Saturday
2nd January Fresh E to W Drizzle or light rain all day
Two
sessions of the South Africa versus England Test match, watching with
Dad, means that I am late leaving for the hoopoe.
From
the back window overlooking a large oak woodland I add nuthatch
and treecreeper to the list before setting off.
Cycling
past the places of my early childhood; our family home in
Stourbridge, where I got stung by a bumblebee as I poked the nest
with a stick, along the road where Mum said she took the Christmas
presents for Santa to collect and check before Christmas. So many
memories. My old school, King Edward's Grammar School; I cycle onto
the ring road and head for Wall Heath.
The
bird is not on view when I arrive and two birders haven't been able
to find it. I try and flush it from a scrubby area on the far side of
the quarry. It flies into a tree and stays unseen amongst the ivy on
the tree trunk for an hour or so.
Eventually
it does return to the same spot and gives everyone now present great,
close views. Three new birds for the year list takes it to sixty six.
19.19
miles 1115 elevation up 1376 elevation down
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