This morning we met Adam and Avya at Acres Down for a few hours birding in the area, as it was mid-summer we weren't expecting a record day but we were optimistic of finding a few good birds.
As we walked up the hill towards the raptor view point we checked off many on the common species Robin, Greenfinch, calling Bullfinch etc. With an every ending blue sky it isn't alway good for raptors but we put in about an hour in the hope something would get up and be noticed. Common Buzzard was our only bird of prey but we had good views of some very nice local species, Tree and Meadow Pipit, Redstart and Spotted Flycatchers and Stonechats, there was also Swallows hawking overhead most of the time we were there. We also saw flyby Stock Dove and Great Spotted Woodpecker, had good views and listened to the calls of Willow Warblers with their two syllable calls in preference to the Chiffchaffs single syllable 'wheet'.
As we walked up the hill towards the raptor view point we checked off many on the common species Robin, Greenfinch, calling Bullfinch etc. With an every ending blue sky it isn't alway good for raptors but we put in about an hour in the hope something would get up and be noticed. Common Buzzard was our only bird of prey but we had good views of some very nice local species, Tree and Meadow Pipit, Redstart and Spotted Flycatchers and Stonechats, there was also Swallows hawking overhead most of the time we were there. We also saw flyby Stock Dove and Great Spotted Woodpecker, had good views and listened to the calls of Willow Warblers with their two syllable calls in preference to the Chiffchaffs single syllable 'wheet'.
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| Common Buzzard © Nick Hulll |
As little was happening with birds of prey we decided to to go and walk through the wood and see what other woodland species were out and about. As we walked back toward the parking area we saw Meadow Pipits and more Spotted Flycatchers another family party, more Willow Warblers, then Avya said "is that a Buzzard". Getting my binoculars on to it I confirmed she was correct but what was even better it was being harassed by two Hobby who saw it off their territory and diving back down out of sight into the trees.
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| White Admiral © Nick Hull |
Our walk around the wood didn't produce a great deal but what we had were good views of a family party of Goldcrest, several Coal, Blue and Great Tits and Siskins were heard and seen briefly as they flew over, Nuthatch and the usual Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Robins were also seen. We heard a couple of Crossbills then a tantalising flyover and we tried looking for them but unfortunately they flew off again before we could locate them in the tree tops. As we were heading back Adam noticed a butterfly he didn't know and Jackie took a look and it turned out to be a White Admiral a good find. We also saw several other common butterflies including a couple of very fresh Holly Blues.
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| Holly Blue © Nick Hull |
We finished with some very good views of a Marsh Tit that performed excellently for us as it foraged for food in the low vegetation close to the side of the path.
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