Sunday 1st January (A Happy New Year and Good Birding to you All)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window into a dark sky that was becoming lighter. The tree were bare but ready to burst into life. On this New Years Morning Mr. Kite was greeted not by the sight of birds but with a singing robin, a clucking blackbird and a cooing collared dove. Today was the start of another year birding, traveling, cycling and watching nature; Mr. Kite was excited.

As the dawn rose Mr. Kite saw his first birds of the year a flock of eight feral pigeons. These birds flew quickly over the houses. Wood pigeons, blackbirds and a carrion crow soon followed. A skein of unidentified geese flew low over the skyline. So by half eight the birding year had began and The Beast was oiled ready for a trip around the lanes of Floreat Salopia.

Towards Atcham Bridge


At half eight Mr. Kite headed on The Beast towards Atcham Bridge under a cloudy sky that did not looke promising. Cycling along Mr. Kite ticked off; magpie, jackdaw, collared dove, starling. Just after Emstrey Island Mr. Kite stopped to look at a flock of redwings and fieldfare. Hundreds of birds were moving across the green meadow feeding; 'eating on the hoof'. Soon Mr. Kite was cycling along parallel with the River Severn where canadian geese sat on the river bank and a grey heron was standing in the river. The water level was higher than normal. Reaching Atcham bridge Mr. Kite stopped  to peer over the paraphet. Mute swans, black-headed gulls fed on the waters edge and a blue tit passed by. The shingle beaches that normally are visible were under water today. Looking down Mr. Kite watched a sparrowhawk fly low along the river bank attracting the attention of the gulls who then took to the air like a squadron of fighters and hassled the hawk out of sight.

Attingham Park and Beyond


The trees in the park were bare and looked an ideal habitat for woodpeckers and other tree birds. Mr. Kite searched carefully for signs of life but only had fleeting glimpses of passing birds. Today the grassy park was not thriving with birds but Mr. Kite did pick out; common buzzard, robin, rook, stock dove and the home bred common pheasants.


Leaving Attingham Park Mr. Kite headed for the bridge over the River Tern at Upton Forge passing chaffinch, bullfinch and house sparrows. Today the bridge was quiet. So Mr. Kite continued to the confluence of the River Roden and the River Tern. A pair of goosander fished in the Tern watched by two moorhens. In the hedgerow colourful bullfinches and chaffinches moved through.

Mirelake


Just past the confluence is Mirelake. Today the water level was higher than normal so the waders were not encouraged to fed in the shallow edges. However plenty of ducks bobbed up and down on the water.  Looking carefully Mr. Kite identified mallard, teal, wigeon and northern shoveler. On most occasions more species of birds can be picked out here but the high water, cool breeze and drizzly rain was not encouraging. So Mr. Kite set course for Atcham Church stopping on the way to watch greenfinches and a great spotted woodpecker.


Atcham Church and Cross Houses


Plenty of common garden birds flew around the churchyard including a nuthatch. Most of these were then disturbed when the church doors opened and the congregation hurried out to preach the gospel; that did scare the birds. So Mr. Kite cycled slowly along the lanes through Cross Houses to Venus Pool.

Venus Pool


Mr. Kite has not visited V.P. for a number of weeks and was pleased to see that the water level was rising and was looking more like a pool and not a ploughed field. Plenty of birds fluttered around the area and sat on the pool. Also lots of bird watchers walked around with bins, scopes and bags of optical equipment. Scouring the nature reserve Mr. Kite identified goldfinch, lapwing, common shelduck, lesser black-back gull, pied wagtail and green sandpiper. In the cool breeze and drizzle the green sandpiper just sat on the edge of the pool and only bobbed about occasionally.

Searching near the feeders Mr. Kite picked out marsh tit and coal tit. Lastly Mr. Kite went to look over the Trout Pool where many birds were present including lots of coots, a little group of tufted ducks and a smaller group of common pochard.

With the drizzle turning to rain and with a poor forecast Mr. Kite headed towards Monkmoor Lagoon.

Towards the Lagoon and at the Lagoon

Leaving the Venus Pool Nature Reserve Mr. Kite cycled to the bridge at Cound Stank where a large flock of finches flew over. But in the murk they were difficult to identify. The bridge produced nothing. Cycling along the lanes Mr. Kite looking into hedges, over fields and up to the sky. The usual species were spotted and eventually Mr. Kite stopped to watch and listen to a dunnock.

Six miles later Mr. Kite was at Monkmoor Lagoon drenched through. The clouds were descending and the mud was building up on The Beast, Mr. Kite and his saddlebags. To cut a long story short The Lagoon had mallards, mallards and more mallards.

At this stage with the light fading Mr. Kite returned to The Residence following a good day cycling and bird watching. With thirty miles cycled and forty-seven species spotted Mr. Kite was quite happy. After a shower and a change of clothing Mr. Kite settled down to a tipple of Shepherd Neame Premium Spitfire Kentish Ale. At this point Mr. Kite flew around the front room before landing on the sofa for a short nap. Cheers from the start of another year watching birds, looking at nature and enjoying the natural world.