Friday 23rd March (A Man, A Plan, and a Bike)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window into a cloudy sky. The forecast was good. Spring was here and the migrants were arriving. Mr. Kite wanted to see some of these summer visitors. So at eleven o'clock Mr. Kite and his birding companion were in competition watching birds.

Bayston Hill


The Incapacitants headed towards Bayston Hill stopping at the Rea Brook to watch many birds including a pair of treecreepers. In the bright sunshine the white underneath of this pair seemed to shine. Both birds came close and walked up a dead tree pecking into the crevices with their short curved beak.

A mistle thrush came to bathe in to running water whilst its partner sat on top of a tree watching to make sure ' the other half' was clean, tidy and in good condition.

Soon The Incapacitants were in Bayston Hill with binoculars focused on a bird perched in a small bare tree. This bird was not a common sight in Floreat Salopia. Bigger than a sparrow and smaller than a blackbird this bird had quite a long tail. With a green body and yellow head and some black spots. Fortunately this definitely was a migrant all the way from Australia; a budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatas). Joey was a pretty sight and counted in the birding competition.

Sharpstone Quarry


In the sunshine Sharpstone Quarry was warm and pleasant and a good place to look for birds. In the hedgerows a group of yellowhammers courted. Then a much less common bird appeared. This bird is becoming much less common. With a brown cap and a black spot on a white neck this uncommon tree sparrow was a pleasing sight.

Further along the quarry flock of linnets and meadow pipits moved around with ravens and common buzzards overhead.

Atcham


On the banks of the River Severn a flock of canadian geese sat. The Incapacitants stopped to scan the flock and search the shingle beaches for other birds. Only the geese were spotted. Then a buzzards sized bird appeared and circled. Lighter underneath with black parts on the wings with black and white on the head this was another summer visitor; an Osprey. This time the osprey was not using the fish for fishing but as a navigation aid as it casually circled and then headed upstream gaining height and then disappeared.

Following that two sand martins flitted past The Incapacitants. The summer visitors were on view and sand martins at last; one week later than expected.

Venus Pool


Finally it was Venus Pool for one hour. On view were the usual and this included a green sandpiper.