28th November - All the Leaves are Brown

Temperatures have plummeted over the last few days, we were away Saturday and overnight in the Cotswolds, the journey there went through a blizzard from Newbury and coming back Sunday morning the fields were Christmas card perfect with blue skies and a very low sun. It stayed cold and bright so I decided to take a walk locally, it has been a long while since I have walked the local patch.

Heading along Brislands towards Old Down Wood the impact of the recent road works on the A31 could be seen.  Brislands was a convenient detour to escape the traffic lights that caused many long queues during the say, however it is a single track road and the verge was cut up badly where vehicles had to pull over to let others pass.

The other difference was the use of the field south of the road.  The field was divided into two areas with sheep being grazed on what looked like beets and turnips.

I can't recall ever seeing this field being used for Sheep, and it was proving an attraction for the birds with Pied Wagtails and Skylarks being seen, while a good number of Common Gulls could be seen in amongst the Sheep.

It wasn't a surprise to walk into a silent wood.  As soon as the temperature drops the birds concentrate on survival and that means searching for food.  Several Chaffinch flew up from the leaf litter on the main path, I stopped and watched them in hope of finding the white rump of a Brambling but there was nothing.

Turning towards Gradwell at the cross roads a Jay flew up to the tree in front of me, an acorn in its beak that looked like it had been retrieved.

I checked to see if maybe the tawny Owl had taken up residence early in the season but there was no sign of it in the tree.  Making my way to the main path that leads to the Old Down entrance there were lots of calls coming from the tops of the larch trees and there were about fifty plus Goldfinch feeding on the cones.  As I watched the Goldfinches and searched for something maybe a little more interesting I could hear a Raven Calling from somewhere in the wood.

Coming out of the wood I headed for the pond where there were twenty four pairs of Mallard, one drake was snoozing in the sunshine, the sunlight catching the bottle green head and the whole bird reflected in the still dark water.

I walked around the back of the pond and then took the footpath that leads to Lye Way.  More Common Gull could be seen in the fields on both sides of the road. They would fly across between the two sides.

Scanning the fields I found a single Lapwing, not an easy bird to find around here, although this time of year sees one or two arrive, typically they need bad weather.

Just before the lane turns right to pass through the farm I noticed a flock of what I first thought were Woodpigeon, but as they flew above the horizon I could see that they were a flock of Golden Plover.

They settled initially out of view from me as the field dips away.  I was able to get to an opening in the hedge and I could now see them feeding in the field.  I counted 22 birds in the flock.

Walking through the farm and around to the pasture on the other side there were good numbers of thrushes feeding on the closely cropped grass.  The cold snap having made the need to forage more important.  There were the resident Blackbirds and Song Thrushes, but also good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare.  Both these birds though were difficult to get close to, both choosing to fly off at the slightest movement.  This was the only acceptable shot of a Redwing I could get.

Most of the Fieldfare were feeding on the far side of the pasture, closer to the road.  I was able to use the hedge as a form of cover which meant I didn't spook the birds too much.

By standing still and waiting, gradually the Fieldfare would come closer.

A really impressive thrush, that may be overlooked.

Scanning around the pasture I counted 135 Fieldfare and 57 Redwing, but all were continually moving from the pasture to the surrounding hedgerow.

Leaving the thrushes I walked a little way along the road and almost immediately found what I hoped I could, a Brown Hare sitting in the field.

Once it realised I was there it turned away and headed for the security of the hedge and revealed another by the side of the field.

I turned to come back and in the next field I watched another flock (this time with far more birds) of Golden Plover.  They settled in the field and I was able to count 52 birds, making a total of 74 birds

They quickly spread out and I was able to get a little closer to some of them.

With the sun sinking low in the sky I decided to head back, taking the footpath that runs all the way down to Old Down Cottage.  The footpath itself has always been overgrown and the edge of the field was a better walk, but a sign now directs you to the footpath which has been cleared and is in fact a much better walk with views across the fields away to the west.

As I walked I flushed both Redwing and Fieldfare from the tress and Long-tailed Tits flew in front of me in between inspecting the fence posts for any small insects and spiders.  As the path opened up into the field behind the large house a Siskin appeared briefly on the bramble above my head.

I crossed into Old Down Wood where it was even quieter, the main paths are all covered with fallen Sweet Chestnut leaves and the cover they provided stopped the water puddles from freezing so you had to be careful where you stepped.

Looking east towards the Gradwell entrance

Looking back at the cross roads towards the Old Down Cottage entrance.

Coming out on to Brislands Lane there was a large area of frozen water, around it a Pied Wagtail, one of many was feeding in the leaf litter.

Then for some reason it turned and walked out onto the ice.  Mud had stuck to its feet and it looked like it had snow shoes on as it made its way across the ice

As well as the wagtails there were Chaffinches, Robins and Blackbirds all feeding on the edge of the field.

I walked home with the temperature falling and cloud developing to the north, it looked as if we were going to be getting some snow later on.

It was nice to get out and although not the quantity of birds, the quality today was there.

22nd - 30th April - With Feathers All Stubby and Brown

The dry spell continued along with the cool temperatures.  If you managed to get out of the wind and found a spot in the sun it was quite warm though.  These spots were where the butterflies were.  A trip to the pond on the 23rd found this gorgeous male Orange-Tip nectaring on the cuckoo flower that was around the edge of the water.

Then left the Cuckoo Flower to take advantage of the flowering  periwinkle.

A pair of Chaffinch have been present for a while just by the parking area at the pond, they are probably nest building at the moment.

The sunshine has also moved the Bluebells on in Old Down Wood, although they are still a little way behind where they were this time last year, the cool conditions probably holding them back a little.  Never mind the display is building up quite nicely as you can see from these shots taken on the 23rd and 26th.

Signs keep cropping up around the fields, a new practice and probably a sign of the times, this one at the west end, nice to see a wildlife strip left though.

Despite the plentiful sunshine, butterflies have been hard to find in Old Down, the most numerous have been the Peacock, but they are now coming to the end of their first flying season.

A willow Warbler was singing from the top of the larches in Old Down Wood on the 30th, the first I have ever heard / seen in the wood, probably a migrant moving through.  The Chiffchaff though is present all over the wood, the monotonous song coming from almost every ten metres.  This individual showed really well for me on the 23rd.

The other numerous bird in the Wren, again their explosive song giving away their presence.  This individual, though appeared to be a little agitated and was making itself look big by spreading the wings and tail while calling in alarm.  

It was looking down into the bramble and dead bracken, I wondered if maybe there was an adder that was causing problems, unfortunately I will never know.

The larches in Old Down Wood look spectacular in the midday sunshine against the blue sky.

And the beauty of the pond.

The afternoon on the 23rd I walked down Brislands and then up GIlbert Street and back through Old Down.  Several Orange-Tip flew past us as we walked down Brislands, but at the bottom of the lane one finally stopped and showed well.

There had been several Holly Blue, with five counted, but none of them stopped until finally at the junction of Court Lane with Gilbert Street one did stop and provided me with some of the best Holly Blue photos I have taken.

You could hear the lambs before we could see them, but looking over the gate the field was full of them, some enjoying the sunshine.

While others were just up to no good!

The 26th saw a surprise at the pond, eight Mallard duckling with their mother feeding amongst the Iris bed.  Mallard have only recently become a fixture on the pond, and I have only ever confirmed breeding once before and unfortunately they were not very lucky.  What will happen to these eight ducklings remains to be seen.

The drake takes no part in raising the young ducklings and there were three drakes around the pond.  Disturbingly on drake decided to attack the mother duck, chasing her around the pond and even to the point where she flew off into the adjacent field.  The ducklings stayed in the iris bed and the mother returned only to be attacked again.  This ended though when I threw a stick at the drake!  I know I shouldn't get involved but I couldn't let it continue

On the 30th unfortunately eight had become four.

One piece of good news, the Long-tailed Tit nest that I thought had been attacked and abandoned is very much alive.  I could see movement in the nest and witnessed this adult bring in insects.

Back to the 30th and as well as the ducklings at the pond there was a Firecrest singing by the footpath.  This is the third one I have now found around the patch and of course it performed very well.  Another batch of photographs to the Four Marks Firecrest collection.

Seeing the Tawny Owl has been rather hit or miss lately so I decided on the 30th to check the tree once again.  As I walked up I could see the owl almost immediately, still behind some branches but more visible than usual.

It wasn't though until I got home I realised that there was in fact two Owls in the tree, the other hidden above the prominent one.

I wonder where the owlets are?  Maybe still in the nest hole at the moment but could be about soon.

That was April, a very dry, sunny and cold month, with a record number of frosty days.  May looks like starting with some indifferent weather.  May can also be indifferent with sightings around the patch, we will just have to hope for something special.