Daily Parish Nature Update

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October 2003

A quieter month for news as several of the keener locals were away from the area for extended periods, back to normal next month?

1st
white butterflies were still in flight.
2nd
a mixed party of 400+ hirundines, Swallows and House martins, at Court Drove mid-morning were preparing to leave southwards, they were seen over the village later in the day and then disappeared towards warmer climes. A Chiffchaff was also in song there. A gathering of Jackdaw in Battens Avenue was intent on watching something in a garden, whatever it may have been!
3rd
the temperature dropped dramatically today.
4th
a hawk moth caught in Overton Primary School late September was identified as a Striped, possibly only the c.12th ever for Hampshire; this species being another migrant / vagrant from the south, like the Humming-bird and Convolvulus hawks of previous months.
5th
a riverside walk had Kingfisher, Grey heron, Buzzard and 2 Roe deer seen. Another Grey heron was harassed by a Carrion crow at the bottom of Silk Mill Lane. A Small tortoiseshell was seen mid-afternoon. 4 Sea trout, or Brown if you like! were off the bridge in Bridge Street. An immature Goldfinch was in a hedge off Station Hill.
6th
7 Collared dove were noted on a bird table.
7th
a Barn owl was heard from Station Hill and 2 Green lacewings were found on a kitchen window, also during the hours of darkness.
8th
no news received for today.
9th
2 Kestrels were hunting over the fields east of Station Road. A Common frog was found whilst cleaning out a fishpond.
10th
no news received for today.
11th
a Comma, 4 Small tortoiseshells and 5 white butterflies were in a garden in The Green whilst a Red admiral was in Bridge Street and another, Small tortoiseshell and Small white were in the allotments off Woodlands. Rooks were seen to harass a Sparrowhawk as it passed over Dellands. A further 12 Red admiral were seen to be feeding on over ripe plums at North Oakley, also there a Violet ground beetle was found. A Common frog was disturbed by gardening activity.
12th
3 Common frogs and a Smooth newt were found under black plastic sheeting in the Woodlands allotments.
13th
no news received for today.
14th
a Grey heron moved over Glebe Meadow.
15th
no news received for today.
16th
a Grey heron was found on rooftops in Glebe Meadow! Once again 7 Collared dove were noted on a Station Road bird table.
17th
no news received for today.
18th
no news received for today.
19th
a Dunnock was seen to be searching amongst garden Dahlias and a Robin was making the most of other gardening activities to collect insects.
20th
2 Buzzard were circling over Lambs Close early afternoon. 2 Redwing heading north over the garden were the first noted for the late year period.
21st
the pre-roost movement of Starling over the village late afternoon had increased to over 100 birds.
22nd
a pair of Mute swan was seen about The Test near Bridge Street. The Starling flock had again increased, this time being seen over Lordsfield late afternoon.
23rd
an apparently injured cygnet was found in Two Gate Lane, shortly after 4 Mute swan had been seen heading east. HART checked out the young bird before releasing it on the Station Road pools in fine fettle. A Grey heron was again seen flying low over the village.
24th
no news received for today.
25th
the 'gardening' Robin continued to inspect the digging efforts in Bridge Street. A late dragonfly sp. was over gardens in Station Hill and nearby, Comma and Red admiral were seen on a track north of the mill. A wintering flock of Lapwing, mixed in with Jackdaws, off the same track had only built up to c.15 birds.
26th
Coal tits were seen to join Blue tits in hedgerows at Station Hill. 2 Kestrels were again hovering over Station Road fields. A bumble-bee was found feeding on heather flowers after a heavy frost.
27th
the pre-roost movements of Canada geese were becoming more prevalent, the birds often seen to be passing low over the village late afternoon.
28th
no news received for today.
29th
no news received for today.
30th
no news received for today.
31st
a Lesser black-backed gull was heading towards the London area reservoirs, over Berrydown, late afternoon.

Thanks are due to the following for their input to this report: Brian & Margaret Elkins, Jay Hutchins, Margaret Rainford , Terry Robinson, Michael Scoggins, Valda Stevens.


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