Bank Holiday Monday got off to a good start with a visit to the Wyre Forrest. I had hoped for wood warbler, but I didn't see or hear one. I did, though, connect with garden warbler and blackcap singing their heads off which made a good exercise in comparing their songs - which can be difficult at the start of the year until you get your "ear in".
I soon moved on to Clee Hill where there were lots of wheatears at the summit and a peregrine flew over. Whilst there I was lucky enough to find a meadow pipits nest with young.
I moved on to Bridges and saw two iconic summer visitors - pied flycatcher and redstart. Also got some more photos of spring flowers - red campion, forget-me-not, dandelion and kingcups. The kingcups looked fantastic and the dandelions looked more like chrysanthemums! - see photo below.
The highlight of the day, though, was a visit to the Hollies. The holly trees are the oldest in Europe, some 400 years old! The are located on the north-east edge of the Stiperstones. Because of their age they are cracked and gnarled and even rowan trees are growing up through them.
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| Dandelion |
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| Forget-me-not |
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| Kingcups |
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| Kingcups |
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| Red Campion |
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| Holly Flowers |
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| Holly Tree with Rowan growing through it |
