Pastures Old - 14 mile / 73 sp

I now have new base for Wandering, allowing me to check up on old haunts.
4 owl species seen this week & evidence of the 5th too, so all in all not too bad a move ;-)

Corn Bunting has to be bird of the week - one we struggle for just 5 mile down the road, with birds seen at half a dozen local spots, twice just in passing - most notably a dozen on a roadside wire.

A 14 miler on Sunday netted 73 species
Route:-
Rennys Lane, Broomside House, Hallgarth, Littletown, Elemore Hall, Hetton-le-Hill, Pittington Hills, High Moorsley, Low Moorsley, Hetton Bogs, Coalfield Way, Joes, Rainton - a kind hearted gent gave me a lift at dusk to Pittington to enable me to complete the final stretches with fresh legs.

This area of rough ground held 3 bunting, 5 thrush & half a dozen finch species.

A mild day with several Red Admiral on the wing, my first Mistle Thrush & Great Tit of the autumn in song- but more surprising were 3 Corn Bunting & a Yellowhammer doing the same.

highlights being :-
15Corn Bunting   12Crossbill    2Water Rail    Kingfisher   Chiffchaff    Jack Snipe   Little Owl    Long-eared Owl  Tawny Owl   Short-eared Owl  Tree Sparrows along just about the whole route.

  Looking West from the escarpment.