Monday 18th November, 7:51am
Meadow: The first thing I noticed in the meadow today was the sky. It was so purple. When my brain caught up with me, I then heard the reassuring sounds of blue tits, sparrows and blackbirds. Some crows flew over, followed by fieldfares chattering away. A starling near the river pretended to be a green woodpecker and there were so many goldfinches at the top near the houses that greeted me after I’d finished my loop. A song thrush made itself known too.
Wednesday 8th November, 12:52pm
Meadow: A muddy lunchtime walk and I saw another small flock of fieldfares (about 20 individuals). Also saw a couple of great tits, a blackbird, magpies and a kestrel.
Monday 30th October, 6:49am
Meadow: The fieldfares are back! There were a few small flocks in the meadow this morning, which brought a huge smile to my face. I also saw/heard: blackbirds, wrens, starlings, long-tailed tits, a green woodpecker, magpies, robins and blue tits. A small flock of pied wagtails were chilling near a muddy pool on the field and I saw what I think were two yellowhammers in winter plumage.
Monday 25th September, 5:30pm
Meadow: Quite a few robins in the meadow today and house martins flew over as well. Near the entrance, I heard the non-chiffchaff calls of about 3 chiffchaffs (I didn’t realise they made other noises!) and there were 2 blackcaps too (male and female). Further in, wood pigeons flew over and a wren made itself known on the riverbank. A couple of crows flew over too.
Saturday 23rd September, 12:50pm
River Stour Area: Lots of collared doves, wood pigeons, crows and blue tits around. I also saw a couple of buzzards in the distance as I approached the fields near the river and a red kite flew straight over me before being bombed by some crows. The highlight was a new bird for the local list – a spotted flycatcher which was flitting about in the trees across the field border. I watched it for a good 10 minutes!
Tidmington: As I approached the Tidmington area, 2 grey squirrels chased each other down a tree and between sheep in the field. I also heard a chiffchaff, blue tits and 2 buzzards. Closer to the road, there were red admirals, a comma butterfly and a speckled wood butterfly and in Tidmington itself there were lots of sparrows chilling near the houses. There were also plenty of rooks in the fields leading back towards town.
Cemetery: There was another red admiral and comma butterfly near the allotments by the cemetery. I also heard another chiffchaff, saw more house sparrows and blue tits. A blackbird made an appearance and another red kite flew in the distance.
Monday 18th September, 7:18am
Meadow: As soon as I entered the meadow, a small group of swallows flew over, chortling away. There was also a family of blue tits and a small flock of goldfinches at the top near the houses. As I walked further in, I saw a great spotted woodpecker hammering away at a tree – I got an absolutely amazing view of it! There were also the usual wood pigeons, starlings and wrens (singing). A chiffchaff was chiffing and chaffing too. The absolute highlight, though, was all of the swallows and house martins that had congregated around a tree by the river. I love when they group together, communicating with each other through their clicks and chirps.
Wednesday 13th September, 5:19pm
Fell Mill Lane and Barchester Fields: A bullfinch flew across the road right in front of me near the scrub by the river on Fell Mill lane! What a treat! A buzzard was perched in a tree across the field. There were also chaffinches, wood pigeons and jackdaws around the road. I also heard a great spotted woodpecker in the trees and heard a goldcrest (my first in ages!) near Barcheston.
Monday 11th September, 6:55am
Meadow: The birds have woken up again after their moult! I heard wrens, robins and blue tits. Wood pigeons flew over and I heard at least 2 chiffchaffs and a green woodpecker as well.
Fell Mill Lane area: Loads more birds on the road too. More blue tits, great tits and long-tailed tits near Fell Mill farm. A rabbit, chiffchaff and a robin near the sewage works. I saw a wren really well near town and there was a flock of linnets over one of the fields. A small/large white flew over the road and I heard – then saw – two jays and a magpie near town.
Saturday 19th August, 5:32pm
Today, I walked the route that I took for the Breeding Birds Survey earlier in the Spring and Summer.
Meadow: The first and last part of this walk goes through the meadow. I heard 2 green woodpeckers here and saw 1 fly off. They seem to be very active at the moment! I also saw house sparrows, wood pigeons, magpies, starlings, a pheasant, a comma butterfly, a red admiral butterfly and I saw a buzzard at the top of a tree near the sewage works. It was calling to another buzzard.
Fell Mill Lane Area: There were lots of house martins flying around on this part of the walk. I also heard another green woodpecker and saw lots of wood pigeons, magpies and rooks. As I walked through one of the fields, that had been covered in a wheat crop when I was last there, I spotted something at the bottom edge. It started moving and I realised it was a brown hare. Closer to the road and the barns, I saw lots of goldfinches, blue tits and a chaffinch in the trees.
Friday 11th August, 7:00am
Honington and around: I think the birds must be waking up again after their summer moult. I heard many more this morning compared to the last few weeks, including: blue tits, jackdaws, a green woodpecker and a yellowhammer. I also saw lots of house martins, starlings and a lone swift flying around in Honington. I saw (rather than heard) blue tits in the meadow as well, along with wood pigeons. As I approached the meadow from Honington and Fell Mill Lane, I could hear a buzzard which I then saw perched in a tree. I wonder if it was a young one. As I left the meadow near town, a grey heron flew over too.
Friday 4th August, 7:08am
Meadow: Ooooh I’ve been neglecting this log! But I noted down a few sights from this morning’s walk, which included:
A long-tailed tit family near the river
A green woodpecker near the top – trying to get away from a magpie and crows
Wrens
Wood pigeons
Blue tits
Sparrows in the wheat
Collared doves
Goldfinches
Wednesday 12th July, 7:04am
Meadow & Fell Mill Lane: Red admirals were the highlight of the morning. There were so many of them out in the sunshine! I also got a good view of a linnet and a skylark at the top of the meadow. They were both singing their lovely songs. Other sightings included: a blue tit, goldfinches, yellowhammers, wood pigeons, a blackbird, chiffchaffs, a chaffinch and a wren. The wren was really belting out a song near the sewage works!
Wednesday 5th July, 8:26am
Meadow: There were lots of house martins in and around the meadow this morning. I could hear them before I saw them! I also spotted the usual wood pigeons and magpies as I walked. There was a blackbird singing near the top and a whitethroat singing in all the scrub near the entrance. Skylarks and a chiffchaff also sang in the distance and a willow warbler flitted around in the trees.
Friday 30th June, 7:05am
Meadow: It was nice to hear quite a few birds singing still this morning. They tend to get quiet in the peak of summer. A dunnock, chiffchaff, wrens, a song thrush, a sedge warbler and a pheasant were all on the list today. I also saw lots of swifts, a goldfinch, wood pigeons and magpies. A grey wagtail flew over and a grey heron glided in the distance.
Thursday 29th June, 6:34pm
Town: There are lots of swifts and house martins in town at the moment, alongside the sparrows and starlings. It was so nice to see them on this sunny evening. A sparrowhawk took me totally by surprise though – I startled it as I walked past a small cherry tree and it flew out and landed on a roof.
River Stour area: I headed out of town towards Burmington. It was a much-needed evening walk. On the way, I saw goldfinches, wood pigeons, rooks, more house martins and swifts, a magpie and lots of meadow brown butterflies. I also heard chaffinches, a song thrush and lots of wrens. A moorhen scuttled across the rocks near the bridge in Willington.
Tidmington and around: As I headed back towards town through the tiny hamlet of Tidmington, I heard the laughing cackle of a green woodpecker. A grey wagtail also showed itself on the Stour before I crossed the busy 50mph road. There were more wrens, starlings and house martins in Tidmington, but they were joined by lots of swallows, a grey squirrel and rabbits. As I followed the lane back towards the cemetery, I saw more wood pigeons, rooks, a great tit and magpies and heard lots of blackbirds singing, quite a few yellowhammers, a skylark and a greenfinch. Near the cemetery, I saw a kestrel perched on one of the poles – a favourite perch for kestrels – and a brown hare and leveret frolicked around beneath.
Friday 16th June, 6:49am
Honington and meadow: I haven’t done this walk for such a long time. It was the best time of the day to do it too – the air still felt cool and fresh. There were lots of wrens on this walk, trilling in the hedges. I also saw plenty of jackdaws, goldfinches, wood pigeons, collared doves, swifts, blue tits and blackbirds. In Honington itself, scores of house martins flew around frantically and there were yellowhammers and whitethroats along Fell Mill Lane – some of them were on the wires. I heard a green woodpecker (my first in a while!) near the meadow. I stopped for a moment on the bridge in the meadow and saw plenty of demoiselles, a long-tailed tit family and a grey wagtail. My Merlin ID app said there was a blackcap at the top of the meadow as well.
Tuesday 13th June 2023, 7:00am
Meadow: Heard a chiffchaff belting out its tune as soon as I entered the meadow this morning. The other usual suspects were around too: magpies, goldfinches, wrens, starlings, blackbirds, skylarks and dunnocks. Swifts screeched through the air and a sedge warbler was still singing near the river. I also heard a couple of whitethroats and yellowhammers.
Friday 9th June 2023, 3:56pm
Hanson Track and around: Practiced some grounding/mindfulness on this walk.
Saw – Wood pigeons, Blackbirds, Red admirals, Speckled woods, Orange tip, Red kite, Sparrows, Brown hare, Swallow, Goldfinches, Magpies, Carrion crows, House martins, Chiffchaffs
Heard – Wrens, Skylarks, Blue tits, Lesser whitethroat (according to Merlin ID), Great spotted woodpecker, Willow warblers
Thursday 1st June 2023, 5:44pm
Cemetery: An impromptu walk up to the cemetery in the sunshine this evening. 2 wood pigeons were in my spot so I took up residence elsewhere for 15 minutes. Amongst the calm, I saw magpies, blackbirds, house martins, swifts, crows and starlings. I also heard greenfinches and a goldcrest. Before I left, a kestrel made an appearance on a tree and then headed over to the old spire.
Tuesday 30th May 2023, 7:06am
Meadow: I’ve just returned from a 2-week break in Scotland (including a week on Shetland) so a visit to the meadow was long overdue. And it was much-needed before the return to work! I saw great tits, starlings, magpies and blackbirds and heard wrens, yellowhammers and skylarks. The huge highlight was hearing a sedge warbler in the reeds near the River Stour.
Wednesday 10th May 2023, 7:00am
Cemetery: Another walk up to the cemetery this morning. I loved seeing the bluebells in the wild areas of the space. No stand-out birds today, but it’s so nice knowing that greenfinches are always reliable here. They were joined by a goldcrest, dunnocks, chaffinches, a great tit, house sparrows, woodpigeons, blackbirds, wrens, a robin, a blue tit and a jackdaw. The rabbits were busy running around in the wild spaces too.
Thursday 4th May 2023, 6:57am
Cemetery: A little wander up to the cemetery for some peace before my first time in the office for a while. I made some notes on my phone as I sat on a bench and wrote down what I saw and heard. There was a greenfinch screeching right behind me as I wrote 😊 Oh and then I saw my first swifts of 2023 as i walked back through town!
Wednesday 3rd May 2023, 7:22am
Fell Mill Lane area: I recently signed up to contribute towards the breeding birds survey so I spent some time this morning walking through fields, noting down the birds I saw and heard in the area. What really struck me was the number of whitethroats around! I think I counted 5 of them! This was the full list:
- Mallard
- Pheasant
- Wood pigeon
- Green Woodpecker
- Kestrel Magpie
- Carrion Crow
- Blue Tit
- Great Tit
- Skylark
- Long-tailed Tit
- Willow Warbler
- Chiffchaff
- Whitethroat
- Wren
- Starling
- Blackbird
- Robin
- Dunnock
- Grey Wagtail
- Chaffinch
- Goldfinch
- Yellowhammer
Tuesday 2nd May 2023, 6:55am and 6:25pm
I ended up doing the same walk twice yesterday. There were just a couple of additions in the evening that I wanted to make sure made it onto the list.
Shipston Town: The house martins are slowly making their way back to the Railway Crescent area. Quite a few were flying around in the morning sunshine. On my way to the meadow, I also heard house sparrows and a dunnock, and saw wood pigeons, collared doves, a crow and blackbird. On my way back from the meadow, a grey heron flew over the estate.
Meadow: The skylarks were the big highlight in the morning. One flew up and started singing right next to the footpath. Wrens were trilling near the river and there were blue tits, a blackbird, wood pigeons, chiffchaffs and house sparrows in the scrub at the top. A drake mallard was also chilling on the river. Other spots included a pheasant, goldfinches, a magpie, swallows, starlings, a song thrush, dunnocks and a robin. The highlights in the evening were a great spotted woodpecker that flew above us near the entrance to the meadow and a green woodpecker which perched on one of the wooden poles at the top. It stayed there for ages!
Wednesday 26th April 2023, 6:59am
River Stour Area: One of my earliest walks in a while! And there was a lot about in the fields near the river including: chiffchaffs, magpies, wood pigeons, wrens, crows, great tits, chaffinches, blue tits (there was a family of blue tits near the Barcheston Reach estate), goldfinches, blackbirds, robins, dunnocks, jackdaws, a pheasant, a song thrush and rabbits. The first bird I heard when I entered the first field was a greenfinch, followed by two more and then a great spotted woodpecker. A couple of swallows flew over near Willington and there were two buzzards in the sky too. In the scrub between Barcheston and Willington, a willow warbler called out and then I heard and saw a more elusive bird. A first for me. It’s song got me first – I had absolutely no idea what it was! Attention caught, I paused and looked through the scrub and I saw a small bird with what I thought was a black head. It was too small for a black cap so I started wondering about a marsh tit or a coal tit, but its face looked to me quite ‘swallow-like’. I knew it wasn’t a swallow so I was stumped. Then I realised it didn’t have a black head – it had a white throat which made its head look darker. A whitethroat perhaps? But it’s song wasn’t right and it just didn’t look like that so I played a lesser whitethroat song on my phone and realised that’s what I’d heard. As soon as I realised what it was, it had gone. How amazing!
Cemetery: I headed to the cemetery to have a moment of peace. But when I arrived it was anything but peaceful! A song thrush was going absolutely crazy, chasing a magpie. It was calling and calling and calling so I assumed the magpie had taken an egg. A horrible thing, but such is life. As I got closer, though, I realised what the magpie had was moving! So I ran towards it and it released what I’m assuming was a young song thrush… I hope it made it! After that excitement, I saw and heard most of the usual suspects – robins, blackbirds, chaffinches, blue tits, wood pigeons, goldfinches and a goldcrest.
Tuesday 25th April 2023, 10:51am
I’m just going to focus on one bit of this walk. I’m taking part in the Breeding Bird Survey and had to scope out the habitat on ‘my patch’. Afterwards, I walked back towards town via a route that passes the sewage works and I just had to record what I saw!
Sewage works: Swallows flew low and house martins flew high. A willow warbler and lots of chiffchaffs called from the scrub near the works. Goldfinches also sang from these trees. Down a path between the works and some scrub, there were wrens, dunnocks, blackbirds, wood pigeons and blue tits. Then, out of nowhere, a male reed bunting flew up and landed at the top of a small tree. It stayed a while, showing off its beautiful black head, and then flew off into the reeds.
Monday 17th April 2023, 11:25am
A slightly different (muddy!) walk today out of Shipston up the Hanson Track and then to Ditchford Farm. I’m going to refer to the location of these sightings as ‘Ditchford Walk’.
Ditchford Walk: I heard and saw loads of chiffchaffs once again, along with wrens, starlings, dunnocks, blue tits, robins, blackbirds, chaffinches and goldfinches. I also heard skylarks pretty much the whole way on the walk – they absolutely love the fields around here. A great tit was making a really loud noise up the Hanson Track which I hadn’t heard before and its partner emerged out of a small hole in a tree. And there was a distant yellowhammer just off the track.
There were also quite a few corvids around too: jackdaws, magpies and crows. A couple of jays flew into the hedgerows near the farm too and I reckon there might’ve been a raven flying around too. It was huge! Two roe deer ran out of the field edge when I was at Ditchford Farm and two others emerged as I walked along the track. A pair of buzzards were also perched in the trees together.
Otherwise, I heard a pheasant squawk and saw wood pigeons on the whole route. Closer to town, there were house sparrows and long-tailed tits on the road up to the cemetery and a greenfinch and collared dove at the cemetery itself. Finally, a goldcrest was calling on the London Road.
Tuesday 11th April 2023, 8:54am
A nice therapeutic walk today and the chiffchaffs were definitely the stars – I counted 14 of them in total!
Shipston Town: There’s a chiffchaff near where we live on Railway Crescent. I thought it was just a mimicking starling but it isn’t – it’s a chiffchaff. So that was the first bird added to the list. There were also plenty of wood pigeons, house sparrows, starlings and jackdaws around. As I headed towards the track into the fields, there were small groups of goldfinches clustering in the trees and I heard the sweet tune of dunnocks, the trill of a wren and the sudden cacophony of a disgruntled blackbird. I also heard a screeching greenfinch on the London Road.
Hanson Track: This track leads out towards Tidmington and the cemetery. It’s notorious for its mud, but I was mentally prepared to get a bit damp today! Near the houses, at the start of the track, I saw collared doves, more wood pigeons and starlings, a magpie and blue tits. Further up, as I was sliding back down the slope in the mud, I saw a pair of chiffchaffs frolicking about. I also heard a distant song thrush and more wrens and dunnocks in the undergrowth. Chaffinches, goldfinches long-tailed tits and great tits love the trees on this track and they didn’t disappoint! Further in, towards the road that leads back to town, I saw 2 buzzards and a red kite circling over the fields and there were lots of skylarks overhead. A grey squirrel was perched in one of the blackthorns and a small tortoiseshell perched on the tree’s blossom for a while. Other spots on the route included a coal tit, jackdaws, blackbirds, and a greenfinch in the cemetery.
Tuesday 4th April 2023, 2:05pm
Cemetery: I went up to the outskirts of town, down London Road, to the cemetery. Though it may sound morbid, it’s a beautiful place to rest and be at peace and, on such a sunny day, there were quite a few things about too. The first thing I spotted was a greenfinch at the top of one of the old lime trees – I heard it’s screech and then saw it near some magpies amongst the branches.
I sat on a bench and heard all sorts in the hedgerows behind me: blackbirds, house sparrows, a robin, a wren and dunnocks. There were more greenfinches and some wood pigeons in the trees in the centre of the cemetery and I heard a chiffchaff in the distance. Jackdaws cawed overheard and 2 red kites circled over the road. They were then joined by another bird of prey circling high up – I think it was a kestrel. Brimstone butterflies were out and about and there was another butterfly too. Think it was a small tortoiseshell.
Wednesday 29th March 2023, 7:33am
It’s been a bit of a long week since I did this walk – I need to get better at writing these ‘live’! So it’s more of a list than anything else!
Meadow: Lots of birds as usual – starlings, robins, wood pigeons, song thrushes, wrens, great tits, chiffchaffs, dunnocks, blackbirds, carrion crows, skylarks (heard), pheasant (heard), mallard ducks, yellowhammer (heard). 2 wagtails also flew over but I’m not sure which kind and I heard a woodpecker drumming too. The biggest surprise was a small flock of fieldfares – I already thought they were long gone!
Monday 27th March 2023, 7:01am
I am absolutely loving the morning walks at the moment. I can’t believe how many different birds are singing at the moment. I know spring comes around every year, but still! I’m in awe!
Shipston Town: A slightly different walk today and, on my way towards the river, I saw house sparrows, wood pigeons, a rook, collared doves, starlings, jackdaws and a robin. I also heard a song thrush.
River Stour area: The first thing I heard as I crossed the river towards Barcheston was a goldcrest. The second was a chiffchaff. Both such fabulous birds! Some similar sightings here with more rooks, wood pigeons, jackdaws and a song thrush. I also heard a wren, green woodpecker, pheasant and some chaffinches. There was some drumming in the foliage too, but I don’t know if that was a green woodpecker or a great spotted. Blackbirds, robins, great tits (lots of them!) and magpies also had a whale of a time in the hedges and trees.
Barcheston Fields: Finally, heading back towards town, I spotted some more house sparrows, wood pigeons and robins near the houses of Barcheston. There was also a flock of goldfinches in the trees near the church. Great tits and blackbirds enjoyed these hedgerows as well and a jackdaw flew over as I walked on the road. There were some familiar calls too: another pheasant, wren, chiffchaff and a yellowhammer.
Wednesday 22nd March, 7:04am
Meadow: Lots and lots out and about this morning and so much sound! I saw robins, house sparrows, starlings, blue tits, wood pigeons, crows, skylarks, mallard ducks, great tits and a green woodpecker. And I heard a chiffchaff, dunnocks, a song thrush, a wren, blackbirds and a woodpecker drumming near the river. It was beautiful!
Friday 17th March, 4:10pm
It’s the end of another busy week, which involved quite a lot of travel so that I could attend my great uncle’s funeral. So I made the most of the sunshine and headed out for a walk.
Meadow: The huge highlight from the meadow was the pair of grey wagtails bobbing around on the edge of the River Stour. There were also lots of the usual suspects about, including: goldfinches, blackbirds, a song thrush, crows, robins, blue tits, wood pigeons and starlings. I also heard a pheasant and a wren.
Fell Mill Lane area: Heading towards Fell Mill Lane, I spotted a pair of great spotted woodpeckers moving between the trees. I followed the road back towards town and heard another song thrush and a green woodpecker near the exit from the meadow. I also saw some more wood pigeons, crows, robins, goldfinches, blue tits and wrens. Skylarks were calling from one of the nearby fields and I saw and heard quite a few dunnocks. I also heard my first chiffchaffs of the year – one on the road towards the sewage works and one in the trees near the junction with the main road into town. A buzzard was also being chased away from a nearby tree.
Friday 10th March, 4:45pm
I was finally released from the house after a bout of Covid and was living my best life wandering around the meadow in the sunshine! I was amazed at how much there was again.
Shipston Town: On my way to/from the meadow, I saw starlings, wood pigeons, house sparrows, crows, a robin, a collared dove and goldfinches.
Meadow: Starlings, blackbirds, a collared dove and blue tits were at the top of the meadow along the track near the houses. As I continued walking, a song thrush was loudly belting out its tune and there were lots of goldfinches, wood pigeons and redwings in the trees. A small flock of yellowhammers flew across the scrub too. Further into the field, there were great tits, chaffinches and long-tailed tits and what I think was a heron near the water. It was a little further away that I could see clearly and looked very white and tall. On balance of probability, I’d say a heron rather than a great white egret. The river was really high because of the recent rain so there were mallard ducks on the water and some grey wagtails seemed to be enjoying themselves too. Other than a couple of buzzards watching me from across the river, there were magpies, wrens, rooks and robins.
Friday 3rd March, 2:32pm
Meadow: It’s getting a lot busier in the meadow at the moment. A long list: blue tits, starlings, house sparrows, crows, goldfinches, a song thrush, wood pigeons, blackbirds, a wren, robins, redwings, great tits, a buzzard, a heron, dunnocks, fieldfares, yellow hammers, collared dove, magpie, and a pied wagtail. A red kite also flew across the field and I heard at least one green woodpecker.
Monday 27th February, 7:01am
Shipston Town: The usual suspects in town this morning. Sparrows, wood pigeons, plenty of starlings near the Catholic church, a wren up Tilemans Lane, collared doves, crows, magpies, goldfinches near The Driftway, blackbirds, robins, rooks, feral pigeons, blue tits and dunnocks. The house sparrows worry me. They’re clustered in/around some key bushes/trees in the town. I reckon it’s less than 10 sites in total. Sites that rely totally on the goodwill of the owners of the bushes/trees – if they wanted to, they could just uproot any of them. Makes you think.
Saturday 25th February, 9:15am
Shipston Town: A morning walk with Stefan and there were sparrows, starlings, wood pigeons, crows, goldfinches, magpies and blackbirds in town. I also caught sight of a mistle thrush near the river, alongside the blue tits in the hedges, and robins sang their hearts out. As did a greenfinch, although in a different way – greenfinches have a proper screech on them! – and a goldcrest called too.
River Stour area: More magpies, goldfinches, crows, robins, wood pigeons and starlings here too. Great tits love the trees and hedges around the river so I heard many ‘tea-chers tea-chers’ as we walked. Redwings and fieldfares flocked in the fields as well and a cormorant, of all things, flew over us. Wonder where s/he was going…
Thursday 23rd February, 5:06pm
Meadow: A quieter walk around the meadow this evening, but there were robins singing, starlings squawking and dunnocks whistling. Bluetits, wood pigeons, crows, magpies and blackbirds were also still active, particularly at the top of the field. The usual song thrush was also belting out a tune from near the entrance. Further into the meadow, there were fieldfares in the trees near the river and a wagtail (probably a grey wagtail) flew overhead. Some redwings also settled down in the trees along the top edge before the sun set and a pheasant was skulking around in the undergrowth, making its usual clucking noise.
Monday 20th February, 7:21am
Honington: It was a busy morning with a flock of goldfinches, a blackbird, wood pigeons, great tits, blue tits, a magpie, song thrush, robin, green woodpecker (heard) and rooks all on the Stratford Road towards Honington. Around the river and in the village itself, there were more robins, rooks, wood pigeons, magpies, blue tits, great tits, song thrushes and goldfinches and I heard another (or the same?) green woodpecker. There were also jackdaws, dunnocks and a buzzard and plenty of redwings on Fell Mill Lane heading out of the village.
Fell Mill Lane area: Some similar species here too including more: blackbirds, wood pigeons, dunnocks, green woodpeckers, blue tits, song thrushes and redwings. The dunnocks and song thrushes are particularly vocal at the moment! Fieldfares also lined the trees on the road and a group of house sparrows chattered in a hedge. A couple of crows flew over and there were also two moorhens near the river.
Meadow: I turned off Fell Mill Lane and walked through the meadow towards home. I could hear skylarks across the river alongside wrens and dunnocks in the scrub nearby. Woodpigeons, crows, blue tits, starlings, a song thrush and a robin also featured.
Sunday 19th February, 3:40pm
Meadow: It was Stefan’s turn to have a solo walk and record some wildlife so here’s what he saw. House sparrows, blue tits, blackbirds and wood pigeons at the top of the meadow near the Bristol gate. Past the pumping station there were: great tits, long-tailed tits, fieldfares and jackdaws. There was also a red kite soaring above the open field and fieldfares were near the river. Lots of chaffinches across the river towards the road.
Fell Mill Road area: There were chaffinches and yellowhammers near the barn as you exit the meadow. Robin near the sewage works and plenty of blackbirds, wood pigeons and jackdaws around too. There was also a buzzard.
Friday 17th February, 7:03am
Shipston Town: Quite a lively morning in the town today! Crows, blackbirds, song thrushes, feral pigeons, starlings and sparrows were the main critters in the centre. Heading south towards the cemetery, there were also some goldfinches, magpies, robins, jackdaws and dunnocks and a goldcrest was calling from one of the tall trees.
River Stour area: Some familiar faces here too including blackbirds, robins, crows, wood pigeons, jackdaws and magpies. There were plenty of song thrushes here too – they’re singing everywhere at the moment! And dunnocks, wrens, blue tits, goldfinches and great tits sang their usual songs from the hedgerows too, particularly between Willington and Barcheston. I also heard at least 2 green woodpeckers, but didn’t manage to see them, and a mistle thrush flew over (while uttering its rattling call) while a pheasant scurried away. A grey squirrel chilled on a fence near Barcheston too. Goldcrests were the clear winner today though – I heard another in a field near the main road and it came out to say hello!
Thursday 16th February, 7:35am
Meadow – So many birds in the meadow this morning! Highlight was a couple of song thrushes singing at either end of the field (1 near the houses and 1 near the river). Other birds seen/heard included: dunnocks, great tits, collared dove, wood pigeons, sparrows, blackbirds, crows, starlings, robins, blue tits, buzzard, wrens (singing in the scrub near the river), goldfinches and magpies. 2 mallard ducks also flew over and there was a heron perched right in the middle of the crop field.
Monday 13th February, 3:30PM
Shipston Town: There were starlings, collared doves, wood pigeons and sparrows in the Railway Crescent/Station Road area this afternoon. A red kite circled over the Darlingscote Road area – a crow tried to bomb it at one point. Goldfinches sang in the trees and some more woodpigeons, starlings, collared doves and sparrows were here too, alongside a robin. A whole load of jackdaws cawed in the town centre and feral pigeons, collared doves and starlings flew around too.
Wednesday 8th February, 7:33AM
River Stour area: I was greeted by the sounds of goldfinches and a song thrush as I approached the River Stour to the east of town. A woodpigeon also flew out near the small copse on the east side of the river. In the fields towards Barcheston, I saw a robin, some feral pigeons, another song thrush, carrion crows, jackdaws, a pheasant and a blackbird. I also heard some blue tits and great tits in the hedgerows and some goldfinches near the house in the hamlet.
Barcheston Fields: Heading back towards town, I saw house sparrows, woodpigeons, magpies, blackbirds and robins. A redwing chilled in an oak tree right next to me and some chaffinches and long-tailed tits flitted about in a small stretch of woodland near the 40mph road. My binoculars also revealed a goldcrest amongst the foliage and there was a buzzard sitting proudly in a tree across the main road. As I walked down towards the bridge, I spotted a roe deer on the edge of a field near Fell Mill Lane and a kestrel flew overhead.
Friday 3rd February, 3:40PM
The Meadow: There was a small family of blue tits on the track into the field (near the houses). Other spots included a couple of woodpigeons and a carrion crow and there was some sort of murmuration in the distance towards Borough Hill, possibly of jackdaws or rooks.
Fell Mill area: I saw starlings in the trees and two magpies in the field west of Fell Mill Lane, across the River Stour from the meadow. Two moorhens also jumped out as I crossed the river. A thrush was singing on Fell Mill Lane and a juvenile goldfinch sat in a tree next to the Fell Mill Farm barns. I disturbed a flock of fieldfares, redwings and blackbirds in one of the fields east of the road. Other spots included: green woodpecker (heard), a couple of magpies and long-tailed tits, sparrows and blackbirds in the hedgerows. In the scrub near the road to Tysoe, there was a carrion crow, woodpigeon, blue tits, great tits and a moorhen on the beck.
Thursday 2nd February, 4:42PM
Shipston Town: We seem to have some mini starling murmurations going on at the moment in the evenings around the Railway Crescent/Station Road area of town. I wasn’t able to get a great video, but I wanted to make sure I noted it down!
Barcheston fields: There was a small flock of crows/rooks in the field and blackbirds were foraging on the ground underneath the hedgerows. I was just able to see them before it got too dark. Robins sang in the oak trees lining the road into Barcheston and there were a couple of wrens too. A muntjac safely crossed the single track road before the 40mph road junction into the field. Finally, as I walked along the main road back into town, a couple of buzzards soared just above the field next to the river – they circled near to the cow shelter.
Monday 30th January, 7:39AM
I read something that inspired me this morning. I often worry about the wild places around me in Shipston – we have virtually no protected areas around this part of South Warwickshire and I have a constant fear of wild places being developed with no scrutiny. The inspiration I read? Keep a wildlife log. I was away in Kent last week and was hooked on the wildlife updates from Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory. It won’t be quite the same, but why not do something similar! And it won’t be every day, but I’m going to update this blog throughout 2023 with my local wildlife sightings.
Today, I started with the ‘Meadow’ on my local patch (see a description in the ‘Places’ section below). There were sparrows and robins in the silver birches and hawthorns on the entrance into the field. Two goldfinches and a robin sang in the scrub lining the top edge and there was a small mixed flock of starlings and fieldfares in the crop field. Two buzzards rested in trees across the river near the tennis court. Other sightings included a couple of carrion crows in the trees near the sewage works, some blue tits in the scrub near the pumping station, a woodpigeon in a tree and I heard a couple of redwings nearby too.
Places
The ‘Meadow’
This is what I call a small crop field on the outskirts of Shipston towards Stratford. It’s very popular with dog walkers and a short loop around it only takes me about 25-30 minutes. It starts with a concrete path between houses, lined with silver birches, blackthorn and fences. This opens out onto a muddy track, with a small pumping station and patch of scrub to the right (the scrub is always busy with birds in spring/summer!)
On the left, there are a range of trees including field maples (I’ll update which other species there are when their leaves appear in Spring!) The track leads onto the crop field which slopes down to the River Stour. The path circles around the field (which often floods) and it goes past a small abandoned building across from the sewage works, which is on the bank opposite the field. I’ve seen all sorts in this field and I can’t wait to share what I spot this year!
Barcheston Fields
These fields are located to the east of Shipston. They’re sandwiched between the Banbury road, the road to Burmington and Barcheston. You can’t walk into many of the fields. Instead, you can follow the roads or join the footpaths in the fields close to the river. One of the single-track roads is lined with oak trees. These fields are usually good for barn owls and kestrels and fieldfares, yellowhammers, redwings and chaffinches absolutely love the oak trees.
Shipston Town
I live in north Shipston. Around the Railway Crescent/Station Road area. Not long ago, the fringe of the green belt covered this part of town and Shipston’s old railway station stood around the corner from my house. Now redbrick houses and streets predominate. Though it’s sad to know that the open fields and greenery are long gone, I’m reassured by the starlings, sparrows, collared doves and wood pigeons that I see every day, along with the house martins that flock to their nests here.
Fell Mill area
I’m calling the fields with public footpaths around Fell Mill Lane to the east of town the ‘Fell Mill area’. This place stretches north towards Honington and south back towards the urban area. It’s a mixture of crop fields, enclosed by hedgerows, and single track roads. There are also clusters of trees dotted here and there and a sewage works near the River Stour (which usually has a surprising number of birds in the scrub!)
Honington
Honington
A small village situated just to the North of Shipston. The river runs to the west of this small settlement and Fell Mill Road runs south from the West, connecting it to the main town.
River Stour area
This is the name I have given to the immediate area around the River Stour to the south east of Shipston. The public footpaths near the river head towards the village of Burmington and go through a range of agricultural fields, separated by hedgerows. The route follows the west edge of Barcheston and I regularly walk to the Small hamlet of Tidmington this way.
Ramblings of a (very!) amateur artist 