Morning walk 17th April

Set off at 8.45 this morning in very poor light and light drizzle. Called walk off early after reaching the golf course via the ridge footpath and Ash Valley due to conditions. However, recorded a reasonable 32 species for the 2 hours.Unusually for this time of year, 4 black headed gulls were seen heading west over the golf course. Here also were yellowhammers, pied wagtails, chaffinches (4 on the 17th green) a solitary northbound swallow and a couple of parties of starlings, totalling 14 in all. Willow warblers (5) chiffchaffs (5) and blackcaps (6) called from scrub, whilst another swallow was recorded at The Ford. A single common buzzard rose from its usual roosting woodland, rising into the murky sky as green woodpeckers called and a solitary stock dove headed north. Of most interest was a willow warbler that had not sorted out its song. Known as a "mixed singer", these birds tend to have mixed up the chiffchaff call with that of the usual willow warbler call. This particular bird began with the familiar chiffchaff call and completed the verse with the downward scale of a regular willow warbler. Several explanations for this have been offered with a probable one being that the bird in question over wintered with chiffchaffs in Africa and learned that part as a spot of mimicry. The bird is shown here in two shots, along with some splendid cowslips, a great tit and a singing dunnock, taken at the Ford.