Wymott Ponds Area

[1swallow]

Cold evening again. 44 bird species in just over 2 hours from around 4.20 pm. The pool off Pump House Lane was really quiet. A single Oystercatcher was on the muddy edge. Very few gulls at all. The farmer had completed ploughing the near by fields that attracted all the gulls yesterday. 4 Lapwings were in the area, 1 bird displaying.

I moved on to the stubble field off Ridley Lane over the railway line. A flock of around 15 Buntings took up from the stubble. I managed to ID 6 Yellowhammers and 1 Reed Bunting. The rest disappeared out of sight before I could get on to them.

The woodlands contained a few singing Chiffchaffs, Treecreeper, Jay, 2 Long-tailed Tits, but no singing Blackcaps this time of day, also Teal,Mallard and Moorhen in the flooded areas.

The final part of my walk I checked out the pool again. En route by the edge of the riding stables grounds 4 Blackbirds were feeding on the edge of the paddock with 2 lingering Redwings. Behind the pool in the distant trees a flock 14 Fieldfares perched.
Peter Scholes