New Year - New List mmmm!!!

Lesser Redpoll

I decided to take today and tomorrow off work and used the fine day as an opportunity to go and look for the debated Arctic/Mealy Redpoll which has been occupying a bean field in Worcestershire.

Despite being a fine day, it was bitterly cold in the Worcestershire countryside.  The overgrown edge of the field was attracting a lot of activity, large mixed finch flocks of about 50+ but they were constantly on the move flitting from the crop to the golf course on the otherside of the road and it was extremely hard to pin down any birds.  I finally managed good views of a few Mealy Redpolls amongst the Lessers Redpolls and other birds within the flock were the odd Greenfinch with many Goldfinches.

Lesser Redpoll

After about two hours of waiting around, there was just me and another birder left and as I prepared to depart also, a whitish Redpoll alighted in a tree above us on its own and then promptly flew into the crop field and disappeared.  It could have been the Arctic Redpoll but the view was to brief to say for sure.  As my feet were about to turn into blocks of ice, I decided to drive home, stopping by Hopwood for the Great Grey Shrike who eventually appeared after an hour and delighted the patient crowd.

Goldfinch

A frustrating day's birding with lots of hanging around but it was nice to be outside.