Lollingdon, 16th June

Showers, 17º, fresh SW.

A walk to Lollingdon Hill and back.

As I left home there were 5 Buzzards soaring over the meadow and 7 Red Kites around with 4 settled on the football pitch. Also on the football pitch were 2 Mistle Thrush and 2 Pied Wagtails feeding. 2 Swallows also feeding over the pitch and a Song Thrush* singing by the edge of the brook in Jubilee wood.

*(in a tree by the brook there’s a song bird that sings).

The Moorhen still has at least 2 young with her seen in the brook that runs along the meadow. Coal Tit and Goldcrest heard on the other side of the meadow.

As I got into the farmland, Yellowhammers became apparent with around 5 to 6 singing in total. Several Whitethroats (4), Blackcaps (3) and Chiffchaffs (3) also 2 to 3 pairs of Yellow Wagtails in the area.

Singles of Hobby and Peregrine Falcon seen.

Lollingdon hill had 2 singing Corn Bunting and a few Linnets and around 4 Swallows and several Swift flocks feeding over the hill, including one flock of approximately 50 Swifts.

43 species seen.

2 Roe Deer seen resting along the edge of a field of wheat.

A Small Skipper butterfly seen along with quite a few Small Tortoiseshell, several Meadow Brown and both Large and Small Whites.

Tawny Owls heard nearby in the meadow last night and the 2^nd pair of House Martins are busy rebuilding the nest at Marymead.

                                          Lollingdon Hill