Shenstone 28/01

With exams finally finished and a late start at college me and dad decided to go to Shenstone to hopefully catch up with Corn Bunting (which I haven't seen since 2007) and perhaps Brambling (missed last year)

Left the house at about 8 arriving at around 8:40 started off at the top end of Heath Lane where a Buzzard showed down to about 10yards before flying off, over towards the Muslim School there was a large mixed flock of Fieldfare, Redwing, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Starling feeding in the horse paddocks, but no sign of any Corn Bunting.

We then drove down to the bottom of Heath Lane where it meets Stanklyn Lane parked up on the side and started checking out the fields here where they had been previously reported. A few Blackbird and a female Chaffinch fed along a hedge and a Song Thrush was in the field. Looking across the road to the large field with the big pile of mangle wurzels in it we noted several birds perched in a tree in the middle. Getting the scope on them soon confirmed them as Corn Bunting initially 4 then joined by another 4 and then 4 Chaffinch (something about the number 4?!) They then flew off to the NE so we decided to walk up a footpath that goes along the two fields. Talking to a farmer there he said that he had seen a Buzzard attack a Barn Owl and also asked us if we'd seen the Red Kites saying that apparently there were a few frequenting around Chaddesley Corbett.

Walking further on up the path showed a few Robin, Great Tit and Blue Tits. Out in the field a Corn Bunting was singing from the top of a weed head and several other finches were on the ground but were too hard to see in amongst the vegetation. The footpath then cut across the field and following it round towards the housing estate at the back there were several Goldfinch flying around and a couple of Redwing flew over. Walking on to the top of the field we saw another two Corn Bunting in the top of a tree giving really good views, the tree was actually in someones garden, now there's a Garden tick I'd love!

Walking back down the field towards Stanklyn Lane a Raven flew over and a large finch flock were flying around at the bottom of the field so we started to walk towards them to get better views but unfortunately a man walking a Jack Russel just came out ahead of the housing estate and started walking down the field ahead of us, knowing he would flush the birds before we could get decent views we walked quickly down the field and set up the scope to try and identify them, several Corn Bunting were feeding there and then they all got up and flew a short distance initially making me think that we had a mega flock of Corn Bunting but thinking back I saw white outer tail feathers indicating they were infact skylark! (oops)  They landed not far away surprisingly, but disappeared into the stubble, 2 Stock Dove flew over and distracted us from the flock which must have flew off as we couldn't relocate them.

Walking back to the car we noted another Song Thrush and several Redwing and Fieldfare flying over finished off the trip nicely.