10 members attended, meeting at the car park at 10.00. The weather was overcast with a slight breeze.
The bird sightings started at the car park with a Blackcap, Goldcrest and a Coal Tit seen in the conifers with a Wren in the undergrowth. Along the footpath to the viewing point a small bird flew up from the path and perched on a low branch. It was a fledgling Tree Pipit (see photo).
The Raptor View Point was sheltered from the breeze and looked out over the valley. Two Common Buzzards were seen across the valley. We had several Common Swifts fly over and a small number of gulls, Carrion Crows and Jackdaws across the valley.
In the trees in front of us on the valley side the most numerous bird was the Chaffinch with up to 15. A Spotted Flycatcher was unexpected as it flew quickly from tree to tree across our vantage point. One Crossbill perched directly in front of us followed later by two others later in the morning. Several Siskins flew over, a Great-spotted Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff were heard in the forest. Two Goldcrests, a Coal Tit, a Dunnock, a Willow Warbler and Goldfinches were also in the small trees in front of the viewpoint. Unfortunately we did not see any Honey Buzzards or Goshawks.
At 14.00 we returned to the forest road and walked along past the Forest nursery. We found a flock of Linnets and numerous Skylarks over the old nursery fields which were over grown with weeds. Blue Tits and Great Tits were seen in the forest edges.
On our return to the main road on our way home we turned North at Ebberston village to view a farm yard from the road side. It is a good site for Turtle Doves but we only heard one in the trees. In the fields there were two Mistle Thrushes, Jackdaws and Lapwings. A Yellowhammer and a Tree Sparrrow were seen on the Roadside.
Although we did not see our target species it was an enjoyable day out giving us a total of 38 species.
Mike Smithson
