A great start to a Friday, albeit cold. A hot coffee at the Silver Ball cafe on the A10 brought feeling back to hands and faces.
Friday, 22 February 2013
Therfield Heath
An early start found me at the Prince Of Wales for Gary before 7a.m. A short drive to Therfield Heath, parking at Royston rugby club before a wander up to the Icknield Way to try and photo the Great Grey Shrike. Kestrel, common buzzard and mistle thrush noted as we walked up the slopes. After a half hour fruitless search, we heard great tit alarm calls and turned round to find the GGS at the top of a tree. Some record shots before it flew off to alight on the power lines. After this it disappeared into a thick hedge and out of view. A few shots here, distant and in poor light.
Other birds of note were common buzzard (2+,) a very distant circling red kite (photo 4 looking toward Duckpuddle Farm) a distant hen harrier over conifers at Grey's Farm, a solitary brambling over and good numbers of chaffinches, yellowhammers, black headed gulls and winter thrushes, predominantly fieldfares, goldfinches, a flock of 75+ linnets and a couple of wrens.
A great start to a Friday, albeit cold. A hot coffee at the Silver Ball cafe on the A10 brought feeling back to hands and faces.
A great start to a Friday, albeit cold. A hot coffee at the Silver Ball cafe on the A10 brought feeling back to hands and faces.
Hi Jono,
ReplyDeleteI had the Shrike at 11:00 in the hedge east of the Icknield Way (TL352394). It was there again in virtually the same place at 15:30 with excellent views down to 30 yards. Otherwise, comparatively quiet against previous visits, although a 6 mile circular walk up to Therfield and back to the car park via the Herfordshire Way, produced a male Stonechat at the rifle range (TL325382), something that has become quite scarce in recent times.
Mike Oakland
Hi Mike,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. GGS was indeed showing well. My mate, Gary had a photo on the Herts bird website. Good supporting cast, too although too distant for the camera. Stonechat always a good bird to see. As a teenager living in Hitchin in the early 70's I used to bird Therfield regularly. Quail, dotterel and stone curlew were regular sightings!! Seem to recall breeding stone curlew, too.