After a day of continuous rain it was something of a surprise when the walk leader, Paul Beard, set off in search of “plenty of mud”. The dire predictions proved to be wildly overstated and all of the 20+ party remained upright throughout the walk to Brackenfield via Carr Lane. The return via Millers Lane and Brackenfield Church was also uneventful and the whole walk yielded a good total of 51 species.
Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Brambling, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Buzzard (max. 8 together), Common Snipe, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander (12), Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jay, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rook, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Treecreeper, Tree Sparrow, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler/Chiffchaff, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.