Paul Beard lead the way on the Brackenfield loop; anticlockwise for most of the participants this month. Windless conditions meant it was relatively pleasant for December. The sheer abundance of birdlife between the West Bank car park and the church was noteworthy, and the species total respectable at 50. Opinion varied on both the number of starters and number of finishers on the walk, 16 being the average.
Species: Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Linnet, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Rook, Shoveller, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Treecreeper, Wigeon, Willow Tit, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Peter Faulkner