14 members met up at the car park by Speech House on a bright and sunny morning to walk the surrounding woodland and look at the nearby pools. Leaving the car park we observed Nuthatch, Tree Creeper and Redpoll moving through the trees plus a Mistle Thrush. Moving on towards Woorgreens Lake we saw Brambling, Green Woodpecker, more Redpoll, a small flock of Siskin, heard and then observed a Willow Tit, and also saw Longtailed Tit, Coal Tit and a number of Goldcrest. At the Lake we saw Goosander, Tufted Duck and Grey Wagtail and a Reed Bunting was spotted by most. We took a route from the car park past the rear of Speech House and back through the Arboretum to the car park, where we observed a pair of Crossbill in the trees above us. We moved to New Fancy View where we observed a Goshawk sitting in a tree at fairly close distance, plus another four birds soaring above the forest tree line. We saw Raven and a Sparrowhawk before leaving for Cannop Pools where we saw Mandarin, plus Little Grebe and Marsh Tit. An early pre-meet walk in the woodland area of Parkend Church by four members produced Hawfinch, Brambling, Redpoll and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Total number of species recorded was 47. A good day’s birding was enjoyed by all.
Charles Stapleton