Up early this morning to complete the first part of my BTO Breeding bird survey.
My 1km square is near Lillingstone Dayrell in North Buckinghamshire. An area that I would otherwise not visit, and over the years it has produced some good birds such as Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Spotted Flycatcher, and Grasshopper Warbler.
Just goes to show that even the blandest looking area of Rape seed and wheat fields can turn up the goods if you go often and early enough!
Today's survey started well with 3 Yellow Wagtails in the road near Wicken Wood, but the survey didn't turn up anything exceptional.
The fields, I noticed, did have a fairly wide border of unsown earth round the edges today. Is this part of an initiative to leave set aside areas for wildlife? It was radically different from previous years when the fields have been farmed right to the hedge, and I can only assume the farmer has been subsidised to leave the gap around the edge.
Will be interesting to see if the bird numbers increase. No shortage of Whitethroats, and a Lesser Whitethroat this morning.
Returned home via Foxcote.. Reed and Sedge Warblers singing in the reeds, plus Common Terns and a Common Sandpiper.
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