Sunday, February 10, 2008 - BTO Winter Surveys part II |
Part 2 of my BTO winter Atlas surveys on the Hampshire Downs.
Weather was superb.. I finished the walk in my t-shirt, and with slightly sunburnt cheeks!
Bird numbers were noticeably lower than the early winter survey, with nowhere near the quantities of Thrushes, Crows, Finches etc. Although there were hundreds of Gulls in the fields.
Undoubted highlight was 2 Long Eared Owls roosting near a Barn Owl in an area of thick hedgerow along a bridleway. Saw them really well in flight, and after completing the survey(!) I turned off the bridleway at a junction but was unable to relocate them in the dense hedgerow. My first "self-found" Long Eared Owls ever.. anywhere!
Returned just North of the the area at dusk, and found a good viewpoint of the fields with some decent looking hunting habitat, but no sign of the LEOs. Did see 4 Barn Owls and a Female Merlin. Drove along the surrounding lanes but no joy. May return in a few weeks time at dusk, and see if they are calling. A few small copses in the area look suitable for breeding. Did notice a crow's nest high in the hedgerow near to the roost, but I hope they aren't dumb enough to nest so close to the bridleway!
Other highlights were 6 Grey Partridges, 3 Bramblings, and a Corn Bunting.
One strange fact from today.. I walked for 4 hours, and didn't see anyone else within 300 yards of me! |
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Tuesday, February 19, 2008 - . |
| Posted by Tom J |
| wow that sounds like a cracking spot. i just hope it will be the same in my 2 tetrads, but somehow i think not! |
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Friday, February 22, 2008 - Untitled Comment |
| Posted by petermk |
Hello Tom,
My two North West Hampshire Tetrads have given me my best birding days out so far this winter.. my local North Baddesley Tetrad however, is hard work!
No further sign of the LEOs, but I can try a stake out this evening on the off chance that they are calling. Peter |
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Diary of wildlife watching in and around North Baddesley, Hampshire.
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