Hengistbury - 31st March

The weather was sunny and mild. Highlights were Firecrest, Sand Martin and Dartford Warbler.

Skylark were singing over the golf course and Greenfinch were singing and performing their bat-like display flight, as we started off down the track towards Wick Fields. Around Wick Fields it was pretty quiet, the only migrants were several Chiffchaffs singing. We also saw Blackbirds and a Pheasant.
We headed back to Barn Field, passing a Dartford Warbler singing in the gorse just before we got to Barn Field. No Wheatears on Barn Field, just a pair of Shelduck on the grass and a few Blue Tit, Greenfinch and a Linnet which sang on a bush behind us. On Wick Hams there were a few Teal, a pair of Wigeon and several Black-tailed Godwit and we could see Redshank and Brent Geese on Stanpit Marsh. In the water of Barn Blight there were at least 3 Little Grebe.
We walked down to the wood and went into the wood behind the Nursery. Here we saw a Firecrest briefly. The Herons were being very noisy at their nests above us and a Great-spotted Woodpecker was drumming farther in the wood. As we walked back towards Barn Field a Green Woodpecker flew up from the scrub. Stonechat and Meadow Pipit were singing from the scrub as well. We walked up onto the head passing another Stonechat and saw several Sand Martin flying around, obviously prospecting the cliffs for breeding in. There was nothing moving on the sea, so we headed back to the car park.
Simon Curson