West High Down, 29th April 2017

12 members met at the chalkpit car park in Totland for a walk led by Nicky Falconar on West High Down on a cloudy and rather windy morning. We were hoping for some migrants and were fortunate to hear or see Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Common Whitethroat as well as Skylark. We heard a Pheasant calling from the fields nearby. We combed the expanse of Gorse for Dartford Warbler but none were seen or heard but the conditions were not ideal. A male Stonechat was showing well and Cormorant and Herring Gulls flew by. On our way back to the cars we could hear a Blackbird in distress and spotted a Magpie flying away from the nest with a nestling in its bill. This was deposited on the ground and the Magpie went straight back to the nest and extracted the remaining chick. In all 26 species were identified during the course of the morning.

Jackie Hart

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