Quantock Hills Blog

The Birdie Song

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Andy Harris

Posted by Andy Harris on 10 May 2010

The Birdie Song Although the Iceland volcano may be affecting many commercial flights thankfully our migrant bird species have been flying in in good numbers over the past few weeks.

 

Species such as cuckoo, whitethroat, redstart, treepipit, chiffchaff, willow and wood warbler, blackcap and garden warbler can all be heard singing in their various habitats declaring their territories.

One migrant species associated with our oak woods is the pied flycatcher and this fascinating photo was taken by one of our volunteers (Dennis Harker) of a male pied flycatcher stripping lengths honeysuckle bark to make its nest.

I have a plea, possibly even a challenge, to any keen birders who regularly walk the hills and that is to report any sightings of Dartford Warblers.  Last year their numbers were very low due to the harsh winter and we have concerns that they may have gone completely following another cruel period of freezing weather and snow.  We are conducting a survey in partnership with the National Trust and RSPB and if you have any sightings of Dartford warblers please email them to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

 


Comments in chronological order (Total 2 comments)

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  • No avatar available
    Lydeard Lowlander

    11 May 10

    How will I tell a tree pipit from a meadow pipit? My bird book isn’t that helpful. I did wonder about flock size, I always thought meadow pipits were virtually solitary, or at least not in flocks. But a few weeks ago near Little Quantock Combe there was a definite group of pipit-like birds, maybe as many as fifteen.As I walked through them they gradually followed each other to new areas. They were on the ground. They had the white bars at the side of the tail, but it wasn’t behaviour like the meadow pipits I always see up around Black Hill trig point for example on the dusty paths and in the heather, which are usually alone. So where might I find tree pipits, and whitethroats for that matter, which I expect I have seen but never positively identified.
    I’ll look out for the dartfords when I am fit enough to go out on the hill. Cheers, LL.


  • No avatar available
    Bill Gulliford

    17 May 10

    One male Dartford Warbler was seen singing on gorse just north of Long Stone and west of the burnt area on the 20th of april. This bird was reported to Brian Gibbs ( county bird recorder )


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