BBAASSIINNGGSSTTOOKKEE LLOOCCAALL GGRROOUUPP

JANUARY 2014 NEWSLETTER

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

Contents:

 From The Group Leader

 Big Garden Birdwatch 2014

 Notices

 Favourite Books

 February’s Indoor Meeting Modern Day Plant Hunters In The Falklands

 Sponsored Birdwatch 2014

 What’s Happening?

 Namibia – Chapter 1

 January’s Outdoor Meeting

 February’s Outdoor Meeting

 Local Wildlife News

 Quiz Page

 And Finally!

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

Welcome to 2014!!!

I hope that you’ve all had a peaceful, happy and fulfilling Christmas and that this year has so far gone as you would wish, and that it continues in a similar fashion for the next 11 wildlife-filled months.

The weather, yes we’re British so we’d better talk of it, has been so inclement lately that I’m sure many of you will have hardly ventured outside in search of birds, or any other wildlife for that matter. This is hardly the finest way to start your wildlife watching year and so I, and I’m sure you, can only hope that this changes soon, especially with such things as The Big Garden Birdwatch looming ever closer! I don’t know about you but the time I’ve spent watching the garden so far this year has generally not been brightened by much avian activity. However, seven Blackbird in the back garden recently was totally unexpected, so get those apples out there in the next few days to ensure a little more activity from these at least as you settle down for your hour of watching. Not in unfortunately, but over, I’ve also recorded Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Redwing, Fieldfare, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan and Little Egret in the last few days – so there are birds out there on the move, perhaps some just waiting for that extra incentive to visit your garden?

The relative mildness of the weather has also brought other local wildlife out that’s perhaps not so expected, Peacock butterfly being on the wing nearly a week ago and 15 Grey Squirrel being seen even more recently!

As before, let’s hope that this trend continues and that both us and the wildlife can make the most of more clement weather to come.

See you out there soon!

Peter E. Hutchins Big Garden Birdwatch 25-26 January 2014

Just another, but the last, reminder that the Big Garden Birdwatch is coming soon!

Please do take part, forward your results to the Society and, if you get the opportunity, forward these to me for inclusion in a future Newsletter. I’ve now got results from several years and it will be interesting to see how things have, presumably, once again changed in many gardens since 2013, or even earlier.

Favourite Books

This is the third in a series of articles about my favourite books on birds, birdwatching and wildlife in general. The articles are not intended to be critical write-ups but merely an introduction to “my kind of book”. The books included are in no particular order, but they all have a place on my bookshelf.

American Birding Sketchbook by Michael Warren I’ve long been an admirer of Mike Warren’s paintings – at the Bird Fair each year I spend time on his stand in the art tent looking at his work. The trouble is that he only sells originals (priced in the thousands of pounds) and not cheaper limited edition prints that I could afford. However, he has published several books of his work over the years and so I have been able to collect his sketches and paintings in a manner more suited to my pocket. It is especially interesting to see how his technique has altered over the course of the last 30 years. This latest book ticks two boxes: it combines my admiration of Mike’s work with my love of birding in the US. He has put together a collection of sketches made during visits to all 50 American States, illustrating the varied habitats and landscapes and richness of the birdlife to be found there. The large format allows full appreciation of the brilliant artwork and also gives room for a few lines of explanation from the artist about the birds and places shown.

A Bird in the Bush – A Social History of Birdwatching by Stephen Moss We watch birds for a variety of reasons, not least for sheer pleasure. But how have people done so through the ages? This book is a fascinating, surprising and often amusing read, tracing the history and development of our hobby on both sides of the Atlantic. It takes in pretty much everything, from prehistoric cave paintings to Shakespeare, from Gilbert White to modern day twitching, and from the early days of bird photography to today’s outstanding wildlife television documentaries. The origins of the modern bird protection movement are discussed, as well as the contributions made by optics manufacturers and the increasingly detailed field guides and reference books now available. If you are interested in the “back story” of birdwatching then this book is a must.

Guide to Garden Wildlife by Richard Lewington If you want a reasonably-priced field guide to the wildlife to be found in your garden, then this is the book to get. It does what it says on the tin! It covers everything from mammals and birds through amphibians, beetles and butterflies to slugs, snails and earthworms. More than 500 species are covered in detail and illustrated with over 900 detailed artworks by author Richard Lewington, one of Europe’s leading natural history illustrators (although he has left the job of doing the bird illustrations to his brother Ian Lewington who he concedes is a much better bird artist!). As it covers all of the commoner garden inhabitants, I find it invaluable when I see something new in our garden, whether it be spider, bug or moth.

Geoff Sharp

If you’ve a favourite book you’d like to bring to the attention of others, please do let us know of it, and why it’s special to you.

February’s Indoor Meeting Modern Day Plant Hunters In The Falklands

Although the main theme of this talk will be our search for rare plants in the Falklands during the summers of 2012/13, do not fear there will be plenty of birds too! We will take you to places in the Falklands that very few have ever visited, even the locals, and tell the stories of our adventures too.

Rockhopper Penguin Bleaker Island Christmas Day 2012 © M Carr

Finally we will take you to the equatorial warmth of Ascension Island and look for birds there.

Sooty Terns Ascension Island © M Carr

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 19th February. Margaret & Tim Carr

Notices

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.

Local Group Website

The Local Group website has currently undergone a bit of a spring-clean, 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.

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

Sponsored Birdwatch 2014

Back in the early 1970s I took part in an organized national Sponsored Birdwatch for the RSPB/ YOC. I remember it very well, as not only was it great fun, but at Staines Reservoir I saw my first ever Snow Bunting. The idea was to see as many species as possible in a single day (like bird-racing) and every species carried a monetary value - probably a penny or two back then. Sponsors included family members, friends and school teachers. The cutting below is from The Middlesex Chronicle circa 1973, and I'm second from the left. Unfortunately, I can't find my notebook for the day so don't know the exact date.

To try and maintain my enthusiasm for local birding, I’m planning my own sponsored birdwatch for 2014 in aid of Cancer Research UK. My aim is to record as many species as possible within Basingstoke and Deane district in the calendar year. At 5 or 10 pence per species it shouldn’t break the bank either, as I only record 120-130 species in the borough each year; 131 being my personal best – I will be trying though! I’m currently looking for pledges, the actual donation to be paid in full in January 2015 through the charity website ‘Virgin Money Giving’ where I’ve set up a page – no money will be collected directly by me. There will be regular updates on the blog and with luck to photographs of many of the species seen. I hope some of you will be able to sponsor me and help fight the disease that will affect almost all of us either directly or indirectly. Please e-mail your pledges to [email protected] or alternatively donate a nominal amount now on the Virgin Money Giving account and pay the balance next January.

Thanks in advance and please tell your friends!

Barry Stalker Birding Basingstoke and Deane

VIRGIN MONEY GIVING www.virginmoneygiving.com/birdwatch2014

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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 Field Society [email protected]

100 Years Of The Wildlife Trust

11th February

Meet at 8pm at the United Reformed Church, London Street

Hedgehogs

Chris. Matcham

11th March

Meet at 8pm at the United Reformed Church, London Street

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/

Potatoes Are Forever!

Monday 20th January

19:45 - £2 entrance fee for non-members.

Alan Wilson, potato guru and author, joins HOGG for another interesting insight into the world of the spud. Alan is the only speaker who has restarted the talk after the coffee break because the audience have been so involved and interested in what he has to say.

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

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

Alresford Winter Bird Walk

Join John Clark for a guided walk of about 4 miles to see winter birds. Meet in Alresford at the bottom of Broad Street near the old fire station (Map ref. SU 588 329). Parking is available in the station car park or nearby streets. For further details please contact Mary on 01962 864440. Suggested donation £2.50. Sorry, no dogs.

Date 19 January 2014

Time 10am-2pm

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Winter Wildlife Walk to Oakley

A 5 mile walk through the varied countryside around Kempshott and Oakley. Park on roadside in “No Through Road” section of Kempshott Lane, left at end of Heather Way, off A30, RG22 5LY (Map ref. SU 601 489). For further details please contact Mick Hook on 01256 359605 or e-mail [email protected]. Please bring binoculars if you have them. Suggested donation £2. Dogs on leads welcome.

Date 24 January 2014

Time 10.30am-1pm

Skittles Evening

Join us for an evening of traditional skittles with a basket supper included at The Frog and Wicket, Eversley Cross (Map ref. SU 796 616). For further details and to book your place, please contact Jane Vaughan on 01256 764225 or 07905 906914 or Lyn Deavin on 01252 879255 or e-mail [email protected]. Booking and ticket purchase essential in advance. Admission £14 including basket supper.

Date 06 February 2014

Time 7.30pm

Winchester Winter Walk

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Join us for an easy 8 mile walk along the Itchen Way and Oxdrove Way ending at Winnall Moors and Winchester town centre. Meet in Alresford High Street outside the Co-op (Map ref. SU586 325). For further details and to book your place contact Rachel Platt on 01962 808 809 or e-mail [email protected]. Suggested donation £3. Sorry, no dogs.

Date 08 February 2014

Time 9.30am-2.30pm

Snowdrops along the River Test

A walk round Overton, Quidhampton and Ashe. Meet at Overton Hill (Turnpike Cottages) car park, London Road. RA25 3NU (Map ref. SU 519 497). For further details please contact Ruth Cairns on 01256 326364. Suggested donation £2. Dogs on leads welcome.

Date 20 February 2014

Time 10.30am-12.30pm

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.

Overton Biodiversity Society http://www.overton-biodiversity.org/

Gardening For Wildlife

Thursday 16th January 7:30pm

Overton Community Centre

An illustrated presentation by Alex Cruikshank from the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

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For further details please contact Ken or Jane on 01256 – 771121 or email [email protected]. Admission: Members £2.00, non-members £2.50, to include refreshments.

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

Namibia – Chapter 1

4,875km. along roads and rough tracks of sub-Saharan Namibia and Botswana seems as though it could be a gruelling trip but it was endlessly fascinating, hugely rewarding and actually pretty comfortable, with the added bonuses of good leadership and pleasant companions.

If you look at a map of Namibia, the letter “O” is everywhere and I guarantee that there will be plenty of similar exclamations when the birds and other wildlife and scenery of the country are experienced. Twice the area of France and with a population of around 3 million; lots of room for wildlife, still. Much of the land is too dry for agriculture though there are extensive wetlands, especially in the north, around the Okavango River delta and this has meant that much wildlife still survives. Here is found the highest concentration of endemic birds in Africa. There is plenty of woodland as well as true and ancient desert containing spectacular dunes which roll to meet the swell of the ocean. The cool Benguela current surges up from the southern Atlantic, northward along the coast and the nutrient-rich water sustains a marvellous array of sea-birds and mammals. Frequently, the landscape is breath-takingly beautiful. I took the opportunity to visit and tour in October/November 2006 and the memory is still bright and crisp.

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Our party arrived in the morning and began birding in the airport at Windhoek. Our attention kept straying from the words of the tour-leaders, Derek Scott and Steve Braine, as South African Cliff Swallows visited nests on the terminal buildings and Rock Martins, Little Swifts and White-rumped Swifts chased flies above us while Southern Grey-headed Sparrows and Cape Turtle Doves foraged in the flower beds.

We soon headed north into the open bush–country south of Otjiwarongo, (plenty of “O’s” and “Oh’s!” along the way) stopping occasionally to build our bird lists with the likes of Tawny Eagle and two other species of eagle, Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk; two kinds of vulture and several other birds of prey.

Tawny Eagle Southern Pale Chanting-Goshawk

Along the roadside, we passed occasional trees bearing what looked like untidy haystacks; a couple adorned telephone/power-line posts. They were the communal nests of the House Sparrow-like Sociable Weavers. Hundreds of pairs may share the building of these nests and each has its own “apartment” within it. Sometimes there may be uninvited guests such as Pygmy Falcons squatting in the structure.

Most of the landscape was vast stretches of classic African bush but the strong fencing along long portions of the roads was a sign that most of this countryside was, in fact, ranch- land. Certainly, there were cattle here and there but, at least along much of our route, large areas were used for game farming. Herds of antelope, gazelle, Warthogs and the like are contained in natural conditions on these huge holdings and are culled for meat and other products. Hunters can pay substantial amounts of cash for the opportunity to shoot this game. Of course, predators such as lions and leopards which might prey on the game are not welcome. I understand that the wild animals which are adapted to live in this region of Africa are more efficient converters of the natural vegetation to protein than cattle, which require good, well-watered grass (rare in much of Namibia) and protection from endemic diseases to thrive in this environment. Wild game can cope with the conditions more successfully. This has meant that most of the landscape still looks much as it has for thousands of years and the bird-life is abundant and varied. Whatever one’s views on

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hunting, this does mean that much wild game and habitat is preserved. One of the down- sides though is that some ranchers are running herds of animals which are not endemics, for example, White-tailed Gnus, Nyala and Sable Antelope from other African regions. As with the situation in parts of the U.K. where introduced Sika Deer are interbreeding with Red Deer or the worry that Ruddy Ducks will endanger the purity of the Spanish population of White-headed Duck, hybridisation is a concern to conservationists. Another danger is the possibility that these introduced species will establish themselves in the “true” wild, with unknown consequences.

We enjoyed a break at a German coffee-house (a reminder of a colonial past) in Okahadja and found both greater and Lesser Striped Swallows, Bradfield’s Swifts and the slim African Palm Swifts visiting their nests in nearby palms. Further roadside birding along the way enabled us to swell our lists with the chicken-like Swainson’s Spurfowl and Red-billed Francolin. There was the huge and stately Kori Bustard (which shares the title of the world’s heaviest flying bird) and Monteiro’s, Damara and Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills competed for our attention with the long-tailed and long-billed Violet Woodhoopoe, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler, the stubby Long-billed Crombec, cryptically-coloured Marico Flycatcher, Desert Cisticola, and Scaly-feathered Finch, the familiar-looking Great Sparrow, Black-chested Prinia, gleaming Burchell’s Starling and the vivid Crimson-breasted Shrike.

Mount Etjo Safari Lodge, our destination, is established in hilly bush-country beside a large dam which had attracted a good selection of waterfowl and other birds. We eagerly set about looking for them from within the gardens of the Lodge. Most obvious were the Great White Pelicans, the magnificently ugly Marabou Storks and the more elegant Yellow-billed Storks, a few African Spoonbills and many Egyptian Geese and Red-billed Ducks. Around the margins we found several wader species; Black-winged Stilts, migrant Wood Sandpipers, Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Ruff and Common Sandpiper. African waders were represented by Three-banded Plover (a little like Ringed) and Blacksmith Lapwing. Dabchicks cruised and dived around a couple of dozing Hippo’s and we had close views of migrant Alpine Swifts skimming low to drink from the dam-water. That night, we could hear lions roaring from a reserve a couple of miles away.

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Kori Bustard African Spoonbill A Lappet-faced and White-backed Vultures

Our first full day’s birding was in one of the game ranches which were stocked with Impala, Eland, Gemsbok, Greater Kudu, Warthog, Giraffe etc. The archetypical African savannah scene, in fact; “wild” Africa but with out-of-range Roan Antelope to remind us that it was not quite natural Africa. The lions we had heard in the night were part of a pride “maintained” in a semi-wild condition. Some of our party were taken to watch the lions being fed that evening but I elected to wait for the chance to see “genuine” wild lions later

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in the trip. In this area were able to get out of the vehicles and walk; much needed exercise after the extended bum-numbing imposed by the previous day’s travelling. By a substantial waterhole we heard the evocative descending whistle of the African Fish-eagle. For me, a definitive and evocative cry of Africa. From my childhood, that call has featured prominently on the soundtrack of most films about African wildlife (and most wild-life films seemed to be about Africa) and to hear and then see the bird is always special. South African Shelduck shared the pool with the Red-billed Ducks and waders. In the surrounding bush we were delighted to search out such gems as Rosy-faced Lovebirds, Acacia Pied Barbet, the quietly attractive Short-toed Rock-thrush, Purple Rollers, which hid the startling blue of their wings until they swooped to a new perch or onto prey, several Sunbird species (those Old World near-counterparts of the New World’s Hummingbirds) and wren-like Grey-backed Eremomela and Burnt-necked Eremomela ( I love the sound of some bird- names…. once I’ve mastered the art of saying them).

Female Ostrich on eggs - Swallow-tailed Bee-eater - Male Lesser-masked Weaver

A tussock of burnt-looking vegetation sprouted a head which gave us the hint that, in fact, we’d found a female Ostrich brooding eggs. A pair of Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters dashed from their perches to catch dragonflies and we enjoyed the antics of a male Lesser-masked Weaver as he pushed new bits of green grass into his nest then hung beneath it fluttering and singing a scratchy song. The huge forms of Lappet-faced Vultures hulked amongst African White-backed Vultures in Accacia crowns and we identified a couple of Wahlberg’s Eagles soaring over the plains.

We explored an area of rocky semi-desert scrub and found a charming pair of Cardinal Woodpeckers excavating a nest-hole. The male’s neat red crest stuck up in punkish-fashion. A tumble of scrub-punctuated boulders was home for a shy, near-endemic Rockrunner or Damara Rockjumper which eventually showed itself well.

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Cardinal Woodpeckers – the male with the red crest Rockrunner White-tailed Shrike

In the same area we also found the lively and attractive White-tailed Shrike, another near- endemic, which glared fiercely and scolded at us from the thorns.

The next Morning we decamped for a long road-journey, north-east, to Rundu. The roads, however, were good and interest was sustained with plenty of en-route birding. Northern Black Korhaan and Red-crested Korhaans (Bustards). Lilac-breasted Rollers, larks, hirundines and several kinds of starling. There were two species of Hornbill, the brilliant red of Crimson-breasted Shrike, and the White-crested Helmetshrike, Raptors included at least 20 Black-shouldered Kites, the powerful Martial Eagle, Brown Snake Eagles, the scarce Black-chested Snake Eagle and the tilting, almost tail-less flying shapes of several Bateleurs seeking snakes to snack on. In fact, one of the few snakes I saw on this trip was a probable Puff-adder hanging from the claws of a Bateleur. At the roadside and further off in the bush we spotted the occasional group of graceful Impala, a few giant Eland and the dainty Steenbok (or Steinbok) amongst other ungulates. I was pleased to see a low-slung Slender Mongoose running about with almost snake-like sinuosity. Chacma Baboons were frequent and, as we progressed northwards they became darker, almost black in hue.

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A re-fuelling halt allowed us the opportunity to stretch our legs and get good views of three kinds of hirundine; Greater and Lesser Striped Swallows, drinking from puddles and Rock Martins resting on a roof. Above the pumps several Little Swifts were on their nests in the shade and tiny, Budgie-tailed Namaqua Doves stirred the sand for seeds, nearby. These birds, unusually, amongst doves and pigeons, show marked sexual dimorphism, the females lacking the strong black markings of the males.

Male Namaqua Dove Rock Martin

Another break, at Roy’s Camp, north east of Grootfontein allowed us to refresh ourselves and do a little birding on foot in the surrounding scrub. This produced excellent views of a group of Black-faced Babblers near the restaurant. There were about five of them, all ferrying food from the leaf-litter to a single nest; “helpers” to the breeding pair. A nesting Groundscraper Thrush was brooding quietly, unworried by the coming and going of customers nearby. A black Fork-tailed Drongo launched itself at flying insects and a smallish brown and white shrike with a broad white supercilium was our first Brubru of the trip.

Groundscraper Thrush Black-faced Babbler

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By late afternoon, the Acacia-dominated scrub had changed to the taller but fairly open Miombo woodland which typifies the better-watered north-eastern border-region of Namibia, The leaves of the Miombo trees are bifurcated so that they approximate the shape of an antelope’s hoof-print. A foray into this habitat revealed that the “soil” seemed to be almost pure, grey-white sand. Small trails and excavations showed that there was much small life to be found on and in it, such as an attractive species of Agama lizard which posed for a few moments before diving into a small tunnel. Giant Millipedes, some significantly longer than the average new pencil, were frequent, gliding through the loose leaf-litter. This was fairly plentiful because we were there near the end of the dry season and many trees were sparsely-foliaged to cope with the drought by reducing the amount of transpiration through their leaves. The time of day, late afternoon, meant that the woods were fairly quiet but we managed to find a good selection of birds there.

Agama Lizard sp. Giant Millipede

Dark Chanting Goshawk

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Notable were Dark Chanting Goshawk, (lacks white rump of Pale Chanting Goshawk) Kurrichane Thrush, the delightfully named but plain-coloured; Tinkling Cisticola (is that an annoying infection?) and a Neddicky (another Cisticola, named after its song). Southern Black Flycatcher, Red-headed Weaver, Fawn-coloured Lark, Yellow-throated Canary were seen and a beautiful Golden-breasted Bunting sang from a tree.

It was nearing sunset by the time we reached our destination, a lodge on the banks of the Okavango River and the promise of a beer and the exploration of a new habitat the following day.

Doug. Kelson.

January’s Outdoor Meeting

There isn’t one!

Just another very quick reminder that the January Outdoor Meeting will in fact take place on Sunday 2nd February! This being the Poole Harbour Boat Trip, for which tickets are still available!

Further details of this ‘pelagic’ are available from the Secretary or Group Leader or at http://www.brownseaislandferries.com/tag/poole-harbour/, http://www.rspb.org.uk/events/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-317588 and http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/rspb-bird-boats

For those of a more twitchy disposition there’s still a Surf Scoter in the harbour, a Yellow- browed Warbler on Studland and two Crane near Cheselborne!

February’s Outdoor Meeting

Old Alresford: 23rd.

For this Outdoor Meeting please meet in the Old Alresford Village Hall car park for a 10:00 start (SU587342 OS Landranger map 185; SO24 9DH). Please be aware that this venue is also known as Christy Memorial Hall.

This is on the right-hand / western side of the large grass triangle, accessible from the B3046 Basingstoke to Alresfords road, prior to the road curving to the left and uphill.

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 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 13.38 miles between Basingstoke and the Village Hall, the AA site 16.0; a travelling time of 30 and 35 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 winter walk about the river and streams, cress beds, farmed and fallow fields and village garden extremities of Old and New Alresford will be sure to start the Local Group's 2014 Outdoor Meetings Programme with both a good number and variety of species, especially if time's spent looking out over Arlebury Lake and Alresford Pond, both more than attractive to wintering wildfowl and the more expected 'herons'. Several hours, weather permitting, will allow those attending to cover these habitats, and more, with plenty of time to be spent both looking for and talking about birds - hopefully the relatively few days of 2014 leading up to the walk having been bird-filled for all.

Starting at the hall we'll progress through the village, past the green and out to more rural areas where finches and buntings may well be feeding out amongst the game strips, as will, of course, game birds.

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The hedgerows lining the fields provide both food and shelter for resident and wintering species with thrushes, mixed flocks of tit and perhaps a warbler or two worth looking for here. The increased number of birds frequenting these botanical corridors also increase the likelihood of Sparowhawk being seen, overhead, and over the fields, Red Kite and Buzzard may be seen, these however not likely to trouble the assorted hedgerow denizens.

Farmed fields at this time of year attract in the already noted finches, buntings and pheasant- types as well as members of the pigeon family, crows and, looking for less lively prey, strutting Buzzard. Thrushes can move from the adjacent trees to join these birds and good views of both Fieldfare and Redwing, as well as the more expected resident species, may well be gained as they feed among the less flighty species.

Cress close to the paths and roads we'll be using will need to be looked over as birds such as Grey and Pied Wagtail will be making the most of the clear and running waters, looking for invertebrate prey. Green Sandpiper are frequently encountered here over the winter months whilst Water Pipit have started to make a comeback here over the most recent winters, perhaps a sign of differing management being used on the beds. Meadow Pipit are sure to be present, so keep your eyes, and ears, open for something different. Little Egret are now an accepted part of our birding landscape locally, but encountering these on the beds will surely brighten the day - even if they're only a 'white heron'! Numbers roost locally and so we may well encounter them on several occasions. Albeit they being out of their roost sites well before we arrive!

Just one of the more interesting architectural features we’ll encounter about The Arle

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The elevated position on reaching the Pinglestone area will allow views out over the already noted park, both birds and the impressive Cedar worthy of attention. The fish farm nestling between the Arle and park has held many heron in the past, although we’ll I’m sure appreciate this more than those that work there!

Moving through the busier New Alresford further garden birds are sure to be met with, the increased level of song and other territorial behavior to our advantage as the birds will more readily show themselves, even if only inadvertently to us. Wintering thrush will still be accompanying residents and, if there are any berries left, both watching and photographic opportunities may abound with patience.

Old Alresford Pond should hold good numbers of both wintering and resident wildfowl, perhaps even the occasional wader and, for those that linger long enough even the odd raptor or two perhaps moving to roost in the reeds. Cetti’s Warbler may be the first warbler, or perhaps even third, of the day while Kingfisher, Water Rail, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Shelduck, Cormorant and even Otter are more likely to be seen here than elsewhere on the walk.

Old Alresford Pond Perhaps how it will have looked prior to our arrival – frosty and empty!

 Please be aware that ….. it’s still winter!!!

 The walk will take us through to early afternoon when there will be the options to head home, linger about the villages or complete a further walk; the latter to take in the area until dusk falls.

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More updated information on the site, the wildlife present and places to visit on the journey home, such as Bighton Lane cress beds, Farleigh Wallop churchyard, Cliddesden and Hackwood Park 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.

Local Wildlife News

The following ‘highlights’ reports received over the mid-winter 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 autumn with all the associated movements of birds, both in to and out of the local area.

Barn Owl – birds were reported from Monk Sherborne, two, Pamber End and Sulhamstead. Brambling – small numbers were with other finches about the Beech and hedgerows at Ashley Warren / Ladle Hill and, further afield, Sulham Woods. Chiffchaff – one was at Flashetts, Overton. Crossbill – the most notable of species recorded during the belated search for the local Pied Wheatear. Egyptian Geese – a pair at The Source of The Test was thought to be the first for Overton Parish. Flowers – White Dead-nettle, dandelion sp. and Meadow Buttercup were seen in flower – can you add to this early year colour? Golden Plover – a flock of c.200 birds was on farmland north of Wooton St. Lawrence. Grey Partridge – several remained in fields off Roman Road. Kingfisher – birds were reported from about The Test on a number of occasions. Little Egret – reports were received of single birds from Southington and Overton; the latter closely attended by a Carrion Crow. Little Owl – two were seen near Monk Sherborne, singles being at Hare Warren and Polhampton. Mandarin – the most reliable place for these locally was still Farm Pond, Sherborne St. John.

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Mandarin Aix galericulata Farm Pond, Sherborne St. John Barry Stalker http://www.birdingbasingstokeanddeane.co.uk/

Merlin – one was seen to ‘excite’ the local passerines in Southington. Peacock – one was out in Ewhurst Park on 11th. Peregrine – several reports were received, manly from the Town Centre / Basing View area. Pied Wheatear – the first for Hampshire was found at Monk Sherborne on 7th, lingering to 17th when the news of its’ presence broke. As almost to be expected, it was then never relocated! http://www.goingbirding.co.uk/hants/show_photo.asp?photo_id=4430 http://www.goingbirding.co.uk/hants/show_photo.asp?photo_id=4431 Raven – two were seen over Overton on 13th – perhaps an omen there! Stonechat – birds of local note included two at Ramsdell and one at Kite Hill, Kempshott. Water Rail – at least four were noted about Overton / Southington.

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Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Flashetts, Overton Barry Stalker http://www.birdingbasingstokeanddeane.co.uk/ A record shot, apparently!

Woodlark – two were seen at a private site in the north of the Borough.

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 end of the year and in to yet another. 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’

For those that didn’t manage to attend the Christmas ‘do’ last month, or even if you did, have a go at identifying the following birds, all seen last year by one Local Group member:

1

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2

3

4

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5

6

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7

8

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9

10 & 11

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Was your nose put out of joint or did you manage to identify the nosy creatures in December?

If the former, here are the identifications:

1 – Armadillo; 2 – Gharial; 3 – Cheetah; 4 – Chameleon; 5 – Mandrill; 6 – Coypu; 7 – Seal; 8 – Wild Boar & 9 – Deer.

1)What does a turkey eat to aid its digestion? Stones 2) In which countries are animals said to talk to each other on Christmas Eve? Poland and Germany 3) From which Country has Westminster received a gift of a Christmas Tree every year since 1947? Norway

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4) What is a Robin's favourite food? Mealworms 5) Which Christmas decoration's name is taken from the Anglo-Saxon word for 'little dung twig'? Mistletoe 6) Which of Father Christmas' reindeers are female? All of them! Only male Reindeer shed their antlers after the breeding season 7) Which fruit was the first thing used to decorate Christmas trees? Apples 8) In early depictions of Father Christmas, what was he often shown to be holding? A Birch branch 9) Which creepy-crawly is used to decorate Polish Christmas trees? Spiders 10) Which animal is said to have announced the birth of Jesus? Rooster

And finally!

JUST WHAT ARE THEY THINKING OR SAYING?

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

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http://focusingonwildlife.com/news/would-you-believe-that-crows-can-sledge/

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