John Pockett phoned me mid month to say that whilst returning from Kingston Seymour, a pair of Cranes flew over and landed in the field next to the junction with the Yatton to Clevedon road.
There is a large reintroduced population in Somerset now and whilst most stay in a single large flock, a few are quite adventurous birds checking out potential new territories.
The next day Jackie Huxtable contacted me to report an albino Blackbird in Cooks Lane and a Song Thrush singing nearby. I heard a Song Thrush five days later along the Strawberry Line. I always welcome reports to include in KN&V.
November, has seen the return of a Great Spotted Woodpecker to our garden feeders and by mid month a male Blackcap was back. Also a Chiffchaff paid a visit and on a couple of days two Goldcrests, the first here for several years. This species has arrived in large numbers from mainland Europe this winter. Also in good numbers are Stonechats, noted at Kenn Moor, the Strawberry Line, Wemberham and the Sea Wall.
The prize find at the Sea Wall however was a flock(?) of four Short Eared Owls more migrants from Scandinavia. This trumped my sighting of a single bird along Wemberham Lane a few days earlier. Will they stay or move on further south? Lots of Meadow Pipits were present at the sea wall with 100 Lapwings and a Peregrine.
Winter Thrushes were slow to arrive but I saw 100 Fieldfares at Wemberham and today (22nd) 180 Redwings along the Strawberry Line. I have received reports of this species being heard calling at night over Yatton – has anyone heard their weak cheeps over Kenn?
Also at the Strawberry Line a Water Rail was calling persistently. A couple of passers by thought it was a creature being eaten and were pleased to realise there was no need for concern.
Trevor Riddle (01934 835208)
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