11 March 2011

Spent the morning on Cannock Chase trying to get fit for the Hillwalking season which will soon be upon me, we took the dog and hardly saw a sole all day. The Great Grey Shrike appeared before us and put on a great show (see below).

In the afternoon I spent two hours at the reservoir and it was quiet. The wildfowl numbers are staring to dwindle, which Pochard around 60, 12 Goosander and 12 Wigeon. It was rather windy and I struggled with passerines – at first. The small pool woodland still held a few Siskin but little else apart from a small party of around a dozen Redwing. The strangest happening was a calling Tawny Owl near to the Fishing Lodge, try as I might I couldn’t locate the bird, I had heard the same bird calling about two weeks ago as well! I then made my way back to the car park and the highlight was a part of seven Brambling in the same area as a few weeks ago, they are obviously roosting in the general area.

Great Grey Shrike, Cannock Chase