This has been the quietest autumn that I can remember, not only at Shustoke but in the Midlands generally. I have been around a couple of times but there really hasn’t been anything worth writing about. On Friday there was a single Wigeon and seven Shoveler but that has been about it. Warbler corner has been very poor. I think that the wet summer has killed off the two large Hawthorn bushes that used to attract warblers, the area is wet anyway but I think it was probably too wet this summer. Hawthorns and saturated ground don’t go too well together.
