Mud, muck, gorse and a few birds! (1 Viewer)

[Kezza]

Had an unexpected free day today. I decided to go to Catherton Common, a place just 20 mins away but one I had only been to once before, when there was a Woodchat Shrike there in July and it suddenly became a very popular place! Last year there was a Hoopoe but that was before I was into birds. Today, I didn't know what to expect.

I made my way through the ferns and gorse, following sheep paths to an area where there are a few trees. I could see and hear many Blackbirds and some smaller finch types but realised I would have to try and get a lot closer if I was to id them.

The gorse was much taller than me in places and provided good cover. I got close to the trees and stooped down amongst the mud and cow muck and waited. Soon I had flocks of birds coming into the two trees by me. There were at least 40 Redwings, 30 Redpoll, 2 lovely little Goldcrests, a Wren, 6 Song Thrushes, 2 Warblers (don't ask me which!), Green, Gold and Chaffinchs, Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits. A Jay arrived and 2 Green Woodpeckers flew across the Common calling as they went.

Several Buzzards circled above, one came low and looked right at me (see pic!) Kestrels sat on the wires and a Sparrowhawk zoomed out of a tree narrowly missing me! I took 103 pics but the camera kept focusing on the branches so they are rubbish, but I'll add a few anyway! LOL! I nearly got stuck in some rather deep mud/muck on the way back, my wellie sunk right in and I struggled to pull my leg out! Grabbing hold of the gorse didn't help either! :eek!: I'm still getting the thorns out of my fingers.

Stopped at Titterstone Clee after where there was just 1 Wheatear now (it's a breeding site), 2 Stonechats, 8 Pied Wagtails and many Meadow Pipits.

Thoroughly enjoyed my free day with so many surprises! The Redwings and Redpolls are the first to be reported in Shrops this winter, so that's exciting! And the Goldcrests were my first of the year. Can't wait till my next free day! |=)|

The pics are labelled (if you point to them) please do say if any are wrong! Especially if it is to tell me the Goldcrest is actually a Firecrest!

 

[Kezza]

A few more and a Buzzard on a post quickly taken through the windscreen on the way home!

 

[pie]

Hi Kezza,
What a great day out!!
Ive not seen Redwings arrive yet but I hear they are showing well in some areas, I bet you were delighted to see the Redpoles too.
Did you manage to get pics of the Warlers? I think this is the time of year you might get something special! (I wish) lol!
The Golcrest are so cute.
Great pics Kezza

 

[Kezza]

Hi pie and thank you. No I didn't get pics of the warblers, got plenty of branches though!
I thought they looked very plain, like Garden Warblers but apparently they leave in Sep', so I guess not. I just presume all the unknown warblers are Chiffchaffs!

 

[Pam_m]

A great report of your day Kezza! Some super bird sightings you had, especially the Goldcrests! Your photos are really good especially the Buzzard ones.Doesn't that Buzzard look threatening in the first photo, very well captured Kezza!:clap:
It sounds a very productive site you have visited! I hope you have an enjoyable day as today on your next visit!


Best Wishes

 

[luke]

Hi pie and thank you. No I didn't get pics of the warblers, got plenty of branches though!
I thought they looked very plain, like Garden Warblers but apparently they leave in Sep', so I guess not. I just presume all the unknown warblers are Chiffchaffs!

chiffchaffs are most likely this late in the autumn. but as pie said, it might have been a rarity!

 

[matt green]

A great read Kezza, and some glorious Pics.

Well done with the Redpolls, only managed to see my first ever flock very recently and they are fantastic little birds.

Makes me want to go birding right this very minute!!!!

Matt

 

[mauricek]

What a great day out wonderfully described. I can feel your excitement myself.Some pretty good pictures too. I dont think it's a firecrest or it would have a white stripe running along just above it's eyes.
A pity really but I've never seen one either.Better luck in future.

maurice

 

[brianfm]

Sounds like my type of birding day Kezza! Up to waist in mud or soaked to the skin, all adds to the fun.

Saw my first Redwing of the autumn/winter on Saturday. Only one, but signifigant as I have never seen one so early in the autumn before.

Cheers

 

[Sue Wright]

Hi Kezza,

A great report, really lovely photos as well, you did well to get the Goldcrest. At least you got something at the end of it all, well worth the effort. That's the first shot of a Redwing I've seen so far this year, thanks. As far as I can see they're all labelled correctly, you'll know a Firecrest when you see one! As for WillowChiffs, I heard just one Willow Warbler singing at the New Forest again last week.

Good luck with a Firecrest Kez.

Sue.

 

[dolphinbride]

What an incredible day out, Kezza!
Great report and and lovely photos too!


Kristina

 

[dafi]

Well done Kezza. I have tried for a goldcrest photo four times now and still not managed one. in fact i didnt manage to digiscope any of the small migrants we saw on Saturday. Thats put my total to shame. Good stuff!!

Hello Kris nice to have you back!

 

[Ruth Daniel]

Hi Kezza,what a great day you had in your new (and previously very productive) place!!
A good place to keep your eye on by the sounds of it!
I love all your pics but especially the Goldcrest (I'm afraid it's not a Firecrest!) andf it's great to see the Redwings agin.....none here as yet tho hubby saw a Fieldfare on his way home from work tother night!:t:

 

[Paminfra]

Lovely pictues, Kezza - but how do you get your Buzzards to pose so nicely? I need to know!

 

[bill moss]

Hi Kezza,

Sounds like a place to visit more regularly. Nice shots of the Buzzard, your windscreen must be cleaner than mine. Not seen any Winter visitors here yet but then I haven't really been where they might be (oh I dunno, I usually get Redwings in the garden a bit later). Well done with the 'crest, not easy are they.

Bill.

 

[Kezza]

Hi folks, thank you for reading!

Pam, I was delighted to see the Goldcrests! My first in a few years as I don’t like going into woods on my own, which is where they seem to like. Such a lovely surprise to see them in a more ‘open’ location. I thought the Buzzard was going to swoop on me, obviously his territory!

Thanks Luke, probably Chiffchaffs then, I’ll never know for sure! I must try and learn the warblers asap, so I don’t miss something good.

Hope you can get out birding soon Matt, seems to be a lot to see at the moment. That was my first flock of Redpolls so it was a wonderful surprise. Previously I had seen just three!

Maurice, I’m glad you enjoyed the read. I had a big smile on my face walking back to the car, felt really chuffed! I’ll look out for that white stripe and be sure to tell you if I spot one.

Brian, there’s nothing like a good muddy walk is there! Glad I remembered the wellies this time though or I mightn’t have been so happy in my best trainers. Well done with the Redwing, hope you find many more on your travels. I was surprised to see the them as I didn’t think they were in the county yet.

Sue, thanks for checking the ids. I had to go back to the car and consult my book half way through to try and work out what I was looking at! Been watching the dvds now though so hopefully some of it has sunk in. So much to remember!

Kristina, Thank you, pleased you enjoyed it! Great to see you back and hopefully feeling better.

Dafi, thanks although my pics are hopeless but I had fun taking them! Knew they may be helpful in Iding the birds, if nothing else. Must try for some better ones though, good luck with getting some yourself.

Ruth, Well done to hubby spotting the Fieldfare! I’ve not heard of any of those around yet. That place might become my new favourite I think. Hope to pop tomorrow morning so I’ll look out for Fieldfares, and Firecrests of course!

Pam, Tricky aren’t they. I have pulled up beneath dozens of posts before and every time missed out on a pic. This was the first time I got one! But I remember your wonderful Harrier pics Pam. Try the hiding in the hedge thing again!

Bill, I’m going to try and go once or twice a week, at least for the next few weeks with the migrants arriving. I don’t think it is watched by anyone regularly so who knows what is missed. Look forward to seeing your Redwings later if you manage any pics, lucky you!

Best wishes everyone and thank you for your lovely replies.

 

[RKell1]

Hi Kezza
Great read, I didn't know where you were talking about so just did a quick Google of Catherton Common. Really wonderful landscape and walks you have there. That's a great list of birds for a day out too, I'd be well pleased to see that lot. Well done on the pics, I love the Redwing, hearing my first birds overhead tonight so I'll be checking the local fields over the next few days.

 

[Kezza]

Hi Ray, I heard them flying over at 10.30 last night too, the first time this year.

Yesterday I saw basically the same of everything although less Redwings (25) and Redpolls (12) and added a Blackcap (my first of the winter), 3 Yellowhammers and 2 Ravens and a Peregrine flew over.

Glad you managed to google the area, I never thought, I should have added a link or something! The common is a huge area, most of which I haven't walked around, yet.

Good luck finding the Redwings, I'm on the lookout for Fieldfare!