14th - 16th January

A few days based around Leintwardine, Herefordshire dodging the bad weather and heavy showers; a drive down to Clifton Pits near Worcester on the 14th just produced decent views of the long-staying young female Long-tailed Duck with some Pochard, Tufted Ducks and Goldeneye before foul weather moved in.   

A much better day on the 15th was spent cruising round the three main sites near Hereford; good numbers of Mandarin were the highlight round Bodenham Lake along with two Goldeneye, a Green Woodpecker and decent flocks of Siskin, Lesser Redpolls and Goldfinches.   Next was Brockhole Pit where birds included three Pintail, 50+ Snipe and a pair of Sparrowhawks in full display mode with a single adult Whooper Swan with 82 Mutes in fields just to the NW near Credenhill before there was little to mention at Wellington.   A walk through the woods around Croft Castle was fairly quiet but did produce a Woodcock, a Grey Wagtail and a few Mistle Thrushes.   

Another blustery day on the 16th with spells of very heavy rain produced a decent spread of things along the River Teme from Leintwardine including 2 Green Sandpipers, 12 Little Egrets (the most I’ve seen here), a Dipper by the bridge, 8+ Cormorants and a few Red Kites before the only thing of note during a pointless walk around Bury Ditches in howling strong winds and driving rain was a big mixed flock of 250+ Finches and Buntings in stubble fields along the lane leading up to the carpark, mainly comprised Chaffinches and Yellowhammers but did include a Corn Bunting and at least 6 Tree Sparrows.

Grey Wagtail at Croft Castle

Little Egrets at Leintwardine

Mute Swans hanging around outside the pub at Leintwardine