Friday 30th December (A Wet Day on the Wrekin)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window into a light cloudy sky. A pigeon flew from a tree to the ground and a blackbird sat on top of a lime tree singing. In the garden a collared dove tidied up a nest made from twigs in the fork of a sycamore tree.

Later in the morning Mr. Kite and his birding companion went bird watching. Soon The Incapacitants were heading towards The Wrekin. The weather forecast was for rain but The Incapacitants were not put off by rain, mud and murk. To cut a long story short Mr. Kite was the winner of the birding competition with twenty five species spotted.

On two occasions The Incapacitants stopped to discuss the species in question. The first being; 'Is it a marsh tit or willow tit?' The discussion centred around the colour of 'the black cap'; 'Was it dull or shiny?' It was decided it was shiny and therefore a marsh tit and a slightly grating call confirmed this.

On top of The Wrekin The Incapacitants looked at a large black corvid deciding whether it was a juvenile raven or a carrion crow. The beak was large but not quite as robust as a raven. The shape was more raven like but debatable. It was decided it was a carrion crow.

Then the rain began and a chilly wind blew. So it was time to go home. Walking back to the car a colourful jay displayed itself; a common buzzard called but could not be seen. Flocks of redwing and fieldfare flew around.

In the late afternoon as darkness descended Mr. Kite arrived home and sat in front of the warm fire and was soon enjoying a tipple of Leffe Tripel. Cheers to all the birds of The Wrekin.