Wild About the Valley 2003

August 2003

As the warm weather continued through August it brought plenty of Butterflies and Moths into the gardens and a significant increase in the sightings of the Humming Bird Hawk Moth, which a lot of people had never seen before. The House Sparrow seems to have had a good breeding season: flocks of forty plus have been seen. There was a Kingfisher at Fyfield in early August, and Bullfinch, Grey Wagtail and Green Woodpeckers are still in the Lockeridge area. Not many reports of the Spotted Flycatcher – I have only seen one. There are two young Little Owls near the church at West Overton, and Barn Owls have been seen on most local roads. Kestrels nested at East Kennett and produced two young. A Hobby was seen at Lockeridge on 26 August and a good number of Willow Warblers are about. There is a covey of Grey Partridge at East Kennett and the flock of Lapwings are still about in the fields locally.
 

September 2003

A report of a Red Squirrel in the Marlborough College grounds on Sept 12th. Ten Golden Plover at East Kennett on 9th and 14th. The flock of Lapwing are still about locally. Jays at Lockeridge. Heron at a garden pond in East Kennett end of August – a thin wire about ten inches off the ground will protect your pond from the Heron. Lots of Blue/Green Dragonflies about. The brown or rusty red or black with shorter, thicker bodies are Darners, and the delicate blue or green are Damsel Flies; all belong to the Dragonfly family. Swallows and House Martins will still be about, probably into October, before they head south for the winter. Good numbers of Willow Warblers in the area, along with Long Tailed Tits and Goldcrests. The one Tree Sparrow is still in the flock of House Sparrows at East Kennett. A male Blackcap seen at West Overton early in the month.

December 2003

A possible Hobby in a garden at Lockeridge early October. The flock of Golden Plovers has increased to 50/60 and has been seen in a field at East Farm, Avebury. Last sighting of a House Martin was on 10 October. A Little Egret reported on the River Kennett towards Clatford. Fieldfares and Redwings have started to arrive. Nuthatch still at Lockeridge - watch this clever little bird come down a tree head first, the only British bird that can do this. Woodpeckers and Tree Creepers come down a tree in reverse. The days getting shorter means less time for birds to feed so the bird table and feeders are an easy source of food to aid them through the winter. Don’t forget the tray of fresh water. Some birds like to peck at apples as well. Red Kite seen along the A4 near Hen’s Wood on 12 October. I have been asked as to why there have not been many wasps about this year. My theory is that the warm days of March brought out the Queen wasps early and then in April we had a few severe frosts and this killed a lot of them, hence not many wasps about. Anyone with a better answer?
The White Stork seen at Winterbourne Bassett was also sighted at Devizes, Calne, Stanton St Bernard and Amesbury. This bird had a metal ring tag so was presumably an escapee from a Surrey bird park (Bird Watching Magazine information). Willow Tits and Marsh Tits have been put on the danger list by the RSPB. Both of these species used to be in the Lockeridge area but I haven’t seen them for a good few years now. Difficult to tell apart, they are about the same size as Coal Tits with black caps but no white streak on the back of the head. Any sightings will be investigated. Good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing, small flocks of Long Tailed Tits through the valley, but otherwise not very much occurring.