Saturday, August 20, 2011
A wet walk in West Berkshire
We should have known we were not meant to walk when Greger missed the turn-off for Hungerford on the A34 and we had to go on to the next exit and double back. However, we got to Walbury Hill in the end and set off in dry though dull weather. A migrant wheatear was a nice beginning.
We wouldn't have cared if scores of willows tits had been weaving ribbons above our heads; we just trudged on, eyes on the muddy ground. At the top of Sheepless Hill the rain faded to drizzle and we heard and then saw a couple of marsh tits.
A bit further on, a usually productive hedgerow didn't disappoint, with a fly-catching willow warbler, a family of whitethroats, a juvenile blackcap and at least two young stonechats out in the barley. Down in the wooded valley a raven croaked and grumbled away as if putting the world to rights.
Back at the car park I left Greger to have a coffee and did the first stretch of the walk again in warm sunshine. Two whinchats were my reward; but I'm afraid I flushed them from the fence and they flew to bushes a field's width away where they perched together looking oddly lovey-dovey.
A peregrine was also briefly seen.
Back at the car park I left Greger to have a coffee and did the first stretch of the walk again in warm sunshine. Two whinchats were my reward; but I'm afraid I flushed them from the fence and they flew to bushes a field's width away where they perched together looking oddly lovey-dovey.
A peregrine was also briefly seen. // posted by Christine @ 1:38 PM 
