Basingstoke Local Group

BBAASSIINNGGSSTTOOKKEE LLOOCCAALL GGRROOUUPP

APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/basingstoke

Contents:

 From The Group Leader

 Notices

 Annual General Meeting

 Sponsored Birdwatch 2014

 What’s Happening?

 Big Garden Birdwatch

 April’s Outdoor Meeting

 Evening Walks’ Programme

 May’s Outdoor Meeting

 March’s Outdoor Meeting

 Local Wildlife News

 Quiz Page

 And Finally!

Charity registered in England and Wales no. 207076 From The Group Leader

Welcome to April.

This Newsletter was commenced on a day of wind and rain, sun and bright skies – none of which mattered that much as I spent most of the daylight hours completing such little ‘projects’; this the 3rd Newsletter to be worked on / completed in as many days – yes I was decidedly behind in my ‘work’ outside work. I’m hoping that things will have changed by the time this reaches you – at least the longer hours of daylight might just have ‘allowed me out to play’ once in a while!

Another day now, the magnolia having survived the recent rain and hail now glowing in the back garden where Blue Tit are vocal, their nesting efforts being mirrored by both House Sparrow and Woodpigeon, the sun encouraging Brimstones out on the wing and Hairy- footed Flower Bee in to the trumpets of the lungwort, or pulmonaria as I’m sure many of the garden-oriented Members know it as.

Recent reports of local migrants include the expected Wheatear, Blackcap and Chiffchaff but it’s good to hear that one of ‘our’ local avian goodies is also back, Stone-curlew; always one of the first of the returning migrants to arrive but often more than tricky to catch up with as they wander widely before settling to the business of breeding. We’ve a lot more migrants to look forward to, hopefully, and can but hope that ‘birdwatchers’ of a different nature further south in the EU allow at least a few through! Although legislation is, and has been for many years, in place to act upon those that threaten migratory bird life there’s still, unfortunately, a very strong need to voice our / your opinions on that which is still allowed to happen without any actions seemingly taken to eradicate it. Many have commented upon the lack of birds such as Turtle Dove in recent years, perhaps it’s now time for them / you to make your voice heard, and not just locally!

As usual May is a busy month for the Local Group, the Evening Walks’ Programme commences, we’ll have the monthly Outdoor Meeting, to Farnham Heath RSPB this year, and the Indoor Meeting - the Annual General Meeting. So, there’s plenty to look forward to and many things to contribute towards, even if only by attending. I look forward to seeing you on as many occasions as possible over the coming month – if I’m allowed out to play of course!

Peter E. Hutchins

Turtle Dove

Will any appear locally this year?

Please do let us know if you’re lucky enough to see, or even hear, any. Notices

Local Group Allocations

With the Annual General Meeting soon to be upon us it’s again time to decide what the annual donation from the Local Group will go towards.

The following areas, in no particular order, are those prioritised for donation giving and we’d appreciate your input on to where the money you’ve been good enough to help raise over the past year should go.

If you require any further information on specific projects or the allocation process please do get in touch – a mailable booklet ‘RSPB Priorities for Local Group Allocations’ being available, as well as further information from both the Committee Members and Regional Office personnel; the latter with with regard to funding priorities in the south-east.

Intertidal Habitats Lowland Chalk Grassland Lowland Heathland Lowland Wet Grassland Reedbed Engaging with Young People Connecting people with nature Coast & Marine Farming & Agriculture Woodland International Blanket Bog Caledonian Pine Forest

Local Group Website

The Local Group website continues to be worked upon by our trustee band of computer- literates, so if you haven't been to the site for a while, why not have a look and tell us what you think. Any thoughts on what we should include within the site will always be appreciated, - helping to make the site more relevant to current group members, and helping to get across the right message to potential members.

Link: http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/basingstoke/

The continuing and ever-increasing work on the website has seen your Local Group website become the 2nd most visited in Britain recently; an exceptional rise in the use of this and something to be justifiably pleased with – there are people out there interested in the Local Group and what it’s doing! 

Newsletter Mailings

Do we have your email address? If not, please do pass it on so that the Group can communicate with you in a more environmentally manner! The monthly Newsletter being an example of this, saving resources, money and time by being mailed to you, rather than hard copies being created and perhaps only sitting partially read until the next one appears.

Laptop Available

The Local Group has now been provided with a laptop, this to be used for the collation of future Newsletters and Programmes, for writing, electronically or otherwise, to members within the Group’s catchment area and so on. if you’d like to borrow this to be able to put together something for a Newsletter, prepare a presentation for the Local Group or others that you are visiting etc. please do get in touch – we want to ensure that we get as much use from this as is possible and that it doesn’t just sit gathering dust through your fingers being inactive.

Bird Food

We are happy to supply any bird food to you at any time, just call on 01256 – 770831, 07895 – 388378 or mail us on [email protected] and we will arrange delivery to you. If you have any requirements that are not listed, please do let us know and we will ensure that they are available when you, or your birds, need them.

Bird Food Pricelist:

The below are examples of just a few of the items that we can supply. Please do enquire after anything else and we will provide you with a cost, time of delivery etc. As both of us are currently working in / about Basingstoke delivery can be expected to be completed within a day of an order being received – can you get that service anywhere else? Prices vary according to the seasonality of the foods, where we are able to source them from, and so on, but a few for reference are:

Wild bird Mix 40p/lb. or 88p/kg

Peanuts £1/lb. or £2.20/kg

Black Sunflowers £1/lb or £2.20/kg

Sunflower Hearts £1.10/lb or £2.42/kg

Niger £1/lb or £2.20/kg

Fat Squares £1 each

Fat Pecker Balls 25p each

Also available are a range of birdboxes and feeders.

A variety of items will be available at most Indoor Meetings but if there is something ‘missing’ that you want, please do let us know.

Peter & Alison

Annual General Meeting

THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS BASINGSTOKE LOCAL GROUP

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The thirty-fifth Annual General Meeting of the Basingstoke Local Group of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds will take place on Wednesday 21st May 2014 at The Barn, Church Cottage, Church Street, Basingstoke at 7.45pm.

AGENDA

1. Chairman’s Introduction 2. Apologies for Absence 3. Minutes of the thirty-fourth Annual General Meeting 4. Matters Arising 5. Chairman’s Report 6. Treasurer’s Report 7. Appropriation of Surplus 8. Elections 9. Any Other Business

Nominations for the Committee, together with the names of the proposer and seconder, should be given to the Secretary by Wednesday 30th April 2014.

Geoff Sharp Secretary

Sponsored Birdwatch 2014

For those who don’t know me, my name is Barry Stalker and I’ve resided in the borough for over twenty years; I’m married with two grown-up children. I’ve been a keen birder since I was at junior school and like most birders keep all kinds of lists of the birds I’ve seen – European List, British List, Garden List, Year Lists and so on. Back in early 2010, a friend asked me ‘Do you keep a Basingstoke and Deane List?’ Well I didn’t but it got me thinking. I sat down and compiled a list which totalled around 100 or so species. I also started to do some research as to what might be seen in the borough but found information very hard to find with virtually nothing on the internet. This I thought presented me with an opportunity to do something unique, and so the blog ‘Birding Basingstoke and Deane’ was born.

I’ve had immensely enjoyable four years since then and now know so many local places I never knew existed - little gems of sites that are completely unwatched and are right on my doorstep. Indeed, apart from the odd twitch on the coast I’ve hardly been out of the borough - a complete contrast to my former weekend excursions out of the district. I’ve also made some new local birding friends who are very knowledgeable about the district and whom I’m regularly in contact with - it’s so important to be on the grapevine and I thank them for their help.

Of course, we can’t compare our area with the likes Hampshire’s Keyhaven Marshes or Blashford Lakes, but for me, the prospect of finding a local rarity now enthuses me more than driving 100 miles to sit in a hide watching the same birds as everyone else. There are also the added bonuses that wherever I go I’m home in half an hour, and even the birds in my garden count! My own local findings include breeding Long-eared Owl in 2010 (the first confirmed in Hampshire since 2000), Black Redstart, Wryneck, Arctic Tern, Scaup and Goosander – birds I formerly travelled to see.

Wryneck Jynx torquilla The Millfield LNR, Old Basing Barry Stalker This bird being seen on 15th September 2013

Long-eared Owl Asio otus Barry Stalker Just one of the five owl species to be encountered in the Borough on an annual basis

This is my fourth year of year-listing the borough and I’m determined to one day beat my personal best of 131 species which I achieved in 2011; so why not this year! Looking through an old scrap-book I kept as a boy reminded of a Sponsored Birdwatch I took part in back in 1975, so to keep up my enthusiasm on those cold wet mornings, I decided to do something similar this year in aid of Cancer Research UK. This is where you’ll probably stop reading as I’m looking for sponsors! I’m actually a little disappointed that thus far only one local birder has elected to sponsor me. At 10 or even 5 pence per species it shouldn’t break the bank for most people, so come on all you local birders, get yourself on the Roll of Honour at the end of the year and make the residents’ of Basingstoke and Deane the biggest contributors and help fund the vital research carried out by Cancer Research UK.

I reached 100 species on 29th March with Stone-curlew at the ‘usual’ place that I’m sure you all know. Other highlights have been four species of Owl, Dartford Warbler, Brambling, Peregrine, Goosander, the cracking Great White Egret, Hen

Harrier, Great Grey Shrike, Willow Tit, Firecrest, Jack Snipe and Little Ringed Plover.

At the time of writing (9th April) I’ve recorded 104 species in the borough and raised £385.00 for charity.

Barry Stalker www.birdingbasingstokeanddeane.co.uk

What’s Happening?

A few of the forthcoming local events that will hopefully help keep you entertained as the days continue to disappear under darkness:

Basingstoke Natural History Society [email protected]

Oakley Woodland Trust

An evening visit, commencing at 7pm, to see Bluebells and for a guided walk of a copse managed by the Oakley Woodland Trust.

For further information please contact:

Patricia & Colin Stubbs: 01256 323324; Diane Rampton: 01256 467533 or Nicola Williams: 01256 353194.

Hampshire Organic Gardening Group http://hampshire-organic-gardening.org/

Plant Swap

19th May from 19:45

Testbourne Community Centre, Micheldever Road, Whitchurch, RG28 7JF

Hampshire & Isle Of Wight Wildlife Trust http://www.hwt.org.uk/

Bluebells at the Vyne

Wildlife Watch - Basingstoke, please phone for details

Date 26th April 2014

Time 2:00pm - 4:00pm For further details of this local event please contact Lynette East on 01256 389371

Walk at Greywell Moors

Join Peter Vaughan on a walk to see spring flowers and restoration work on the fen. Meet at Deptford Lane, Greywell Moors (Map ref. SU 722 512). Contact Jane Vaughan on 07905 906914 or e-mail [email protected] for parking directions. Suggested donation £3. Sorry, no dogs.

Date 27th April 2014

Time 10am-12 noon

Bluebells and Birds in Bowdown Woods

A guided walk in Bowdown Woods, a BBOWT reserve near Greenham, to see Bluebells and spring birds. Meet in car park, turning from Greenham, left off Bury's Bank road approximately 300m after cattle grid onto unsigned tarmac track, RG19 8BZ (Map ref. SU 492 651). For further details please contact M. Hook on

01256 359605 or e-mail [email protected]. Please bring binoculars. Suggested donation £2. Dogs on leads welcome.

Date 27th April 2014

Time 10:30am

Please note that all the events noted above may be filmed and photographed for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust's fundraising and publicity purposes. If you have any concerns, please speak to a member of staff.

Local Opportunities for Conservation Volunteering

Are you interested in your local environment? Do you have a passion for conservation and wildlife? If yes, try the following the site to check on what’s happening locally that you could become involved in.

http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2BEA9CA3-DD29-414A-AAE4- 0F8A916F61E4/0/Conservationworkparties.pdf

There are opportunities for you as an individual, a family or a social group to join the groups of volunteers already working in the following areas:

Black Dam Ponds and Crabtree Plantation Mill Field Local Nature Reserve Chineham Oakley Cliddesden Old Down, Kempshott Glebe Gardens, Victory Park and King Overton George Vth Playing Fields (Brookvale) Popley Kempshott South View

Big Garden Birdwatch

Almost half a million people took part in this year's RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, discovering some interesting changes among our most popular garden birds, with some species that benefit from a bit of extra help creeping up the rankings. It was a case of all change in the top ten, with Blue Tit registering its highest position since the Big Garden Birdwatch began: coming in at number two, it replaces Blackbird, which has dropped to number four. Robin has dropped back to number ten, although Goldfinch has climbed another place since 2013, rising to number seven. Meanwhile, Great Spotted Woodpecker has entered the top 20 for the first time (in 20th place).

Scientists believe that the weather has played a role in the ups and downs in this year's top ten as many of the birds were recorded in lower numbers in gardens due to the mild conditions. Some species, such as Blue Tits, were likely to be more reliant on food provided in gardens than others, such as Blackbirds, which could easily find their favoured foods like worms and insects in the countryside. Just ten years ago, Goldfinches were in 14th position, but scientists believe that the increase in people providing food like nyjer seed and sunflower hearts in gardens, may have contributed to their steady rise to number seven.

Blue Tit has moved up to number two in the 2014 results (Photo: Brian Liggins)

Overall numbers of species such as Blackbirds, Fieldfares and Redwings may appear to have dropped in our gardens since last year, but in many cases this is not because these populations are in decline but because these species don't need to come into our gardens during mild winters due to there being plenty of natural food available in the wider countryside. However the continuing declines of some species are of greater concern. Numbers of Starlings and Song Thrushes have dropped by an alarming 84% and 81% respectively since the Birdwatch began in 1979. Both species are on the UK 'red list', meaning they are of the highest conservation concern.

Wood Pigeon has become a much more familiar garden sight, with a sensational 742.5% increase since 1979 (Photo: Mark Bicknell)

There is slightly better news for House Sparrow as the decline appears to have slowed, and it remains the most commonly seen bird in our gardens. However, it remains on the red list following a decline of 62% since 1979. Richard Bashford, Big Garden Birdwatch organiser, said: "2014 was always going to be an interesting Big Garden Birdwatch as the winter has been so mild, and we wondered if it would have a significant impact on garden birds. They were out and about in the wider countryside finding natural food instead of taking up our hospitality. The good news is that this may mean we have more birds in our gardens in the coming breeding season because more survived the mild winter. It is a great time to give nature a home by putting up a nesting box and supplementary feeding."

Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director added: "Many garden birds rely on us humans for help. During winter, birds need extra food and water, and at other times of the year, as well as sustenance, a safe place to shelter and make their home can really give them a boost. Two of the species that moved up the rankings this year, Blue Tit and Goldfinch, are adaptable, friendly garden birds and great examples of birds that can flourish with our help. If we put up a nestbox, leave out some food or let our gardens grow a bit wild they'll be among the first to take advantage."

This year, for the first time, participants were also asked to log some of the other wildlife they see in their gardens. The RSPB asked whether people ever see deer, squirrels, Badgers, Hedgehogs frogs and toads in their gardens, to help build an overall picture of how

important our gardens are for giving all types of wildlife a home. This information will be analysed and results will be revealed next month.

2014 results

Rank Species Mean % gardens % change since 1979 1 House Sparrow 3.788 55.19 -62.1 2 Blue Tit 2.456 73.52 0.7 3 Starling 2.375 33.09 -84.2 4 Blackbird 2.168 82.06 -45.8 5 Woodpigeon 1.685 63.21 742.5 6 Chaffinch 1.497 41.30 -50/1 7 Goldfinch 1.426 28.48 n/a 8 Great Tit 1.251 51.43 39.0 9 Collared Dove 1.162 44.71 315.1 10 Robin 1.099 73.05 -45.1 11 Magpie 0.918 45.15 129.6 12 Dunnock 0.813 43.50 1.6 13 Long-tailed Tit 0.768 18.66 n/a 14 Feral Pigeon 0.620 16.30 n/a 15 Greenfinch 0.556 19.67 n/a 16 Jackdaw 0.550 15.24 -44.4 17 Coal Tit 0.535 28.05 n/a 18 Carrion Crow 0.489 19.62 181.8 19 Wren 0.178 15.69 n/a 20 Great Spotted Woodpecker 0.121 9.98 11.4

April’s Outdoor Meeting

Hook-with-Warsash L.N.R.: 27th.

For this Outdoor Meeting please meet at the car park off Passage Lane for a 10:00 start (SU 489 062 OS Landranger map 196).

This is to be found off Shore Road, itself off the roundabout at Brook Lane / Newtown Road in Warsash, with the former off the southern side of the A27 in Sarisbury.

 For further details of the starting point, to offer or request a lift etc. please contact a Committee Member prior to the weekend of the outing.

The RAC Route Planner gives a distance of 37.31 miles between Basingstoke and Passage Lane, the AA site 37.3; a travelling time of 47 and 54 minutes being quoted by these sites. As always, it’s best to leave ample time to reach the site for the start time, so please do bear this in mind when deciding on when to leave.

 A walk that will take in the mouth of the River Hamble as it spills in to Southampton Water, the interconnecting intertidal mudflats, the pebbled shoreline and, inland, the brackish and freshwater pools and streams, pastures, farmland and both scrub and woodland.

Leaving the shelter of the cars and car park we will head westwards to the edge of the River Hamble, moving on from there to follow the shoreline southwards before cutting inland after Hook Links so as to take in the more heavily vegetated areas, including those about Hook Lake and the residences of Hook Park.

By the time of the outing many of the returning migrants will be in and we’re sure to encounter many of these, as well as perhaps a few of the wintering birds that are still yet to move off northwards – Dark-bellied Brent, Black-tailed Godwit and Curlew conceivably among the latter. The commoner warblers, flycatchers and hirundines should all hopefully add to a feeling of avian activity whilst others on the move could include Nightingale, Grasshopper Warbler and Turtle Dove, all less likely, especially nowadays, but careful watching and listening could provide surprises.

Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia It’s spring, so nothing’s impossible!

The river waters will hold duck, grebe and cormorant species while out on the more open stretches of Southampton Water, and its’ edges, further water birds are likely to be on show, including of course the totally expected Little Egret. Over-wintering divers, grebes, Eider and scoter should have left by now, but, again, careful scanning could provide one or more of these still on site, as is also the case for the auks that should be on their cliff nesting sites. Gulls will now be joined by terns, these all in turn encouraging the presence of skuas – the peak time for Pomarine past Hampshire just a fortnight or so away. Looking out towards the Isle of Wight could provide birds moving by, skuas included, with Kittiwake, Little Gull and Black Tern all possibilities.

The shoreline encourages waders to linger, the correct tidal conditions at Hook Spit making for a safe roost for many of those that were so recently just brown birds of different sizes on distant coastal mudflats – spring has arrived, and so have their colours. Wheatear may still be moving in, Rock Pipit still to move off to their limited breeding areas in the county while Meadow Pipit are to be heard ‘Sip, sipping’ overhead.

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Another ‘lbj’, but their presence here may attract migrant Cuckoo to linger

The thicker scrub towards the reserve holds Dartford Warbler and Stonechat, Linnet and Goldfinch being more expected here however. Watch every bush top for both residents and migrants.

The scrapes within the reserve attract further waders to both feed and roost, Shelduck to join them as may lingering Wigeon and Teal. Avocet is possible and with pied in mind, Mediterranean Gull may be among their commoner cousins. If Teal are still in numbers they might just attract a Garganey or two!

Working the reed beds will add ‘reed’ warblers, singing Reed Bunting and Chiffchaff and further rails, three species to be heard feasibly. The increased invertebrate life in such areas will attract the martins and Swallows in to feed low over the area, even Swift to be seen if they continue their earlier presence in the country.

Swift Apus apus Unlikely to be seen in such number but we might add the first of the year for those attending

Inland and woodland will add further migrants, warblers, chats and starts all on the list of possibilities. Little Owl have been evident here recently and time will be spent trying to locate these, as well as other notable birds such as Firecrest and flycatchers. Woodpeckers will be amongst the ‘common’ species also to be looked for, thrushes also being more evident here and in the open pastures and paddocks flanking both the woodland and scrub; a Ring Ouzel or two would be nice in the latter! Yellow Wagtail, ever rarer locally, could well be among the stock here, as might White Wagtail.

White Wagtail Motacilla (alba) alba Whether you accept this as a species or sub-species it’s still undoubtedly a dapper little bird

 Please be aware, we will be walking adjacent to Southampton Water at times and so be somewhat more exposed to the elements, the walking also taking in areas of unmade paths. There may also be charging for the car parking.

 The walk will take us through to early afternoon when there will be the options to head home, linger about the area or complete a further walk nearby.

More updated information on the site, the wildlife present and places to visit on the journey home, such as Brownwich and Chilling, Titchfield Haven NNR, Lakeside CP, Manor Farm CP, Winnall Moors and St. Catherine’s Hill will be available closer to the day of the trip, and during the outing itself. If you have any queries, no matter what, please ensure that these are addressed as soon as is possible.

Evening Walk’s Programme

Please find below the Evening Walk’s Programme for the coming months.

If you have any queries about the sites / areas to be visited, the terrain to be covered or wildlife to be looked for do please contact the noted Leader.

We look forward to seeing you out on balmy spring and summer evenings!

START MAP CONTACT DATE DAY SITE MEETING PLACE LEADER TIME REFERENCE DETAILS The Overton Community 07895 - 6th The Test - Peter E. 388378 / Tuesday 18:30 Centre, Winchester SU 515 496 May Overton to Ashe Hutchins 01256 - Street, Overton 770831 The Popley Fields 14th Carpenter's Simon 01256 - Wednesday 18:30 Community Centre, SU 645 547 May Down Yates 781964 Carpenter' Fields, Popley Court Drove & The Overton Community 07895 - 20th Peter E. 388378 / Tuesday 18:30 The Harrow Centre, Winchester SU 515 496 May Hutchins 01256 - Way Street, Overton 770831 07786 - 28th Crookham Old Thornford Road, Doug. 647784 / Wednesday 18:30 SU 523 645 May Common Crookham Common Kelson 01256 - 320795 The car park off Pack 07786 - Lane, immediately east 4th Battledown SU 592 508 Doug. 647784 / Wednesday 18:30 of the Battledown June Kelson 01256 - Flyover 320795

The grass car park 11th adjacent to The Test, Geoff. 01256 - Wednesday 18:30 Longparish SU 445 448 June north of Larkwhistle Sharp 470286 Farm The Downs 18th Michael's Field, Ibworth Gerry 01189 - Wednesday 18:30 about SU 542 554 June Lane, Hannington Gardner 700859 Hannington 07786 - The car park by The Fish 25th Wokefield Doug. 647784 / Wednesday 18:30 Pond, off Goring Lane, SU 652 662 June Common Kelson 01256 - Burghfield Common 320795

May’s Outdoor Meeting

Farnham Heath RSPB: 25th.

For this Outdoor Meeting please meet at the Rural Life Centre car park for a 10:00 start (SU 859 433 OS Landranger map 186; GU10 2DL).

This is off The Reeds Road, accessed off the A287 at Millbridge.

 For further details of the starting point, to offer or request a lift etc. please contact a Committee Member prior to the weekend of the outing.

The RAC Route Planner gives a distance of 20.31 miles between Basingstoke and Passage Lane, the AA site 20.8; a travelling time of 37 and 42 minutes being quoted by these sites. As always, it’s best to leave ample time to reach the site for the start time, so please do bear this in mind when deciding on when to leave.

 A walk about this currently closest accessible RSPB Reserve to the Local Group should allow those attending to see the dramatic changes made by the Society during the period that they’ve managed it – it being the 10th anniversary of this in 2014!

Heathland restoration has been the driving force behind the management of the area, it originally primarily being coniferous plantation that dint have the greatest biodiversity!

Woodland has still an important part to play on the Reserve and, as can be seen from the image below, there’s still a sizable amount for the Group to explore – a Two-barred Crossbill making the most of this at the time of writing!

Breeding will be at a peak as we visit and bird song, territorial behavior and even immature birds will be obvious, both resident and summer migrants being ever more obvious because of the need to breed!

The restored heath will hold Woodlark and Tree Pipit, Stonechat and Linnet, the latter two bright in their breeding finery, the less gaudy species more noticeable for their songs. Dartford Warbler is making a comeback and we may be lucky enough to hear their agitated churring if not lucky enough to see this ‘dirty Long-tailed Tit’ out atop the Gorse, Broom and Heath. Hobby may well be taking advantage of any odonata on the wing, the latter to be joined by butterfly and moths; walking the heathland paths and along the woodland edges sure to move more of these up on to the wing from their sunbathing and territorial flights. Sand Lizard have been resident on a neighbouring site and with a little help they’re now back on the Reserve, these with other reptiles and amphibians further things to look out for on the heath on the hopefully sunny day that we choose to visit.

Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis A species we’ve yet to see on a Local Group outing – so, eyes open and tread softly everybody!

Moving away from the open heath the shelter of the woodland will allow us to attempt to pick up all three of the woodpeckers, perhaps lingering Crossbill family parties among the more expected finches, Goldcrest, even if not heard by all present, further insectivores such as the tits and Stock Dove, always a bonus it seems but almost as likely to be seen here as Woodpigeon, and more so than both Collared Dove and Feral Pigeon. Woodland rides and their flowers will attract further butterflies and other insects, providing a further possible

source of sustenance to summering visitors such as Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and hirundines visiting from off the Reserve.

Whether on the heath or in woodland regular viewing of the sky needs to be maintained as raptors are sure to be seen overhead, again possibly both resident and migrants species included in this. Also on the move will be gulls, crows, pigeons and perhaps a few late migrants still struggling northwards; sharp eyes and ears will tell on the day.

For any that linger later in the day Nightjar and Woodcock will be on the wing, accompanied by several bat species and even greater numbers of insects, including many moths have heath as their preferred habitat.

A new site for many, perhaps a few new species of wildlife for some and the opportunity to see how your money, the Local Group having contributed to the work here previously, can when used appropriately bring about dramatic and positive changes to the landscape, and all that relies upon it.

The facilities on site will allow everybody attending the opportunity to learn more about the Reserve and its’ management, as well as the chance to make the most of the Rural Life Centre and its’ café; the centre being open from 11:00 to 16:00.

 Please be aware that the walk will take in areas of unmade paths and that once out on the heath we’ll be in the open, and therefore possibly having to be aware of the sun and its’ affects!

 The walk will take us through to early afternoon when there will be the options to head home, linger about the area or complete a further walk nearby.

More updated information on the site, the wildlife present and places to visit on the journey home, such as Frensham Common, Frensham Little Pond, Frensham Great Pond, Caesar’s Camp, Fleet Pond and The Basingstoke Canal will be available closer to the day of the trip, and during the outing itself. If you have any queries, no matter what, please ensure that these are addressed as soon as is possible.

March’s Outdoor Meeting

Warblington Shore: 23rd.

Five men and a dog turned up for this walk along the northern edge of Chichester and Langstone Harbours. A stiff north-westerly breeze whistled around Warblington churchyard as we set off, hearing a Green Woodpecker “yaffling” somewhere nearby. The churchyard held a few Chaffinches and Blackbirds but little else of interest as we took the footpath leading to the shore.

The sun was partially obscured by large dark grey clouds, although the view across Chichester Harbour was still quite glary. However, we quickly picked out several Brent Geese, flocks of Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plover, Curlews and the first of many Red- breasted Mergansers. A short diversion east towards Conigar Point didn’t add any new birds in the harbour, but gave us good views of a perched Buzzard mobbed by Carrion Crows. As we made our way back towards Langstone we checked the nearby fields for Wheatear, but without luck. At Langstone Millpond the Little Egret roost numbered some 15 birds. Also here were Mallard, Moorhens and a nesting pair of Mute Swans. Somewhere in the trees at the back of the pond a Chiffchaff was singing.

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

Taking our lives in our hands we crossed the very busy A3023 (what is it about Hayling Island that attracts so much traffic?) and stood for a while to scan the nearest corner of Langstone Harbour. More Brent Geese were seen, together with Wigeon, Black-headed Gulls, Oystercatchers and Turnstones.

Turnstone Arenaria interpres

A species we’ve yet to see on a Local Group outing – so, eyes open and tread softly everybody!

Continuing along the Wayfarer’s Walk footpath we passed through an area of houses and gardens, seeing Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin and Wren, and hearing another Chiffchaff.

Coming out once more into open country we walked along the footpath until we could view the harbour. More Red-breasted Mergansers were seen along with Great Crested and Little

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus The real black-headed gull!

Grebes and gulls, including Herring and Mediterranean.

During the morning black clouds had been gathering in the distance, with obvious heavy showers over Portsmouth, but now we were in danger of getting wet ourselves. We made a hurried retreat back across the main road and along past Langstone Millpond, fortunately avoiding the worst of the rain. We got back to the cars in the dry, having recorded at least 45 species.

After lunch three of us drove to Farlington Marshes and walked the circuit of the seawall in sunny but blustery conditions. The only spring migrant we saw was a Chiffchaff, but we added a few species to the day’s list, including Skylark, Teal and Canada Goose.

Geoff Sharp

Local Wildlife News

The following ‘highlights’ reports received in to the early spring period. If you’ve anything further to add, please feel free to let us know at any time. All reports will be appreciated, whether they relate to birds or any other form of local wildlife. Also, as they say, this is “Just the tip of the iceberg” – there’s a great deal more out there to be found, especially as we head in to the spring proper, there still being many birds to arrive locally, both those moving through and those stopping over for the summer / breeding season.

Blackcap – the first garden visitor of the winter for one arrived on 25th March.

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Doug. Kelson Have you had any visit over the winter period?

Blue Peafowl – the two vociferous cock birds remained about Overton. Brown Hare – these became ever more evident, though still hugely outnumbered by Rabbit. Cuckoo – the first of the year was on 11th. Emperor Moth – An early male was out on Padworth Common on 30th March. Fieldfare – the last to be reported were on 23rd March, heading high to the east over Overton. Green Sandpiper – one visited waters about Overton mid-March.

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Barry Stalker http://www.birdingbasingstokeanddeane.co.uk/

Hairy-footed Flower Bee – one of the most regularly encountered species in gardens over recent weeks, especially if you’ve pulmonaria in flower. Hummingbird Hawk-moth – just prior to the March Indoor Meeting at least one was seen in a Basingstoke garden. Little Ringed Plover – one was found on floods by Ashe Park on 5th, lingering for a few days. Long-eared Owl – one was again north of Overton / Ashe late in March. A number of searches between this and previous sightings had however not found any further evidence of their presence about the Parish / Borough. Mandarin – a drake was a brief visitor to the watermeadows at The Vyne NT. Orange-tip – these, and Holly Blue, were added to the butterflies already on the wing by the end of March. Orange Underwing – the first to be seen locally this year were on Padworth Common. Redshank – two remained about the watermeadows at The Vyne NT. Sand Martin – two were over floods by Ashe Park on 6th. Scytodes thoracica – this unusual spider, both in looks and habits was found early one morning on a ceiling.

Scytodes thoracica Doug. Kelson “It's one of those which, instead of biting its victims, squirts a mixture of gum and poison from its fangs in a zig-zag pattern, to pin and poison the bug, from up to 10 or more millimetres distance. Only 6 eyes”

Sedge Warbler – the first to be recorded was in reedbeds at Old Basing. Stone-curlew – another migrant now in in good numbers, though trying to confirm this proved more than arduous for at least one local, making six attempts before seeing them!

Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus Barry Stalker http://www.birdingbasingstokeanddeane.co.uk/

Swallow – the first to be seen locally this year was moving over Overton on 2nd, three then being reported over floods near Ashe Park on 5th Wheatear – small groups of these were noted on the downs from mid-month. Willow Warbler – the first to be noted locally this year was in song on 31st March. Yellow Wagtail – one was by floods by Ashe Park on 5th.

Nuthanger Down Doug. Kelson We might not get an aurora this far south, but just once in a while early evening can be quite breath-taking

As always, thank you to all those that have contributed to this report; if I have missed anything, please do let me know and be sure to keep me updated as we head towards the spring! If you find anything you consider particularly notable, or you would like an update on what is happening locally, please do feel free to contact me at any time. I can assure you that you will always get a favourable response! 07895 – 388378 is the hot line, well my mobile number anyway! 

Quiz ‘Page’

April – the best month by far for migrants locally, so see if you can find these here and then out in the field.

1. This bird, you’ll Lovat! 2. Not the Cheddar Gorge, but a pallid relative? 3. BBC 3’s most-watched comedy launch! 4. Suzuki or satirist? 5. Did this one pipe up in your patch? 6. Soapy songster. 7. Lashings All Stars are possibly related to this soloist? 8. Demi Lovato’s favourite accompanist? 9. Not such a mouthful as your first migrant. 10. This one’s gloomy at base three. 11. From Hull, their Happy Hour being back in 1986. 12. Greggs’ King Ambrose. 13. Quarry from down under? 14. Engaging and engaged, this pulsing paramour! 15. Carex, not a trilling hand wash in this case! 16. A kind of kindling crooner. 17. Bees, all the way with this bird! 18. Nocturnal cruse? 19. A castle in Graskop, which I noticed. 20. A diversion from the ordinary.

From March: the poet, poem... and bird!

1. She jabs her wedge head in a cup / of sour cream, drops her [ ] tail, / and will not scare. Robert Lowell, Skunk-Hour (the missing word is 'ostrich') 2. His beak is focussed; he is preoccupied // looking for something, something, something. Elizabeth Bishop, The Sandpiper 3. Did she put on his knowledge with his power / Before the indifferent beak could let her drop? W B Yeats, Leda and the Swan 4. Turning and turning in the widening gyre / The [ ] cannot hear the [ ]er. W B Yeats, The Second Coming (the missing word is 'falcon') 5. Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower / the moping [ ] does to the moon complain. Thomas Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (the missing word is 'owl') 6. And for that minute a [ ] sang / Close by, and round him, mistier, / Farther and farther, all the birds / Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Edward Thomas, Adlestrop (the missing word is 'blackbird') 7. ‘Why look’st thou so?’ - ‘With my cross-bow / I shot the [ ]’. Edward Lear, The Owl and the Pussycat 8. With a cargo of ivory / and apes and [ ]. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (the missing word is 'albatross') 9. Of daylight’s dauphin, dapple-down-drawn [ ], in his riding. John Masefield, Cargoes (the missing word is 'peacocks') 10. While the [ ] sings on the orchard bough / in England – now! Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Windhover (the missing word is 'falcon') 11. ...let us be married! too long we have tarried: But what shall we do for a ring? Robert Browning, Home-Thoughts from Abroad (the missing word is 'chaffinch')

12. Where the ring-[ ] broods, / and the badgers roll at ease. Rudyard Kipling, The Way through the Woods (the missing word is 'dove') 13. From their shadowy cote the white breasts peep / of [ ] in a silver-feathered sleep. Walter de la Mare, Silver (the missing word is 'doves') 14. Then the bird said ‘Nevermore’. Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven 15. My heart aches and a drowsy numbness pains. John Keats, Ode to a Nightingale 16. He liked to hear / the first [ ] of the spring / then write to the Times. / I’d usually heard it / days before him / but I never let on. Carol Ann Duffy, Mrs Teresias (the missing word is 'cuckoo') 17. Phlebas the Phoenician, a fortnight dead, / Forgot the cry of [ ], and the deep sea swell / And the profit and loss. T S Eliot, The Waste Land (the missing word is 'gulls') 18. I saw how the night came, / Came striding like the color of the heavy hemlocks / I felt afraid. / And I remembered the cry of the [ ]. Wallace Stevens, Domination of Black (the missing word is 'peacocks') 19. He is just another poor forked thing / A skin bag plumped with inky putty. Seamus Heaney, Turkeys Observed 20. I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed. Ted Hughes, Hawk Roosting 21. O [ ]! shall I call thee Bird, / Or but a wandering Voice? William Wordsworth, To The Cuckoo 22. It was my thirtieth year to heaven / Woke to my hearing from harbour and neighbour wood / And the mussel pooled and the [ ] / Priested shore. Dylan Thomas, Poem in October (the missing word is 'heron') 23. Higher still and higher / From the earth though springest, / like a cloud of fire. Percy Bysshe Shelley, To a Skylark 24. The nineteenth autumn has come upon me / Since I first made my count;. W B Yeats, The Wild Swans at Coole 25. [ ] and shoal life / vexing their blarnies upon our huddled / camouflage past the vast crumble of scummed / cliffs. Daljit Nagra, Look We Have Coming to Dover! (the missing word is 'seagulls') 26. Gilled like a fish. A common-sense / thumbs down on the [ ]’s mode. Sylvia Plath, You're (the missing word is 'dodo') 27. A man and a woman / Are one. / A man and a woman and a [ ] / Are one. Wallace Stevens, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird 28. And nightly under the simple stars / As I rode to sleep the [ ] were bearing the farm away. Dylan Thomas, Fern Hill (the missing word is 'owls') 29. He clasps the crag with crooked hands. Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Eagle 30. I saw the veiled face of Maria Concepcion / marrying the ocean, then drifting away / in the widening lace of her bridal train / with white [ ] her bridesmaids. Derek Walcott, The Schooner Flight (the missing word is 'gulls')

And finally!

Just a few things received in recent days, to give you an idea of the mailings I receive and just how varied the birding world is!

Re Harvest Mice, on Stockbridge Down, they put down some corrugated sheets, but the only thing I have seen appears to have been a Yellow-necked Mouse, I think that is the correct name for it.

I keep hoping to catch sight of some Herpes but no luck so far.

????????

National charity unveils GPS-guided 'robo-sandals' for birdwatchers

The UK's leading bird research organisation, The British Trust for Ornithology, has today unveiled remarkable new developments in the fusion zone between fashion and technology which could revolutionize bird monitoring across the globe. In an extraordinary move, the charity has unveiled plans to produce a range of GPS-guided footwear that will draw on the Trust's enormous database of bird sightings to guide wearers to rare birds. Not only will the footwear automatically guide the wearer to the precise location of interesting birds but electrical pulses delivered to the soles of the feet will be able to set the speed of walking or running depending on the rarity status of the bird.

According to Dr Ieuan Evans, head of the charity's Fashion in Birders Unit (FIBU), the charity has used cutting-edge science to combine climate change modelling with footwear consumer data to produce abundance change and range expansion forecasts across a range of footwear types. "Our latest science research shows a strong trend towards greatly

increased sandal usage spreading from the south-east into the north-west over the course of the next 5–10 years. This data, combined with the rise of 'geek chic', allows us to focus first on sandals, with further developments aimed at wellies, crocs and eventually all footwear models. What's even more exciting is that future-gazing has suggested we might take this a step further with GPS input seamlessly combined with stimulation arrays embedded into macs and cagoules which would ensure the wearer lifts their binoculars to the correct position in order to see the birds located by the sandals."

With a view to maximising the productivity of their automaton wearers, the sandals go one step further...the processor interfaces with the user's smartphone app to detect whether sightings have been entered into the national bird recording platform, BirdTrack. Following an initial five-minute grace period, a series of electric shocks, of gradually increasing voltage, are delivered to the wearer's feet. After 15 minutes, these shocks are sufficient to render the birdwatcher completely immobile, until such a time as they enter their bird records.

Dr Evans explained that work within FIBU focuses on improving the efficiency of individual birdwatchers so that they can contribute higher quality and a greater volume of bird monitoring data. "Our goal is to deliver an enhanced experience for birders while also allowing them to model the very latest fashion trends and we are working with top fashion designers to achieve this." He cautioned that the new sandal technology would not work with socks but that given the demand from sock-loving sandal wearers this would continue to be a high priority for research. He also warned that in the highly competitive world of twitching, hackers might attempt to pimp their sandals to ensure they beat others to particularly rare birds, or that they would attempt to hack into the interfaces of other wearers to divert them away from particularly interesting birds.

BTO hopes to launch the new fashion range within the next 12 months.

BTO Tuesday 1st April 2014

Angry bird terrorises family

Daily World By Sunday World

An angry pheasant is terrorising a family.

Robert Hamilton and his wife Anne-Marie, from Cambridgeshire, south-western England, are so scared of the bird they have been forced to enter and exit their house carrying a stick to defend themselves against attack.

The fowl even charged at a delivery van as it attempted to exit the farm by pecking at its bonnet and chased the couple's pet dog Amy around the garden.

Anne-Marie, 63, told The Express newspaper: "The pheasant arrived about three weeks ago and he has been terrorising us ever since. He frightened our poor Jack Russell Amy when she went into the garden and chased her all the way down the farm track."

"If you go near him he flies at you with his sharp beak and you know that if he does any damage it will really hurt."

Unimaginable slaughter of migrating birds in Lebanon.

Only follow this link if you’ve got a strong stomach and can control your aggressive tendencies!!! http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/2013/12/20/unimaginable-slaughter-of-migrating-birds-in- lebanon/ and the latest addition, for some!

Baikal Teal Anas formosa Fen Drayton G.P.’s, Cambridgeshire Yet another RSPB reserve draws in both the birds and birders! Although remaining incredibly rare in Britain, only a handful of records having been accepted as truly wild birds, flocks in recent winters in China have been noted in excess of 50,000 birds! Their numbers have dramatically increased in the past few decades after a serious decline, the former thought in part due to the reclaiming of land and a decrease in pressure by hunting.

April is THE month for migration through our area so keep both your eyes and ears open as the month progresses, many summer visitors having already arrived but some, such as Nightingale, are still be hoped for. The continued flooding of fields, though now dramatically reduced in many areas, might allow for further waders to drop in to feed or rest, attract both White and Yellow Wagtail in for invertebrate prey and will draw in Swallow, Sand and House Martin as they continue further north. More open and settled areas of water could attract Garganey, Little Ringed Plover and Common Tern with winter visitors such as Wigeon and Teal still to be found lingering; Hobby perhaps already to be found over these areas by the months’ end. Woodlands will brighten with the song of many warblers while the luckier listener might add the aforementioned Nightingale, Cuckoo and Turtle Dove. Stone-curlew on local farmland will have Wheatear and Ring Ouzel as brief companions with every fence line worth watching for Whinchat and Stonechat, again sure to be all too brief in their appearances.

With the weather continuing to improve, the days lengthening and birds arriving, it’s definitely one of the times of the year to be out there amongst it – you might just be surprised by what you see!