Hengistbury 15 May

The weather was cloudy and cool. Highlights were Spotted Flycatcher, Sand Martin and Gannets.

It was cooler than it had been for a while. We set off, as normal, to the sound of a Skylark singing above us. The scrub around Barn Field held the normal Greenfinches and Wrens singing. Barn Field was empty apart from a Blackbird and a look over at Stanpit revealed a few Dunlin and 5 Grey Plover along with the usual Mute Swans and Mallard. Black-headed Gulls and a Little Egret were seen on Wick Hams and a Sedge Warbler was singing there. Dennis spotted a Reed Bunting on the reed quite a way off. We walked to the sea from here, stopping briefly to look at the Skylarks on Barn Field. We actually saw some birds over the sea today, namely several Gannets and Sandwich Tern that were quite close in. A Swallow or two zipped past us on the cliff tops too. We then walked through the scrub and field towards the wood. There were Stonechats, Linnets and Meadow Pipit in the scrubby field and a Whitethroat singing from bushes up on the slope. In the wood a Little Egret was collecting twigs on the path and Chaffinch, Robin, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were singing. We saw the Blackcap and a Jay. On the main concreted track through the woods we stopped to let a digger drive past us. On a bend it turned and headed straight for us. Luckily there was a large tree in the way, which the digger drove into buckling the digger bucket!!! The driver seemed fine and we left the driver trying to extract the digger from the tree.
Holloways Dock held a few Shelduck, 2 Oystercatcher and several Black-headed Gull. We walked round under the sandy cliffs and watched the Sand Martins at their nest holes and a Rock Pipit singing. A few more Gannets went past far out to sea. On the way back a photographer showed us where a Spotted Flycatcher was in the bushes and we all saw it fairly briefly. Lastly we saw a couple of Swifts flying over as we walked back to the cafe.
Simon Curson