Well I was hoping my exercise walk would see me take in Church Ope Cove, but having got to Church Ope Car park, I changed my mind straight away. So many cars and as I looked around me, I can honestly say I have never seen so many people "Exercising" in Wakeham.
So it was a change of direction and instead of going through Pennsylvania Wood down to the cove, I missed them both out completely and headed down the Mermaid Track, to the Lower Horse Paddock via Bumpers Lane and Broadcroft Quarry Lane & Pools.
Unfortunately I wasn't going to take the chance to see the male Black Redstart at the cove, but at least I know it's still about as a friend of mine was there very early this morning and took these wonderful photos of it Here and Here.
So what did I see on my much shorter walk, well I came across 6 Goldcrests making their way along the Railway Cuttings, a Chiffchaff along Bumpers Lane, 4 Redwing along Broadcroft Quarry Lane and finished with the pair of Stonechats in the Lower Horse paddocks.
To be honest there wasn't too much about as the strong wind from the past few days had been replaced by very foggy/misty conditions, hence the naff photos and videos below.
A very distant shot of a Redwing in Bumpers Lane. You can just about make out the eye-stripe above its eye.
And my attempt at along distance video of the Redwing.
The female Stonechat in the Lower Horse Paddock, with the.....
.........male close by.
And in Bumpers Lane I came across these.........
.........again. I say again, as I came across them in November 2017 Here, and I still dont know what they are!!
And today Ted was doing some very odd things on our walk. First it looks like he's about to do a Lions roar.
And then a bit head banging.
Well thank goodness he's back to himself, as he lets the local Foxes know he can smell them in Bumpers Lane Quarry.
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 3 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 2 Stonechat, Blackbird, 3 Redwing, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 2 Raven, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch