The fact is I've been attending a 5-day chainsaw maintenance and felling course deep within a pine forest on Alcester Heath. I must say that I found the course to be very intense and demanding, and something which has required a full weeks concentration, but although I'm totally shattered at the end, and wishing I'd fitted a bath as well as a shower when I kitted my boat out, it has also given me a most enjoyable 5-days. It was also something which I found to be extremely rewarding, whether I pass my assessment next week on the other hand is of course another matter!!
No major birding over the past several days although I have managed to bird during my lunch breaks and have been lucky enough to see many Goldcrest, a species synonymous with pine, two Crossbill were also present on Tuesday afternoon. Jays, Buzzards and Woodpeckers have also made good companions over the past week.
I did manage to keep abreast of the local activity over the past week and its nice to see Waxwing being reported at Napton Hill, plus another sighting of Bittern at Brandon Marsh, a place that I'm looking forward to visiting over this coming weekend.
