Group Field trip to Marbury Country Park

I have to say that I have seen some good birds at Marbury but not always Green Woodpecker. So today was going to change wasnt it!! The weather forcast said rain, rain, and heavy rain over the north west of the UK. Well us the merry band of 8 set off in search of what ever we could find before the rain. Treecreeper in the car park was a good start, followed by loads and loads of Redwings, a couple of Blackbirds and the usual Tit flock. The call of a Nuthatch soon had that added to our list. The Holly and the Yew berries were being devoured by huge flocks of Redwings. A Mistle Thrush alarm calling gave away the presence of a Sparrowhawk, Crows, Jackdaws, Jay, Magpie, Woodpigeon and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

The lakeside feeding hide was just a hive of activity but mostly Great, Blue and the odd Coal Tit, Robin, Dunnock, and Chaffinch. Looking at the lake added Mallard, Tufted Duck, Great Crested and Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Wigeon, Canada Goose, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Starling, Black headed, Common and Lesser Black Backed Gull were noted. No sign of the Kingfisher or Bittern. We walked to the next feeding hide close to the old ice house, at this time we added Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Long Tailed Tit. Some of the birds showed off their rings but the ringers had not got them all!! We walked into the woods and off the track and quick checked through a flock of Long Tails to see if anything was moving through with them and low and behold a female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was enjoyed by all of us for a good 10mins. It was time for lunch, yeppie I heard some of the group say. We soon added Buzzard as we walked down to the Witton Lime beds and Song Thrush. At the beds it was very quiet just Teal and Lapwings. We headed for Neumanns Flash and soon saw a huge flock of Shoveler, Gadwall, Mute Swan, Black Swan (not really a tick!) Goldeneye. We walked back through Diary House Meadow and soon got our first Pied Wagtail, then Stock Dove. The Redwing numbers for the whole site must have been over 1000 but just as you got fed up at looking at another I managed to find a Fieldfare with them. Reed Bunting was next to be seen, then Grey Wagtail. The final bird of the day was a Greenfinch. Not bad we broke over 50 for a wet day in November. Thanks to all that attended I know they enjoyed it.
Chris