Peter Jones, "Hampshire Diary"
• Monday, April 13, 2009 - Milk Hill
Decided to try my luck in the hills this morning, hoping for maybe some migrants. Started well enough with two Male Tawny Owls heard negotiating their territories just south of North Baddesley. Add to this a female heard calling last night, and it seems the Tawnys are busy at the moment.
Called in at Middle Wallop sewage farm, but a pre-dawn fog had descended and I struggled to see much. A Grey Wagtail was all.
Continued to Milk Hill in Wiltshire, but the fog was worrying. It did however, clear as I got to the car park and the hills looked beautiful, bathed in dawn sunshine. Started the climb listening to a distant Raven, and felt like the gamble had paid off, only to look behind and see a thick cloud following me up the hillside. Pretty soon, I was enveloped again, and the outward walk was written off with thick cloud obscuring everything except a few yards in front of me!
Cloud eventually lifted as quick as it had descended, and the stunning views continued. Unfortunately, there was a complete lack of Migrants, despite some extensive searching. Did manage loads of Yellowhammers, Skylarks, a few Linnets, a Tree Sparrow, and a decent flock of 25 Corn Buntings. The only Summer visitors on show were a couple of Chiff-Chaffs and a Singing Willow Warbler. Finally found a couple of Wheatears on the last descent to the car park, after 4 hours searching. |
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