Peter Jones, "Hampshire Diary"
• Saturday, April 18, 2009 - Grasshopper Warbler and Wheatear on Baddesley Common
I've posted local news onto the village website forum for many months now. Two other locals visit the Common and miss quite a bit of the wildlife, so asked me to show them the birds they are missing. I agreed, slightly worried that either we'd see nothing, or half the village would turn up for a guided "wildlife ramble"!
Today was the day, and two keen Villagers turned up for a wildlife ramble with me! Spent a good 3 hours walking around the Common and Emer bog, and it went really well. The rain just about held off, and there was plenty of birds, most of which hung around long enough for the three of us to get excellent views through my scope.
From the offset, it was apparent that migration was in full swing today. A steady trickle of Swallows were battling over the common, and it wasn't long before we found a Wheatear in the grass. 2 Woodlarks overhead was a bonus, and we added all the expected species including superb views of a Woodlark, Chiff-Chaff, Willow Warbler, Linnets, Yellowhammers, a second Wheatear, and Stonechats. It was as if the birds knew there was a PR opportunity at stake!
I was taken to a good area for reptiles, and we saw a small family of Slow Worms, but no Adders. I was also shown a couple of nests that they had stumbled across last year.. A very low Green Woodpecker, and a ridiculously sited Blue Tit nest.
Highlight for me was a fairly faint Grasshopper Warbler reeling on the return leg, which my fellow ramblers unfortunately, couldn't pick up. So a good morning, and nice to do a little something to promote the local birdlife.
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