Saturday 1st March: Sherwood Rough

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 After ten days of grandparenting duties, it was great to get out birdwatching again, on an SDOS outing to Sherwood Rough. 

This is the site we had visited a few weeks ago for Hawfinch, and in birding terms the walk was a tad disappointing, but the company was excellent, with a good turnout of around twenty five members. It was a steepish climb up, but our efforts were rewarded on the ridge top, where a calling Nuthatch showed very well in a tree close to the path, and a Kestrel in the treetops made the effort of carrying my scope worthwhile! Continuing round, the woodland walk was rather quiet, but an open, sunny ride proved a little more productive with Yellowhammer and Firecrest showing very well. 

At a small pond, we stopped for drinks and snacks, and suddenly, to great delight a huge, magnificent White-tailed Eagle drifted into view, and circled above us giving stunning views and a real ‘Wow!’ moment. 

White-tailed Eagle (Richard Allan)

With our spirits revived, we continued back along the ridge path. A distant tree held a small group of finches, but even with the scope we couldn’t quite identify these, although Chaffinch was the most likely conclusion. Then, one of the group spotted a chunky looking bird in a tree ahead of us. I put the scope on it, and our suspicions were confirmed - a Hawfinch at last! Most of the group got decent views through the scope and this seemed a fitting finale as we descended towards the car park. Richard caused a stir when he called a Goshawk over the conifers on the far valley, but just as I got my scope set up again, he changed his mind as they morphed into Red Kites!

It had been an enjoyable morning in beautiful, sunny conditions and I returned home feeling revived and contented, after a relatively sedentary period away!

Comments

Richard Allan said…
All I can say in my defence is that the Goshawk-like Red Kite was very distant!
12 March 2025 at 15:21
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