interestingly this hillock, an oasis in the manicred desert of arable farmland holds water. Tiny pools matured sufficiently to hold bulrush and juncus ! Ahh yes the birders heart leaps at the site of such aquatic beauties, portents off wetland delights. And I wasn't to be disappointed for here I found snipe, 6 or maybe 9 and one silent and diminutive jack !
Moving on skirting the summit I passed an unseen woodcock which moments later exploded from the weathered grasses, its beating wings alerting me to its escape.
On the summit another surprise a tiny flash. Open on all sides with the coverted shoreline which catapults the mind to Spring and Autumn when a shoebird may ponder and rest from its global wanderings. Ah yes temminck's stint......... dream on.
So here then is my self discovered and uexpected list at the little oasis in the ward of Marlbrook -
Common snipe 6
Jack snipe
Woodcock
Grey heron
Meadow pipit
Pied wagtail
Skylark
Green woodpecker 2
Stock Dove 2
Kestrel
3 Roe deer
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