22nd March 2009

I joined 10 other people on the WMBC Solihull Branch's Earlswood field trip, which was led by Branch Chairman Humphrey Miller. I myself enjoyed the outing, and I think everyone else did as well, with some good sightings had. Areas visited included part of Wood Lane, Clowes Wood and New Fallings Coppice SSSI, Terry's Pool and Engine Pool. Our first notable sighting was a Kingfisher moving from Engine Pool to Terry's Pool. I was pleasantly surprised at how productive the small stretch of Wood Lane we visited (in-between Manor Farm and New Fallings Coppice) was, with a Green Woodpecker, a Meadow Pipit (over) and a hunting Kestrel seen, and a Common Pheasant heard. 1 or 2 Coal Tit were seen in Little Clowes Wood, and a Chiffchaff was heard in Big Clowes Wood. Returning to Little Clowes Wood, we saw 2 Buzzards soaring overhead and heard a Raven briefly. Reaching Terry's Pool, 7 Cormorants and some Tufted Ducks were seen, but I was disappointed that the Pochard and Shoveler didn't show for us. The field trip finished back at the Malthouse Lane car park. Walking back home, I saw 3 Greylag Geese in one of the fields north of Terry's Pool - a record count for Earlswood in recent years, as far as I know - and I also saw 8 Nuthatches, 2 Treecreepers and 1 Song Thrush.
M.P. Griffiths