Cholsey 28th Feb

Overcast, dull, 11º, light SW.

Farmland and Lollingdon.

A day of Thrushes, 8 Song Thrush with several in song, 14 Blackbirds,

11 Mistle Thrush and good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing (several hundred of each), first time this winter I’ve seen roughly equal numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing.

A flock of over 1000 Wood Pigeon seen in the air towards South Moreton, something must have flushed them and they all went up forming quite a cloud in the sky, also 14 Stock Dove seen.

9 Red-legged Partridge in 2 groups and a large flock of gulls (500+) loafing in fields between Cholsey and Aston Tirrold (Lesser Blackbacks and Black-headed).

Fairly quiet around the fields with quite a few Skylarks in song, also several Yellowhammers with 3 singing, a few Linnet and a Reed Bunting.

A Sparrowhawk seen near the Church and several Buzzards around.

2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers heard drumming and a distant call of a Green Woodpecker.

Lollingdon hill (south side) was quiet but on the western flank, there were 12 Meadow Pipit and 4 Pied Wagtail feeding with the sheep.

A bit of gardening this afternoon and the 3 Blackcaps still turning up and the male heard singing a few times (first singing Blackcap in Feb for me), also Goldcrests and Coal Tits heard in song.

Once finished in garden, 3 Mallards and a Grey Squirrel turned up to feed on fallen seed from the feeding station.

20+ Roe Deer seen today in 4 groups. 44 bird species seen.

Hedgehog in garden recently, looks like a fairly large male and in good condition!

All watercourses looking shallow, we need RAIN!

On the other side of Cholsey –

A walk from Green Lane to Cox’s Farm today (proposed gravel pit site) – Tony Rayner.

10+ Rook, 2 Carrion Crow, 1 Magpie, 2 Jackdaw, 1 Red Kite, 2 Kestrel, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Dunnock, 2 Robin, 1 Wren, 55+ Lapwing, 3 Golden Plover, 3 Blackbird, 20+ Fieldfare, 2 Wood Pigeon, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Chiffchaff (in song), 10+ Chaffinch, 4 Greenfinch, 1 Yellowhammer, 6 Goldfinch, 12 Starling, 2 Green Woodpecker, 6 Skylark, 4 Rabbit and a Red Fox.

Not bad in little over an hour.

At home had the first Slow worms this year and a Common Toad.

Have already recorded Red Admiral, Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell, the latter stands to be the earliest record in 2012 in the 3 counties!

(I had a Small Tort on 25^th Feb in Wantage, the earliest for me PC).

Have also caught 7 Moth species on 23^rd Feb, March Moth, Early Moth, Pale Brindled Beauty, Dotted Border, Hebrew Character, Common Quaker and Chestnut.

Thanks to Tony Rayner.

1st Sand Martin of the year seen in the UK today in Cheshire.

                                     Mistle Thrush