Sunday, February 20, 2005

First Cheese, now Pork. 109 species in total

Flippin' cold this morning, but an 0730 start saw me up at Cheesefoot Head before anyone else, in a raw northerly breeze with clear blue skies. There were even some birds to see! lots of Skylarks in song, plus 2 Stonechats, lots of Goldfinches, Linnets, Chaffinches, 40+ Yellowhammers and a single ultra-porky Corn Bunting, sadly only in flight, calling merrily as it vanished into the distance. I wonder when this species will go the way of Tree Sparrow in Hants...it's getting to be a tough species.

Raptors can be 'the thing' at Cheesefoot, but today I only had a few Buzzards and Kestrels, and there were no Ravens about either. I pedalled about off road for quite a while, over Gander Down, and then headed back the long way via Owslebury (no Little Owl today) and Fisher's Pond - no Bramblings to be found in what's obviously a poor winter for them. 35km today, at a low average speed, given the rough tracks and gruesome north-facing hills!