A couple of hours until Ireland play Scotland in the Rugby Six Nations. Just enough time for a quick trip to Balscote Quarry to see if the great grey shrike would play ball. No report of a sighting since January 25th though.
Boy, cold again. Entertained by a hunting kestrel and two green woodpeckers that seemed to be having fun holding onto the screen on the left side of the pool. We tried to stay warm but there was no respite in the blustery conditions. We popped up to the other end of the quarry to see if we could strike lucky. We had managed to forget suitable footwear for Charlotte and so I had to go it alone. As I got to the first slope out shot a bird from the bramble scrub, down to the debris (pallets, wire mesh etc etc) heaped in mounds. A black edge to the wing, a thick white prominent bar on the wing - there it was! But where was it ...? Disappeared into or behind the mound and gone - despite waiting for the bird to re-emerge, nothing. A better view please and maybe even a photo ... no chance. Another visit will be required, but at least we know it is still there.
Sightings (27) included: teal, mallard, coot, moorhen, great tit, blue tit, chaffinch, goldfinch, greenfinch, coal tit, dunnock, snipe, tree sparrow, kestrel, robin, lapwing, green woodpecker, carrion crow, woodpigeon, long tailed tit, blackbird, pheasant, buzzard, great grey shrike, rook, meadow pipit and wren.
Lost in the rugby. Perhaps we should have stayed longer.
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