Hengistbury - 13th March

The weather was cloudy and mild. Highlights were Raven and Mediterranean Gulls.

Skylark were singing over the golf course and Greenfinch were singing and performing their bat-like display flight, as we started off towards Barn Field. 2 Mediterranean Gull flew over calling and 2 Mallard were also flying around. A pair of Carrion Crow were pulling twigs off a tree for nest building material while a small group of Long-tailed Tit passed them. In Barn Field a few Dunnock and more Greenfinch were singing and there were about 5 Stonechat. Jonathan found a pair of Pheasant and there were a few Great Tit and Blackbird in the scrub. Wick Hams was fairly quiet, just a handful of Teal and about 15 Wigeon with the regular Mute Swans. There were also a couple of Great Black-backed Gull and a Little Grebe in the bay. As we got towards the wood a Raven flew over and we heard Green Woodpecker calling and a Woodpecker drumming that was most likely to be Great-spotted. The wood was quiet – a few Blue Tit, Great Tit and Robin with some more Long-tailed Tit further along.
Holloways Dock was empty except for 2 Black-headed Gull and a Herring Gull. We had a look at the sea from the beach huts and only saw a few Cormorant. The spit just gave us a few House Sparrow, more Cormorant and Herring Gull and a group of 14 Turnstone feeding on the strandline. Walking back we didn’t see much else except a couple of Little Egret. Starlings were at the Hungry Hiker Cafe as usual.
Simon Curson.