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Chandlers Ford “Falcons” |
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Date: 14/04/2007 (42 species) |
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RIVER ITCHEN Field trip |
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BIRD LIST
Grey Heron Mallard Canada Goose Lapwing Coot Moorhen Mute Swan BlackHeaded Gull Herring Gull Lesser Black Backed Gull Great Black backed Gull Mediterranean Gull Wood Pigeon Collared Dove Stock Dove Buzzard Green Woodpecker Blackbird Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Starling Grey Wagtail Wren Robin Blue Tit Great Tit Long tailed Tit Dunnock Goldcrest Chiff-chaff Blackcap Cettis Warbler Garden Warbler Sedge Warbler Goldfinch Chaffinch Greenfinch Jay Carrion Crow Rook Jackdaw Magpie
42 Species |
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We all gathered at the Bishopstoke recreation ground car park. A little flurry of interest in the Mistle Thrush that was collecting food on the playing fields and flying up into the nearby trees to, very obviously, feed some young, and then Derek gave a little safety talk. We welcomed Don Fuller from Brighton’s RSPB Head office and Carol who accompanied him. We also had some new youngsters who were having a little taster of our fieldtrips..
It was great to see all these new faces.
In total we saw and/or heard 42 species. The leaves are out and many of the smaller birds were (very effectively) hiding away in the foliage. Those warblers were particularly elusive; but boy, could we hear them!
The chiff-chaffs performed well for us. The little long-tailed tits flitted through the trees keeping parallel to us. A good view of a female blackcap (with its brown cap!!) was possible. A buzzard performed very well soaring in its characteristic fashion—but it also pretended to be a kestrel for a short time as it hovered in that very kestrel manner.
We only saw one grey wagtail—this is very unusual for this walk, because (near the sewage farm) there are usually dozens of them—but I guess all the recent work near the farm has disturbed these striking little birds.
A good time was had by all… see you on our next fieldtrip to Barnes Reserve.
Pete, April 2007 |