Earlier in the week a drake Manadarin turned up in Fairlands Valley, and I had considered going for it before work, but decided to do it today. No idea if its wild or an recent escape but its unsigned so what the hell.
Walking over to the lakes was a bit miserable at first, with some drizzle and a rather cool northerly breeze, though it did improve as the morning progressed. I didn't really see a great deal on my way apart from a few pigeons and crows, plus a few Blackbirds and Robins. The Millennium Lake as its called now, had it's usual assortment of Mallards, Coot, Moorhens Cormorants and Canada Geese and the Mandarin was soon found tucked into one of the more secluded viewpoints. It was rather approachable so maybe not a good sign, but it was nice to see nevertheless. The main boating lake didn't seem to have anything apart from Black headed and Lesser Black Backed Gulls.
Getting over to Aston End involved a bit of a walk along some paths and roads I probably haven't been down in over twenty years, maybe more. Ashtree Wood, a place I use to visit weekly, was full of mature trees, little understory and no birds. Apart from an interesting flock of tits and Goldcrests along Tatlers Lane I didn't see anything noteworthy until I reached the Aston End water tower. The fields were being resown the last time I was here and there was a big flock of Starlings and a mixed Chaffinch and Yellowhammer flock-around 20 of the latter, feeding, along with a few Skylarks. A bit further down I found 15 Redwings in some Hawthorn trees, but things then went downhill and I had a hard time finding any birds at all. The strengthening wind may have played a part.
There was nothing whatsoever along the (very dry) river, and the horse paddocks were empty as well. The ploughed/seeded fields on the way up to Chells Manor had a few more Skylarks, some corvids and a Long Tailed Tit flock which held a few warblers which I never got to see or hear properly. Hope I didn't miss a Yellow Browed.
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