BASINGSTOKE LOCAL GROUP

MARCH 2010 NEWSLETTER

http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/basingstoke

Contents:

From The Group Leader

Notices

A Muddy Pool In Venezuela

What’s Happening?

March’s Outdoor Meeting

April’s Outdoor Meeting

February’s Outdoor Meeting

Local Wildlife News

Quiz Page

A million voices for nature Charity registered in England and Wales no. 207076

From The Group Leader

Welcome to the March Indoor Meeting and Newsletter.

The weather, what else would we start a conversation with, has remained

particularly grim over the latter part of the winter, though becoming noticeably

milder*. This gradual change has seen winter visitors moving away from gardens,

a chance for us to get out and ready the garden for spring, and dramatically

increased numbers of birds also readying themselves for spring. Evidence of this

was first noted over a month ago, remains of hatched Collared Dove eggs being

found. Since then song has increased exponentially and there is already a sturdy

dawn chorus, at least for those of us (un) lucky enough to be up at that time!

As noted previously, spring is both busy for the birds and the RSPB. With this in

mind, the recent, poor, decision to allow the expansion of Lydd Airport ensures

that many of the SERO staff will have an even larger workload on their hands over

the coming months. Do your bit to help out, let the Regional Office / Sandy know

how you feel about this and the effect it will have on the surrounding area,

including Dungeness, and they will be able to advise then on steps that could be

taken by yourself to help in the effort to revise this judgment. Every Member that

spends a little time putting forward their views may just perhaps bring about the

timely reversal of this environmentally and ecologically disastrous determination!

The promised Big Garden Birdwatch article this month has been put back for at

least a month, this as the national overview has yet to be published.

Spring is here, enjoy! See you on the beach at Calshot.

Peter E. Hutchins

Garganey Anas querquedala

My find of the month, so far

* try telling that to those who participated in the February Outdoor Meeting!

Notices

Garden Party 2010

Following on from our successful Garden Parties in the past we are holding

another one on Saturday 31st July 2010, again at 33 Archery Fields, Odiham, time

6p.m. As in previous years a dish of some description would be very much

appreciated. A list will be on the table at April Indoor Meeting for people

interested, to put their names down. We have always been lucky with the weather

in the past, fingers crossed we will be this year. Once again the pool will be

available for those wishing to swim.

Maureen Brailey

Evening Walks

Even though these will not take place until May we still need your input! Would

you be willing to lead a walk, do you have any ideas as to where we could walk

and do you think that the Programme ought to extend into July? Other local groups

are also being approached, just to see if they would like to join us in this venture

and wander somewhere local to them.

Currently the proposed dates for walks are as follows: May 4th

, 12th

, 18th

and 26th

,

June 2nd

, 9th

, 16th

, 23rd

and 30th

.

Let us know of your thoughts, these then to be taken account of as the Programme

is prepared for the next Newsletter.

Mid-week Walks

The possibility of running walks away from our monthly Outdoor Meeting has

been raised on a number of occasions previously. Would you be interested in

attending such a thing? Recent discussion has shown that half a dozen people are

willing to go ahead with this; therefore walks are now being planned for the latter

part of April and into May. Further information on this / these will appear in the

April Newsletter, in time for all showing an interest to be able to hopefully attend.

However, if you wish to find out more before this, please contact John Cahill on

07719 – 923844.

Newsletter Submissions

As spring approaches with the excitement of firsts for the year to look out for I am

pleased to say thank you to several Members for their recent submissions, one in

this issue and another already prepared for the April Newsletter; my firsts for the

year. However, there‟s room for plenty more, so don‟t feel shy! You don‟t have

to be a literary giant, write page after page, or even be able to spell properly! As

has been noted previously, every input increases the variety and texture of the

Newsletter.

Bird Food

We are happy to supply any bird food to you at any time, just call on 01256 –

770831, 07895 – 388378 or mail us on fieldfare@jaybry.gotadsl.co.uk and we will

arrange delivery to you. If you have any requirements that are not listed, please do

let us know and we will ensure that they are available when you, or your birds,

need them.

Bird Food Pricelist:

The below being examples of just a few of the items that we can supply. Please do

enquire after anything else and we will provide you with a cost, time of delivery

etc.

Wild bird Mix 30p/lb or 66p/kg

Peanuts 65p/lb or £1.43/kg

Black Sunflowers £1/lb or £2.20/kg

Sunflower Hearts £1.10/lb or

£2.42/kg

Niger £1/lb or £2.20/kg

Fat Squares £1 each

Fat Pecker Balls 25p each

Also available are birdboxes, at £6.50, or two for £10, and a range of feeders.

Peter & Alison

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A Muddy Pool In Venezuela

It had been a long and, at times, seemingly interminable journey but here we were,

at last, in the middle of one of the world‟s most exciting birding destinations;

tropical Venezuela.

We were parked on a dusty track and had left the vehicle to scan a muddy pool,

one of many such, scattered around the savannah-like countryside. This was in the

extensive ranch-lands of Hato Pinero (I couldn’t figure-out how to type-in the two

dots over the n).”Hato” is the Venezuelan equivalent of a ranch. During the rains,

this pool would have been invisible, just part of the general inundation which

would have transformed most of the scene in front of us into a large, shallow lake,

punctuated with scattered, low, wooded islands. At that time, the creatures now

concentrated in and around the pool would have spread out to exploit the wider

realms of watery habitat or have gone elsewhere, perhaps as far as Alaska or

northern Canada. Now, though, the heat of the dry season had reduced the floods

to many pastures, marshes and pools, some of them, like this one, dug out by the

cattle ranchers to provide drink for their stock.

The shore-mud exposed by this shrinking, green pool had been mangled into a

jumble of craters and puddles by the heavy hooves of thirsty cattle. Bobbing its

tail, wagtail-like, from footprint to footprint as it picked out small invertebrates, a

Northern Waterthrush was the same hue as the mud, sometimes only revealed by

the pale stripe over the eye. A few metres away a small clod transformed itself into

a solitary Sandpiper, ran forward a few paces and snapped-up a morsel from the

water‟s edge.

Solitary Sandpiper Northern Waterthrush Tringa solitaria Seiurus novoboracensis

These two birds and the Spotted Sandpiper, equally difficult to see against the

muddy background on the far side of the pool were feeding hard to fuel for the

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coming migration which might take them from here, February in the Venezuelan

Llanos (say “Yanosh”) to the Arctic regions of North America in the northern

summer where, theoretically, they could all find themselves breeding as

neighbours. They wouldn‟t face quite the same problems, though, I thought, as I

watched the Spotted Sandpiper make a slight detour around the tail-end of a two

and a half metre Spectacled Cayman, basking, nose towards the water, on the dried

mud. It was one of around thirty on shore and I could see nearly as many in the

water, some sculling slowly through the slimy green algae covering most of the

surface, others visible mostly as protruding eyes and snouts. Not quite the bulk of

the crocodiles of Africa, perhaps, but sporting impressive dentition

.

Spectacled Cayman Caiman crocdilus

The green on the skin is algae from the pond

A sudden watery commotion illustrated that these top predators have their own

problems; a large Cayman had a struggling juvenile of its own kind in its jaws and

crunched it several times before sinking with it under the surface slime. I suppose

that, in times of plentiful water, the youngsters would not normally be forced into

such close proximity with the adults.

Side-necked Terrapins which had been encrusting half-sunken logs like so many

limpet-mines, catching some morning sunlight, began to climb back onto the

perches from which they had been startled as the scene became peaceful once

more.

Side-necked Terrapin Pleurodira sp.

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A russet and grey bird, about the same size as a slim Coot picked its way

cautiously out of some waterside scrub, down to the pool. A Grey-necked Wood

Rail taking careful, elegant strides with lengthy, red legs, occasionally flicking its

black tail upwards, made its way towards a tangle of driftwood.

Grey-necked Wood Rail Aramides cajaner

From the other end of the heap of dead branches another, even more elegant shape

solidified from a mess of twigs and dead leaves as it emerged into the sunshine

and became a Sunbittern, one of the charismatic “target” birds for our Naturetrek

Tour group. As the rail passed near it we were treated to a brief view of the

surprise, eye-like markings of the Sunbittern‟s wings as it spread them and its

longish tail in a threat display before returning to its own balanced stepping

through the poolside ruts and debris. The Sunbittern has been connected with

various families of birds and assumed to be, in some way related to rails or cranes

or herons… but recent molecular studies of mitochondrial and nuclear D.N.A.

indicates its closest relationship to be with the equally enigmatic Kagu, endemic to

New Caledonia, north east of Australia. We were able to admire the striking, pale,

water-ripple stripes above and below its reddish eyes and the exquisite wavy,

barred pattern of its folded wings at close range before our attention was drawn to

the far end of the pool (a little larger than the boating lake in Eastrop Park) by the

arrival of a large, grey heron which settled to pose in the shallows.

8

Sunbittern Eurypyga helias Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi

Its plumage, superficially like that of a Grey Heron but with a black cap and a

powerful yellow bill identified it as a Cocoi Heron. The arrival of this local

equivalent of the Great Blue Heron added yet another threat to the young Caymans

and it made the three etiolated-looking Great White Egrets (called Great Egrets in

the Americas) wading a short distance from it seem a little puny. Neither it nor the

egrets seemed overly concerned about the proximity of the Caymans nor did the

reptiles show any interest in the birds. Perhaps both were familiar with the habits

and characteristics of each other and, as humans crossing a busy road, accepted the

situation because they felt in control and confident, though maintaining caution.

A dead tree in the marsh at the far end of the pool was adorned with an interesting

collection of birds. The white body, bare, wrinkled neck and droopy, long bill of a

Wood Stork claimed top position in the tree. Below, four slender, black Neotropic

Cormorants were hanging-out their wings and below them, wings spread, like

those of the cormorants, an Anhinga or American Darter snaking its head back to

preen. It was some time before we noticed the quietly roosting Black-crowned

Night Heron on exposed tree roots in the shadows on exposed tree-roots against a

steep bank.

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Wood Stork Black-crowned Night Heron Mycteria Americana Nycticorax nycticorax

Another disturbance dragged the focus of our attention to the thrashing leaves of

trees overhanging part of the pool. There were odd hisses and grunts, sounding

more amphibian than bird, then the shaggy crest, red eye and bright blue face of a

Hoatzin thrust out of the foliage. Eventually we counted around a dozen of these

odd birds as they made their way, with strenuous wing-beats around the marginal

trees, climbing amongst the shaking branches with much flapping for balance,

quill-crests shaking. Another of the species we‟d particularly wished to see.

Fabulous birds and famous for the ability of the clawed-winged youngsters to drop

into the water in times of danger then clamber back up to their nests, using the

claws to do so. They are also remarkable for their diet of tree-leaves.

Almost missed while we were entertained by the Hoatzin spectacle was a pair of

finch-like birds drinking from low twigs. Black wings, white underneath and with

heads of a startling crimson. These were Red-capped Cardinals. Apparently they

are readily attracted to bird-feeders and their local name; “Cardinal Bandera

Alemana” refers to the colours of the old German flag.

A dark ibis probing the muddy margins in the shadows below the Night Heron

emerged into the sunlight and gleamed iridescent green as it moved steadily

forward. A delightful surprise to me, remembering the dull illustration of the

Green Ibis in the field-guide. It worked its way towards a group of three smaller

and much less gleaming Bare-faced Ibises also exploiting the feeding

opportunities of the mud. These latter birds are probably the commonest of the

ibises seen in the Llanos and I‟d noticed one poking about in the dead leaves a

short distance from the doors of our breakfast room that morning.

10

Green Ibis Bare-faced / Whispering Ibis

Mesembrinibis cayennensis Phimosus infuscatus

I had noticed that cinnamon and gingery/rusty colours, a colour scheme rare in

Europe are sported by many birds in the region and several examples were seen

around this pool. Lurking, for a while was a Black-collared Hawk, a buzzard-sized

bird specialising in catching fish, frogs and the like but we didn‟t see it in action.

Active on the mud, near the Waterthrush, and about the same size, was a pair of

brightly-rusty Yellow-chinned Spinetails, flitting from bushes to fly-busy shore

and back again. Higher in the trees but hard to make out through the leaves was

the long-tailed form of a foxy-tinted Squirrel Cuckoo, scrambling through the

twigs like its mammalian namesake and a chestnut, woodpecker-like Straight-

billed Woodcreeper crept up trunks and boughs.

Black-collared Hawk Capybara Busarellis nigricollis Hydrochoerus hydrochaeurus

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At ease in the shade to our right, opposite the large caimans, was a small group of

lazing Capybaras, mostly sprawled on the dry mud but a couple of youngsters

chased each other, rather ponderously, scattering the litter of large leaves, part of

the dry-season fall. We were to see herds of these, the world‟s largest rodents, out

on the savannah-lands, later in the tour but never as close and intimate as these.

The activity of these romping youngsters stimulated the motionless form of a

watching Ringed Kingfisher to reveal itself and fly to a quieter perch. A

handsome, pigeon-sized, spiky-crested, blue-green and…chestnut kingfisher. This

individual may have plunged into water too murky to judge depth and hit

something (stone or terrapin, perhaps) hard enough to break off the tip of its upper

mandible. Not a serious handicap, as it proceeded to show us by capturing a small

fish it had somehow detected in the green soup below.

Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata

This was relaxed and rewarding birding but there was much more to see and that

might require a little more effort.

Doug. Kelson

What’s Happening?

A few of the forthcoming local events that will hopefully help take you out of the

winter:

Basingstoke Field Society

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April 13th

: Annual General Meeting: The meeting commences at 20:00 in the

United Reformed Church, London Street. For further details, please contact

Patricia / Colin on 01256 323324.

Friends Of Loddon Vale Parks

May 28th

: Bat Survey: The meeting commences at 20:00, with sunset being at

21:03, at Glebe Gardens. For further details, please contact Christine Aymes on

07780 – 600758 / christineaymes@hotmail.co.uk

Hampshire Wildlife Trust

March 27th

: Wildlife and Heritage Walk: a seven mile walk between the villages

of Mapledurwell and Greywell, which will explore the history and wildlife of the

Basingstoke Canal. 10:00 – 14:30. For further information, places on this being

limited, please contact Sarah Broadhead on 01256 381103.

March 28th

: Greenham Common: join Lydia Knight for a general walk to see

birds and early spring flowers. Meet and park at the old control tower on Bury‟s

Bank Road (SU 498 653) for 14:00. For further details, please contact Lydia on

01256 334316.

April 25th

: Bluebells at Morgaston Wood: join Ruth Cairns for a walk through

Morgaston Woods to see the Bluebells. Meet and park in The Vyne (National

Trust) car park near the entrance (SU 639 576) for 10:00. For further details,

please contact Ruth on 01256 326364.

Odiham Biodiversity Group

March 25th

: The Natural Heritage around Odiham: Amanda Bassett of the

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust will give an update on the first five

years of the Loddon and Eversley Heritage Area project. The Wildlife and

Heritage Walk booklets will be available. The talk will start at 7.45 pm at the

Cross Barn. Admission £2.

March 27th

: Adders at Hook Common: There are still places for this walks from

11.00 until 12.00. To book (it will cost £1) and for further details please „phone

Sheila Bates on 01256 701187.

April 6th

: Annual General Meeting: Your chance to become more involved in

OBG! The third AGM will take place at 7.30 pm. As in previous years it will be

followed by the normal monthly Committee meeting and all are welcome to come

to both meetings. We will be electing a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer as well

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as Committee members. For further details please „phone Sheila Bates on 01256

701187.

Overton Biodiversity Society

March 18th

: Annual General Meeting at the Community Centre, Winchester

Street. The meeting will commence from 19:00 and include an illustrated talk on

orchids, interprative displays and refreshments.

Overton Garden Society

April 8th

: Growing Flowers for Cutting: Sally Burr, the gardener at The Vyne

and Basingstoke in Bloom Judge. The meeting commences at 20:00 in the Overton

Community Centre, Winchester Street. For further details, please contact Bob. on

01256 770416.

March’s Outdoor Meeting

Calshot Spit: 21st.

For this outing please meet in the car park at the western end of the spit for a

10:00 start (SU 485 016 – O.S Landranger Map 196). This is east off the B3051, a

short distance from the one-way system „triangle‟.

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For further details of the starting point, to offer or request a lift etc. please

contact a Committee Member prior to the weekend of the outing.

The RAC Route Planner gives a distance of 46.1 miles between Basingstoke and

Calshot Castle, the AA site 46.4; a travelling time of 70 and 68 minutes being

quoted by these sites. Calshot Castle is at the eastern tip of the spit and so the

meeting place is actually a little less than the mileage / times quoted. As always, if

you need directions, just ensure that we are aware of this prior to the weekend of

the outing. Please ensure that you leave ample time, probably at least 80 minutes,

to reach the site prior to the start time!

Calshot Spit

This will be a new site for many and should hopefully open up yet another area

of coastal Hampshire for further exploration in the future.

This is one of just a few promontories that the county has and, because of this can

be a real magnet for incoming migrants such as Wheatear and Sand Martin at this

time of year. Seawatching from here can also produce surprises, though the

possibilities have yet to be fully explored; other more familiar sites getting far

more coverage.

15

Scaup Aythya marina

A 1st-winter drake, just like the bird currently lingering offshore

The coastal marsh, inland of the spit, hosts winter visitors with Short-eared Owl

and Dartford Warbler being perhaps most notable, though Stonechat is becoming

ever more noteworthy with the onset of the recent colder spell.

Yet further north the scrub about the

power station can hold wintering

warblers, finches, buntings and

thrushes while the security fencing

and off-limit buildings can account

for Black Redstart.

Black Redstart

Phoenicurus ochruros

The main tower itself has regular

nesting Peregrine and an amount of disturbance among the corvids or waders

nearby could hint at one of these being around.

The shore of Southampton Water flanks a path that we will be taking and here we

can expect to add an assortment of waders, wildfowl, gulls, grebes and, perhaps,

even divers.

The Group will head east from the car park, taking in the seaward side of the

shingle spit so as to look for birds working their way shorewards, moving by or

feeding /sheltering on the spit itself. Out at „sea‟ birds of the late winter / almost

spring could include Gannet, scoter, auk, gulls, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit and

Whimbrel while looking for „shorebirds‟ should add Ringed Plover, Dunlin,

16

Turnstone and Rock Pipit. The shorter areas of turf atop the bank may harbour

Meadow Pipit, Skylark or Linnet.

Rounding the „tip‟ of the spit we will be overlooking Southampton Water, the

more sheltered waters here providing feeding, bathing and roosting for species less

likely to be found on the open Solent. Both Great Crested and Little Grebe may

take the place of the Slavonian and Black-necked possible offshore and Great

Northern Diver might be a hoped-for bonus; these waters now attracting a handful

every winter. Common Gull may join the „common‟ gulls while wintering, or

early migrant, Sandwich Tern could well be added to ever-growing year-lists.

Walking northwards, while looking out over the narrowing tidal stretches of the

river, will allow us to perhaps connect with that oh so obvious bird of heathland –

the Dartford Warbler. The slightly more temperate zones (!) we shall wander

might just hold these whereas areas inland that have suffered more from the recent

„climate change‟ may have lost their resident birds. The Black Redstart mentioned

earlier habitually hang about the perimeter fencing of the power station compound,

up to three having been present in previous winters, though none have yet been

reported this year. An area of short turf with intermittent scrub, Tom Tiddler‟s

Ground, attracts pipit and lark, wagtail and finch to feed while the Gorse

thereabouts adds a further dimension to the habitat, and therefore birds to be

looked for. Throughout we will have to ensure that at least one of the Group is

looking skywards as both the aforementioned Peregrine or Raven could move

overhead.

Moving inland hedgerows and variously utilised fields will encourage both further

looking and „listing‟. Both Blackcap and Chiffchaff spend the winter foraging here

and the ever-present Chaffinch may have Brambling among them, Siskin and

Lesser Redpoll may be on the move to more coniferous areas and Yellowhammer

and Reed Bunting could be foraging, or even singing, in the less disturbed areas.

Moving back south woodland flanking the road should provide yet further

examples of the commoner „garden‟ species, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock and

Wren perhaps being joined by those lingering Redwing and Fieldfare already

headed back north.

We will draw the walk to a close back on the spit, with perhaps a further spell of

shingle and seawatching to finish the visit. The lateness of the day, and advanced

height of the, hoped-for, sun now perhaps allowing better viewing of the birds

both on and over the water.

Please do remember that winter may not be totally behind us, though hints of

spring will hopefully be more than obvious, so please do dress etc. accordingly. At

this time of year the shops etc. about the spit are not yet open, so a trip back to the

17

nearest village, Holbury, will be needed for sustenance etc., if you don‟t bring it

along with you,

The walk will be expected to carry us through to early afternoon, so allowing

plenty of time to either head home, continue watching here or elsewhere before

dusk falls.

More updated information on the site, the wildlife present and places to visit on

the journey home, such as The New Forest, Lower Test Marshes, Testwood Lakes,

and Winnall Moors will be available closer to the day of the trip, and during the

outing itself. If you have any queries, no matter what, please ensure that these are

addressed as soon as is possible.

April’s Outdoor Meeting

Pulborough Brooks RSPB: 25th.

For this outing please meet outside the Information Centre for a 10:00 start (TQ

060 165; OS Landranger map 197). This is on the western side of the A283, the

Pulborough to Arundel road, clearly signed on approaching from both the north

and south.

For further details of the starting point, to offer or request a lift etc. please

contact a Committee Member prior to the weekend of the outing.

18

The AA Route Planner gives a distance of 44.5 miles between Basingstoke and

Pulborough and a travelling time of 82 minutes being quoted by this site. As

always, if you need directions, just ensure that we are aware of this prior to the

weekend of the outing. Please ensure that you leave ample time to reach the site

prior to the start time!

This will be a very familiar reserve to many of the Group, having either visited

in the past with the Group or by themselves, the latter surely a recommendation

for this, the closest accessible RSPB reserve to Basingstoke. The following map

shows the reserve boundary, hides and other facilities.

Easy walking, plenty of hides, and hopefully plenty of birds, a variety of habitats

and a good shop, café and interpretive area within the Centre should keep all

attending busy for some time. The visit date late in April will have allowed many

migrants to have arrived, including Nightingale, and for many this will be the first

opportunity to add many of these summer visitants.

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Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos

This bird actually photographed on site

The Group will be within the avian fauna as soon as parking is completed, the

woodland surrounding the car park helping to furnish the feeding station outside

the Visitor Centre. Tits, Nuthatch, finches, buntings and even warblers might be

expected about the garden, built as much for the „pleasure‟ of the wildlife as the

public. All three woodpeckers are to be found locally and at this time of year the

young now present for some time will make the adult birds ever more obvious, the

strain of family life helping to make them more vocal and visible.

After time spent in the „barn‟ the Group will head north and downhill to the first

area of woodland; this hiding a dragonfly pond, marshier areas and, hopefully,

vocal Nightingales. At times these can show spectacularly well here, fingers, and

everything else, crossed for clement weather to encourage these to be showy birds.

The walk downhill allows viewing out over the „paddock‟ and to the

watermeadows to the west, where deer are regularly present and later visitors can

encounter Barn Owl. Pheasant brave the open areas and wades may be glimpsed

distantly as they display over the wetter areas, or are pushed into the air by fly-

through raptors.

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Barn Owl Tyto alba

Something to look forward to!

Hedgerows closer to the first hide are often home to Bullfinch, the quiet fluting of

their song even being heard if the Group is very lucky. The more regular skulkers,

Dunnock, Wren, Robin, are joined by thrushes and finches, both in the scrub and

out on the rougher grassed meadows, the latter now well into their spring

„plumage‟.

Hides looking north towards the town will give the Group the first opportunity to

sit, watch and add those species more closely associated with water. Ducks, geese,

grebes, waders, gulls and herons are all to be expected here with both stragglers

from the winter and new arrivals possible; all to be seen in their breeding plumage.

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Further wandering through „skinny‟ woodland and viewing from blinds takes the

Group westwards, adding further wood and wetland birds, and down towards the

hides that look out over the watermeadows already noted. The river running south

through these ensures a continuous wetness and waders such as Lapwing, Snipe

and Redshank that will be hopefully breeding here can draw in migrants still

heading further north; sandpipers, plovers, curlews and other calidrids making the

most of this stop-over before continuing towards their high arctic breeding

grounds. Kestrel and Buzzard regularly hunt here and the timing of our visit could

see other raptors moving through, an early Hobby, Honey-buzzard or harrier

adding extra excitement if they were to disturb the local birds.

Heading back uphill the paddocks, hedgerows and fence lines will need

scrutinising for farmland species, Yellowhammer, Linnet, game birds and wagtails

all being possible as we once again near the centre. Again, this time of year will

ensure that birds will be moving through as the day progresses, so eyes and ears

need to ready in preparation for this, especially as we head to higher ground where

birds are more likely to show themselves.

Please do ensure that you have enough money on you to make the most of the

café and shop!

The walk will be expected to carry us through to early afternoon, so allowing

plenty of time to either make another visit to the centre etc., head home, continue

watching here or elsewhere before dusk falls.

More updated information on the site, the wildlife present and places to visit on

the journey home, such as Cowdrey Park, White Waltham, Passfield Pond and

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Selborne will be available closer to the day of the trip, and during the outing itself.

If you have any queries, no matter what, please ensure that these are addressed as

soon as is possible.

February’s Outdoor Meeting

Frensham Common: 21st.

Seven attended the second of the monthly Outdoor Meetings of 2010 on a morning

of rather variable weather, heavy rain overnight leaving many roads badly

puddled, „snow‟ still being apparent about Oakley and more noticeable „snow‟

about Caesar‟s Camp, just as we all dropped south into Farnham. This continued

during the outing, the first two+ hours being taken in a south-westerly wind that

cooled, before a serious belt of rain kept the group head down and birdless for the

remainder of the walk; as usual, stopping on the meeting point being reached once

more.

The beach crossed, the Great Pond was the first port of call. The expected silence

was broken by the local equivalent of an ice-breaker, a small motor-boat cutting

backwards and forwards trying to clear the pond of the overnight ice, „just‟ so that

the local yachters could take to the water. This unlike the wildfowl present, most

of which were put to the air, only the stalwart Coots remaining on the troubled

waters. Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck and Pochard all hurtled about the pond,

many moving off further and not returning in the time we watched over the pond.

Pochard Aythya ferina

A pair of Egyptian Geese

followed the southern

edge of the water before

heading off southwards, a

good Surrey bird and not

at all expected. At one

stage these, Great Crested

Grebe and Tufted Duck

were all in the same view,

a myriad of white on their

wings being reflected by

those of the Black-headed

Gull that had been

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previously loafing on the ice. Further scanning added a Little Egret on the

southern shoreline, this dropping down to the edge to feed, a pair of Canada Geese

nearby and the continued presence of an adult Grey Heron in reeds on the near

bank. Chaffinch were obvious about the shore firs, both in song and as they fed

underneath among the leaf litter. A mixed party of tits had a Goldcrest and

Treecreeper among them, the latter playing hide-and-seek among the needles and

flaking bark of another pine. Two Magpie moved towards the pond, two Jay then

moving from the very trees they had landed in, the brilliant blue within their wings

contrasting deeply with the backdrop of grey clouding and dark firs.

Crossing the A287 Farnham to Hindhead road took us up, literally, on to the heath

and Kings Ridge. The latter being reached as we walked the, currently, dull heath

that was littered with heather and Gorse, all good news for Dartford Warbler,

Stonechat, Linnet and such birds of heathland – none of which were present! The

recent inclement, truly wintry, spell of weather possibly having ensured that those

that may have been present were now no longer to be found, this, unfortunately,

being the case throughout much of the southern heathlands.

Atop the ridge and its‟ burial chambers the growth of trees, Gorse and heath was

very marked with comparison to the Groups‟ last visit, some years ago. Memories

of this visit and a resident of the Little Pond glimpsed that day, a Bittern, perhaps

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bolstering the birding urge within a few of the Group as we headed downhill

towards this more secluded and quieter water.

Siskin were heard overhead on reaching the foot of the ridge, though not seen, as

they remained throughout the time about the pond. Chaffinch continued to betray

their presence through song while another Treecreeper was among the pines, as

well as tits. This individual showed far more readily as it worked its‟ way up and

down the trunks, allowing the slightly paler than usual primaries to be seen against

the ruddy, almost sun-burnt looking, bark.

On reaching the Little Pond a

loose flotilla of drake Shoveler

added colour to the scene, all

but two of the dozen being

adult drakes. Walking the edge,

among the many other visitors

now on site, Pochard were seen

to be both in higher numbers

and close to hand than on the

Great Pond; close enough to see

the demonic-looking eye of the

adult drakes. Mallard, and so-

called Mallard, cruised the

shoreline, their quacks

competing with the grunting of

a pair of Great Crested Grebe

close inshore. These showed

well while, over another, this

time undisturbed, area of iced

water a further pair displayed;

much to the delight of those

present. Goldfinch were heard

overhead, a Greenfinch headed

north and, some way to the south, a Woodlark yodelled in song; this however

being lost among the assorted calls and songs within the closest woodland.

Approaching the most northerly tip of the pond Long-tailed Tit joined the foraging

insectivores, a male Blackbird being seen on the roof of the fishing lodge and a

female Great Spotted Woodpecker probed for insects in pines, before moving off

with a characteristic „kik‟, Siskin moved overhead and a charm of a dozen

Goldfinch settled in the tops of Silver Birch. A silhouette high in Scots Pines gave

itself up as a Crossbill, two then being seen as pine seeds gently drifted from the

wronged cones. The neck-stretching search for these attracted several parties of

non-birdy types, our „antics‟ providing something further for them to ponder over!

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Pochard Aythya ferina

Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

Continuing on around the southern shoreline allowed the previously heard, by at

least one, Woodlark to be tracked down, its song-flight over adjacent lands

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appearing erratic and both bat and Greenfinch-like. The diagnostic short-tailed

look being very apparent, though little else was as this jerking silhouette filled the

still air with Willow Warbler-like cadences. A little more wandering added a

second bird, this competing with the original bird in a sky where little else moved.

A Teal „preeped‟, hidden in the reeds, while the Shoveler were seen ever better on

rounding the most southerly point of the pond. The boardwalk through flooded

woodland saw a Song Thrush added, though, again, only the flight call being

picked up.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

Albeit brief, their ‘antics’ seemed to be as exciting for members of the Group as

the birds themselves!

Back out on to the heath and Chaffinch song again picked up in both volume and

frequency, a Great Tit joined in and Carrion Crow once again made their presence

felt, the only corvid being noted away from the Great Pond edges. Reaching the

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Kings Ridge crown a circling Buzzard was picked up off to the north, the only

raptor of the day and one of very few birds noted in the air, at any time.

From here it was downhill, both in the altitude and weather. Early afternoon saw

the south-westerly winds, palpable overhead but not at ground level, bringing in

much heavy, and head-freezing, rain. This hampered many things, the walking, the

conversation and, of course, the watching. Due to this, the envisaged walk along

the wooded southern edge of the Great Pond was curtailed for a future visit, the

Group moving back to the meeting point without further lingering. Even here

though things were all change from earlier, three drake Shoveler now showing on

the pond and the rain moving over, as might be expected!

Thanks must go out to those that braved the seemingly dire weather in north

Hampshire, only for it to catch up with them in westernmost Surrey. With regard

to this, „thanks‟ must also go out to our maestro of weather forecasting – Rowan!!!

At least we know who to blame, he apparently being in The Gambia as the Group

walked sodden about the heaths!

Local Wildlife News

The following highlights reports from the last month. As you can imagine I‟m sure

that there were many more that have to come to light and I look forward to hearing

of them.

Badger – though none were seen, evidence of their continued presence locally

was reported at several sites.

Barn Owl – birds were seen well south of both Overton and Hurstbourne Tarrant.

Blackcap – many wintering birds were noted, including several singing by late in

February.

Brown Hare – the first „boxing‟ was noted, appropriately, in early March.

Buzzard – birds were seen to be displaying in mid-February.

Chiffchaff – the only other migrant yet noted, though all birds were presumably

over-wintering; several were in song and at least one hinting at a Siberian origin

was seen mid-March.

Field Vole – at least one continued to visit a feeding station in Flashetts, Overton.

Garganey – a drake early one morning on the filtration pools in Overton was

thought to be the first for the Parish. This species has been noted in the Borough

regularly over the past few years, though, unfortunately, all have so far been single

observer and remained on site all too briefly.

Goshawk – a bird over Chineham was the first seen there by the observer in

almost three years.

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Hedgehog – these were out and about by mid-February, all reports however being

of those left on roads.

Kingfisher – becoming increasingly easy to see at some sites.

Little Egret – birds continued to be seen in small numbers throughout the month,

possibly 20+ birds being about the Borough.

Little Ringed Plover – the first local migrant was at The Vyne watermeadows on

Mother‟s Day.

Long-tailed Tit – birds were now obviously paired and looking for nest sites.

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

Flashetts, Overton, Hampshire

Alan Willis

One of the more acrobatic of this charming species

Red Kite – yet more sightings ensured that this remained the most frequently

reported of the local raptors, a count of five over the Oakley Skate Park being the

largest away from the local winter roost sites. One bird was seen to be carrying

nest material – this after a minimum of five nests was found locally in 2009.

Redshank – birds were heading back to summer territories by early in the month.

Shelduck – a single migrant was noted, this at the filtration pools in Overton.

Slightly further from home a handful were still to be found on Alresford Pond

mid-March.

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Snowdrop – surely the flower of the month, with many, many thousands now

being in bloom; thought by most to be flowering far later than usual.

Treecreeper – several were seen somewhat more readily as they prepared for

territories.

Treecreeper Certhia familiaris

Polhampton, Hampshire

Alan Willis

Still a fairly uncommon species in the Parish

Thank you to all those that have contributed sightings recently, as always, if I have

missed anything, please do let me know and be sure to keep me updated as we

head, hopefully, into the spring migration period. If you find anything you

consider particularly notable, please do feel free to contact me at any time. I can

assure you that you will always get a favourable response!

Quiz ‘Page’

Spring should now be truly on the way, if not already apparent on your most

recent outings. Below are a few of the things that we should all be looking out for,

and enjoying, over the coming days. Have a go and see if you can find the answers

before you see them:

1) Would you believe all Gilbert White‟s thoughts on this migrant? Swallow

2) A train, a flower, a morose beauty! Bluebell

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3) The residence of another planet‟s locals, missing eh? House Martin

4) Perhaps the most numerate of reptiles? Adder

5) Tip it peer Tree Pipit

6) The salix singer Willow Warbler

7) An herb is rather silly without a cuppa Daffodil

8) Poor bear, covered in acne as well as ensnaring something in his zip! Spotted Flycatcher

9) A late evening pint? Nightjar

10) The most lethargic of reptiles? Slowworm

11) A jaundiced baby‟s toy? Yellow Rattle

12) A striped French lady, almost! Banded Demoiselle

13) Though by name, not by arrival Swift

14) A fired up cherry? Redstart

15) A seasonally shepherd Spring Usher

16) A pacifist at heart, if not turtley! Turtle Dove

17) Rufous rumped and lumbering into the alphabet Red-tailed Bumbling e-bee

18) Perhaps the most regal of flyers Emperor Dragonfly

19) A pheasant by this name Muntjac

20) The burper of the bogs! Marsh Frog

How did your Valentine‟s Day go? Did that surge of hormones help you complete

the last round of questions? If not, please find the solutions below:

What name does the gathering of courting blackcock go by? Lek

What wader also displays to their potential partners in this manner? Ruff

Which bird has a reversal in the roles when it comes to nesting? Red-

necked Phalarope Name three species where polygamy is not unheard of. Cetti’s Warbler,

Dunnock and Pheasant

What bird is named colloquially after its „love-nest‟? Long-tailed Tit

(Bottle Bird) What members of the parrot family could be associated with Valentine‟s

Day? Lovebird

What relatively recent addition to the British list is perhaps the nearest we

have to a bird of peace? Collared Dove

What bird continues to hold territory over the winter months? Robin

What bird has a heart-shaped marking on its breast? Grey Partridge

If the French are supposedly the most romantic, what bird should therefore

be the most amorous? Red-legged (French) Partridge

What grouse food is full of heart? Heather

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