Hengistbury - 12th October

A sunny and warm morning. Highlights were Slavonian Grebe, Dartford Warbler, Wheatear and hearing a Ring-necked Parakeet.

Robins are now singing everywhere and we heard several in the scrubby areas near the barn as we started the walk today – we also saw a couple. We also saw a couple of Parasol Mushrooms, an edible, species, in the grass here. We didn’t pick them though – not on a nature reserve! As we looked at the Parasol, 5 Brent Geese flew over us. We decided to walk round part of Wick Fields to see if there were any migrants there. We saw Green Woodpecker fleetingly a few times, small flocks of Goldfinch flying over, a Sparrowhawk which went over as we looked at some Goldfinches in a tree, Magpie, Blackbird, Pheasant and we heard a Ring-necked Parakeet. It called a few times, but was quite distant and obviously on the move. Sadly we couldn’t see it. Jonathan found a Kestrel in a tree and as we left Wick Fields there were two Dunnocks in a bush.
We walked down to the river front of the Hengistbury Head Centre and saw great views of a winter plumage Slavonian Grebe as well as Coots on the water and a Sparrowhawk flying low over the water and House Martins overhead. We were then approached and told that we shouldn’t be there as the Centre was private property. I wasn’t aware of this, but would now urge people not to walk down there unless they have permission.
We left and walked to Barn Field to see what was there. One or two Stonechats were on gorse bushes and we saw a Dartford Warbler that sat preening on a bramble giving us great views for a short while. There were also a couple of Skylarks that flew down into the field and some Meadow Pipits that flew over. We turned to view Wick Marsh and Lyz quickly saw a Snipe that was flying across. There was also several Wigeon, some Little Egrets, a Lapwing and Black-headed Gulls. We walked round the outside of Barn Field seeing a good view of a Green Woodpecker, some Oystercatchers flying over and some Linnets. On the way back John and Lyz found a Wheatear, which was joined by another as we watched it. Lastly, as we sat outside the café drinking coffee the Starlings sang in the sunshine to us.
Simon Curson