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Bittell Reservoirs and Hopwood area (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter wmtlynx
- Start date
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Hi Pam....yes I know how lucky we are to have it so near to home.
The light yesterday was really special for everyone to pick it out and enjoy its fliting about.
I do know that some other folk are sharing the experience with others and the scope oeople are always ready and willing to share their good fortune.......I do tend to generalise too
often BUT when others start to wind me up I always take the bait.
Repeating what has been said before....if others like keeping 200 yards away as well as some that can get closer undetected where is the harm.
Warning people would not stop the ones that think they know best and the rest auguing is pointless.
Keith....on phone from work.
The light yesterday was really special for everyone to pick it out and enjoy its fliting about.
I do know that some other folk are sharing the experience with others and the scope oeople are always ready and willing to share their good fortune.......I do tend to generalise too
often BUT when others start to wind me up I always take the bait.
Repeating what has been said before....if others like keeping 200 yards away as well as some that can get closer undetected where is the harm.
Warning people would not stop the ones that think they know best and the rest auguing is pointless.
Keith....on phone from work.
lesser kestrel
Well-known member
GGS showing mid to late afternoon. Thought it had gone to roost about 3pm, light was fading fast; however, saw it again about 3.50. Stayed till dark hoping something else might show but was too wet and cold. Two common buzzards hunting the far field, close to the shrike.
Also seen, male kestrel, female sparrowhawk, 4 grey herons, redwing and fieldfare, blackbird, robin, blue, great and long tailed tits, greater spotted woodpecker, herring gulls, LBB gulls, wood pigeon and stock dove.
Scaup and drake goosander on Lower Bittel.
Bramblings seen am on the Lickeys.
Also seen, male kestrel, female sparrowhawk, 4 grey herons, redwing and fieldfare, blackbird, robin, blue, great and long tailed tits, greater spotted woodpecker, herring gulls, LBB gulls, wood pigeon and stock dove.
Scaup and drake goosander on Lower Bittel.
Bramblings seen am on the Lickeys.
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Rob Williams
Well-known member
Showed well around 1pm today. Saw it make two attempts at making a kill but it came back up with nothing.
wheatearlp
Well-known member
Shrike seen at about 11.20-11.25 this morning, although distant beyond oak tree in centre of field.
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
9.30-12.15.....
Sunny frosty morning tempted me to look for our friend the Shrike and a good gallery were present when I arrived...had to park in bottom lay-by.
Could not pick it up but the Scoping lads had it on the horizon to the right....where it quickly settled into 2 hours of distant views in the normal fields between the Oaks.
Lots of normal Sunday traffic in the form of the local jogging club...as well as regular cars stopping...well done to the Scopes again for supplying the knowledge to them all.
It was now freezing and overcast so the Shrike tends to blend in with the fauna its hiding in but me and Warwick were kept entertained by the local Male Kestrel perching/hunting in Shrike fashion on the twiggy tree tops and a large...maybe 70 ...flock of Crows doing the same and diving into the grass...a new behavior for me.
Also a buzzard came over the rise and did the wintertime hunting method...hovering...looks so funny....but made the mistake of doing it next to the Crows...FIGHT.
Just before leaving we spied a very large (long) plane and Warwick Identified it from miles away ...and my pic confirms it ...as a very long plane..forgot what Warwick told me....lol
All the time there were Redwings around with one flock of about 50 with the Tits as usual in the near hedges.
Walking down to bottom lay-by I had one last try for the Shrike in the bottom field but all I got was the Fox by the gate which turned (bushy) tail and ran.
Also the Male Kestrel was still Shrike hunting on the tree tops and it went off to the back as well.
This field is not a good 'un for pics as its so full of trees on the same flat ground so if the Shrike is in here it will be very hard to even spot unless close.
It was raining by now and I went on to Lower Bittell but all I could I.D. was a Pochard Male on the left bank ...I quickly ran back to car and home for Brekkie.....
Only just getting feeling back into fingers.
Keith :t:
1..Only 2 Herons today....heres one.
2..Male Kestrel.
3 Small part of Crow flock.
Sunny frosty morning tempted me to look for our friend the Shrike and a good gallery were present when I arrived...had to park in bottom lay-by.
Could not pick it up but the Scoping lads had it on the horizon to the right....where it quickly settled into 2 hours of distant views in the normal fields between the Oaks.
Lots of normal Sunday traffic in the form of the local jogging club...as well as regular cars stopping...well done to the Scopes again for supplying the knowledge to them all.
It was now freezing and overcast so the Shrike tends to blend in with the fauna its hiding in but me and Warwick were kept entertained by the local Male Kestrel perching/hunting in Shrike fashion on the twiggy tree tops and a large...maybe 70 ...flock of Crows doing the same and diving into the grass...a new behavior for me.
Also a buzzard came over the rise and did the wintertime hunting method...hovering...looks so funny....but made the mistake of doing it next to the Crows...FIGHT.
Just before leaving we spied a very large (long) plane and Warwick Identified it from miles away ...and my pic confirms it ...as a very long plane..forgot what Warwick told me....lol
All the time there were Redwings around with one flock of about 50 with the Tits as usual in the near hedges.
Walking down to bottom lay-by I had one last try for the Shrike in the bottom field but all I got was the Fox by the gate which turned (bushy) tail and ran.
Also the Male Kestrel was still Shrike hunting on the tree tops and it went off to the back as well.
This field is not a good 'un for pics as its so full of trees on the same flat ground so if the Shrike is in here it will be very hard to even spot unless close.
It was raining by now and I went on to Lower Bittell but all I could I.D. was a Pochard Male on the left bank ...I quickly ran back to car and home for Brekkie.....
Only just getting feeling back into fingers.
Keith :t:
1..Only 2 Herons today....heres one.
2..Male Kestrel.
3 Small part of Crow flock.
Attachments
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keithr
Relapsus resurgam
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Popped into the field for the twilight shift and Paul and a couple of others had been freezing there for ages.
I had missed the Shrike by at least an hour with it going round the corner to the left.
This field is a fantastic place to watch the birds gathering for the roosts.
100's of Jackdaws and Gulls whirling around with Redwing and Fieldfare buzzing from tree to tree.
The local Kestrel always shows up and gets chased relentlessly by corvids and the Fox was on the prowl in the next field.
Reports of a possible MERLIN buzzing about so if anyones visiting please check out all fly pasts....
Keith :t:
P.S. Just as we were leaving the grumpy Land Rover bloke turned up with a pal with a shotgun and headed up to the top pond......
I had missed the Shrike by at least an hour with it going round the corner to the left.
This field is a fantastic place to watch the birds gathering for the roosts.
100's of Jackdaws and Gulls whirling around with Redwing and Fieldfare buzzing from tree to tree.
The local Kestrel always shows up and gets chased relentlessly by corvids and the Fox was on the prowl in the next field.
Reports of a possible MERLIN buzzing about so if anyones visiting please check out all fly pasts....
Keith :t:
P.S. Just as we were leaving the grumpy Land Rover bloke turned up with a pal with a shotgun and headed up to the top pond......
Attachments
Brian Stretch
Well-known member
The shrike was also viewable from the canal towpath here yesterday while the first-winter drake Scaup was still on Lower Bittell.
Brian
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Brian
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Follow Worcester Birding on Twitter @WorcsBirding
Rob Williams
Well-known member
keith, sorry but it's a Boeing 777.
Rob
Rob
The Snapper
Well-known member
Crikey Keith, he looks a right nasty piece of work!
I'm sure I've seen that photofit on Crimewatch :eek!:
Archie Archer
Association of Satirical Birders & Ornithologi
That 'photofit' superficially resembles Tom 'Pinickity' Perrins as a ten year old boy!
The Snapper
Well-known member
That could explain the angriness!!!!!!! Mr Perrins, do you have anything to do with this angry man?
Archie Archer
Association of Satirical Birders & Ornithologi
Maybe he was angry cos the kebab shop was closed?
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
......and talking of Buzzards.......felt sorry for the local one at Hopwood fields as he sat on one of the Shrikes spindle trees in the rain ...could just make him out on the back of the field viewed from the 40 MPH sign location.
The Shrike was reported around at about 1pm but a few of us tried around 3-4pm and gave up and went home ...completely soaked.
A Little Grebe was on Lower Bittell and a few Male Pochard....could have been Females and god knows what but the rain was so heavy and in my face it was hard to see.
Keith :t:
The Shrike was reported around at about 1pm but a few of us tried around 3-4pm and gave up and went home ...completely soaked.
A Little Grebe was on Lower Bittell and a few Male Pochard....could have been Females and god knows what but the rain was so heavy and in my face it was hard to see.
Keith :t:
