Tuesday 17 October – Barrow Gurney

Eighteen members gathered at the village hall carpark on a warm October day. Our first Yellowhammers were seen along the cycle track heading towards the A38. Once we regained the fields a single Coal Tit showed briefly. We then had distant views of Barrow Tanks finding Herons, Cormorants and three Little Egrets (identity confirmed by a later visit to the tanks) amongst the more common ducks and geese. The birding was quiet while we walked through lanes, with high hedges on both sides, apart from hearing a brief Bullfinch call. Once we re-crossed the A38 (carefully) the open fields supplied good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks with more Yellowhammers and a Kestrel. Many Woodpigeons were seen with one flock of at least 300 before the final fields gave us three Buzzards and a ‘cronking’ Raven. A good time was had by all with 35 species seen. Thanks to Mark Watson for leading and for some judicious use of the secateurs to clear the way over one of the stiles.            Keith Williams