Kinver Canal

We had a very productive day out on Thursday last week. We drove to Kinver and went along the canal heading south towards Whittington, it was cold and frosty so the birds were a bit more active out foraging. 

We first came across a Little Grebe,

sorry! very corny I know, but couldn't resist.

It was a day of close encounters, we hadn't gone much further and there was a Kingfisher sitting just feet away on a branch over the adjacent River Stour, it flew off pretty sharpish though, then immediately after we had a terrific Buzzard sighting, it came out of nowhere on the far canal bank carrying what I think is a Moorhen,

it disappeared around the bush on the left of the second photo couldn't be seen for a few minutes, then a walker came along the other side of the canal and flushed it out, without the Moorhen. It flew around a few feet over our heads before settling down again on the other side of the canal, with a bit of Moorhen that it promptly wolfed down,

then posed for a bit before we walked on. Next sighting was a Wren on the ice, thought it was a Warbler at first with the prominent brow over the eye.

Where the sun didn't reach you could definitely tell winter is upon us,

Our next find was a Goldcrest near the sewage works just past Whittington Lock, the letter beggar wouldn't stay still for the camera and always chose to stop with it between the camera and the fierce low sun, so no photo for that one!

Some Mallards we snuggled down in the frost, 

 while others were climbing out on to the ice.

The resting Mallard were then chased off by these marauding domestic Guinea Fowl,

another Buzzard then did a fly by,

So a lovely day in the cold sunshine

 with a Song Thrush giving us a final farewell

before heading back to the Vine in Kinver and an excellent Beef and Horseradish baguette