Motorway Birding

The return trip from the frozen north to the frozen south largely involved travel on motorways and much of the time there was little to see. I did notice a couple of Common Buzzards by the M6 near Crewe and several Kestrel along that stretch.

We stopped for a comfort break some where south of what was the Potteries, but after today's news there is even less reason for that name. As soon a we stopped we noticed the usual Pied Wagtails, a service station cert, and also lots of Blackbirds. Pam decided to share some of her lunch and very quickly there were four Blackbirds, contrasting against the snow, by the car. As is normal much of their energies were dissipated chasing each other.

This is the second male to arrive, he lacks the eye make up that made to one above distinctive.

We found that the two Pied Wagtails were eager to share small pieces of ham, but much less interested in bread.

There were several Robins in the area, and they were a pugnacious as usual, but did settle down to a snack of rather nice wholemeal bread, with a well seeded crust.

I decided to try the M40 followed by the southern part of the M25, and this went well until we heard that the M40 was blocked at junction 2. On our was past Oxford we saw two more Buzzards and several Kestrels. To avoid the M40 block, we came off at junction 5 and cut through to Marlow, to pick up the M4 and then the M25. On this stretch through the Chilterns we had several close views of Red Kites set against a stunning sun set. I didn't stop for pictures as the urge to get back to St Margaret's before it froze too hard drove me on.