Tuesday 26 January – Failand

Nine hardy people turned up on this very wet and windy day. The terrain was boggy in places but the aspects were nice and in more clement weather would be excellent. We had a sheltered coffee stop in a convenient open-sided barn. Just after this, along and to the left of the path, was a large meadow/field, whose top edge held a flock of 40 Fieldfare and twelve Starling, feeding using the jump over method – as your neighbour walks forward feeding you fly over him to start your feeding, repeat. Most of the birds we saw were either flushed by our passing (Redwing, Blackbird, Dunnock) or were on feeders (Coal, Great and Blue Tit). The Buzzard and the Jackdaw we saw, seemed to be rather enjoying the wind – shooting upward, pausing in the updraft, and then ‘close wing’ descents, it looked exhilarating. Twenty one species noted, the nine of us feeling “refreshed” from our airy walk. Very many thanks to Bill and Maureen for leading (and managing a smile when we turned up)! Nick Hawkridge