Wilverley - 2nd Nov

Highlights were Crossbills and a Marsh Gentian in flower.

Yesterday’s rain had stopped and we wandered off under grey skies and quite strong winds. Black-headed Gull and Starling were feeding out on Wilverley Plain and we found a small flock of Skylark feeding out there too. There was also one Common Gull with the Black-headed. The heathland along the valleys was pretty quiet, just a Kestrel, a Buzzard and a few Robin, Magpie and Carrion Crow. A little further on we saw a few Meadow Pipit and a couple of Mistle Thrush flew over. Lyz found a single Marsh Gentian in flower along the track-side, a very late flowering individual! We stopped briefly to view the reeds and bushes along one of the valley bottoms. A few Blue Tit, Reed Bunting and a pair of Stonechat rewarded us. Further on a Great-spotted Woodpecker flew over. Alongside Markway Inclosure a Crossbill flew over.
We crossed over the small open area between Markway and Wilverley inclosures. There were several wax cap mushrooms in the grass. As we walked back to the car park we saw a Jay several times. It must have been taking acorns from the wood and burying them in the grass on Wilverley Plain. A Heron flew over and landed somewhere out on Wilverley Plain and there were a few Great Tit and Song Thrush.
Simon Curson