Wednesday 11 April 2012

Cholsey 6th April


Sunny spells, 10º, the odd rain/hail shower, light WNW.

A 6 hour walk today, Lollingdon, the Lees, Bunk line, Thames.

5 Mute Swans on the Thames near the 4 Arches along with 20+ Canada Geese, and a couple of Greylag types.

The only ducks were Mallard and 4 Tufted! Heavy traffic on the Thames.

A pair of Grey Partridge (very few seen this year) Lollingdon and several pairs of Red-legged Partridge around.

Up to 5 pairs of Great-crested Grebe along the river and a single Little Grebe seen, also a single Cormorant in the usual tree by Bow Bridge.

Grey Heron flew downriver and good numbers of Buzzard and Red Kite, also a pair of Kestrel and a male Sparrowhawk.

Several (6) Lapwing seen and probably breeding.

4 Black-headed Gulls flying upriver were the only gulls seen.

Around 8 breeding pairs of Stock Dove noted with several more feeding in fields near Lollingdon.

A pair of Kingfisher near the marsh and both Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers seen/heard in all areas.

Skylarks common on the farmland and less frequent near the river.

3 Swallow seen, 1 over Lollingdon hill, 1 over the marsh and one close to the village preening on the telephone cables overhead.

30+ Meadow Pipit on Lollingdon hill and several more in other locations, 50+ in total. 2 Pied Wagtail on the hill still and a Grey Wagtail near the 4 Arches.

6 Wheatear on Lollingdon Hill now (5m + 1f), around a dozen Song Thrush seen/heard and about the same of Mistle Thrush.

Chiffchaff is the commonest migrant so far with 20+ heard, Blackcap less so with 14 singing and just behind 13 Willow Warbler. The Cetti’s Warbler still present and moved along closer to the main area of the marsh. A single Sedge Warbler singing by the Reedy ditch near the Lees.

Treecreeper heard singing on the marsh and 3 Jays flew over.

2 pairs of Bullfinch near Jubilee wood/Bullshole area and 2 more pairs near the marsh, plenty of Linnet around and good numbers of Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

Reed Buntings singing in most Oil seed rape fields and 5 to 6 on the marsh, Yellowhammers frequent and 8 singing Corn Bunting (5 around Lollingdon hill).

4 Roe Deer seen near Lollingdon and a Muntjac near Winterbrook.

Orange Tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone and Speckled Wood butterflies all seen.

A couple of Common Toads seen at the marsh.

                                   Swallow

                                   Wheatears again
                                     and another

                                   Common Toads

                                   Great Crested Grebes

                                     Speckled Wood

                                   Grey Heron

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