More species in wet fields.

Last week a walk along to the temporary pools near Dunwood showed that plenty of wetland birds benefit from the winter flooding that occurs in these fields. This week there were many of the same species present with a few additions. The flock of Lapwings has increased from about 90 to over 200 birds, plus there is a large flock of Canada Geese also feeding there. The Canada Geese are probably the flock of about 240 birds that regularly overwinters in this area (that is assuming there is only one flock that is!). One new addition to the list this week was a juvenile Grey Heron which was being closely followed about by a Carrion Crow. The crow appeared to be taking food items from the area close to the herons head. It looked as though the crow was keeping a close eye on the heron and when the heron found a snack, the crow quickly grabbed the food from under its bill. Perhaps this is not surprising as crows are known to steal food from herons that are flying to their nests with crops full of food for their young. Maybe this is simply another version of that behaviour. The complete list of birds seen is below the photos.

Comparison of species recorded on the wet fields and surrounds between last week in November and first week in December. 

	25 and 26/11/15	01/12/15
Meadow Pipit	2
Raven	Heard in the distance
Starlings	Flock of perhaps 120 or more	Amongst Lapwings
Redwings	Some amongst Starlings, about 20 seen
Black-headed Gulls	3 feeding alongside Lapwings	5 or 6
Lapwings	About 90 Feeding amongst pools on the flooded field	200
Fieldfares	Smallish flocks (20 or so birds) feeding and flying between trees	Small flock of about 20
Carrion Crow	About 35 feeding in fields or perched in trees	same
Buzzard	1 Perched watching for prey	heard
Mallard	About 30 mostly males on the seasonal pools	same
Blackbirds	About 5 feeding in Hawthorn trees	01/02/15
Pheasant	3 feeding in field
Wigeon	About 30 males and females	same
Great Tits	3 seen	present
Blue Tits	3 – 4 seen or heard	present
Green Woodpecker	1
Magpie	1	same
Jackdaws	About 30 flying over	same
Robin	2 singing winter song	present
Pied Wagtail	1 Flying over	About 11 feeding at edge of temporary pool
Wren	3, two singing	same
Kestrel	1 perched – looking for prey
Goldfinches	Flock of about 10
Chaffinches	4, males and females
Sparrowhawk	Flying over
Reed Bunting	male
Woodpigeon	About 8 flying over	About 3 seen
Jay	2 together	heard
Bullfinches	Party of 5	heard
Greenfinch	1
Dunnock	1 singing near Station Road	same
House Sparrows	Flock of perhaps 20 in garden hedge near Station Road	same
Siskin		1 seen
Canada Geese		perhaps as many as 300
Grey Heron		1 juvenile