Trip reports

HADDO HOUSE

Wednesday, 4 June 2008

A disappointingly small group of only eight members met David Brown the ranger for our evening in Haddo House grounds. It was the most perfect evening, sunny with hardly a breeze.

We had hardly set off when a young girl rushed up to say an old lady had fallen. Switching to Samaritan mode the group hastened to assist. We phoned an ambulance, checked out the lady and eventually got her upright and on to a near-by seat. With assistance she made it back to her car as the ambulance arrived and we left her in the hands of the paramedics who were commendably quick in responding.

So, back to birding, or rather batting, as we left to see the location of a maternity roost of pipistrelle bats. We determined to return later when they would become active. On then to a rookery followed by a heronry. Lots of Rooks though the Herons had long finished nesting; but we saw the beautiful blue egg shells and, unfortunately, a couple of corpses.
A stroll then around the lake, with an assortment of ducks and geese and with Reed Bunting and Sedge Warbler greatly in evidence. A solitary Swift performed aerobatics over the water.
Reed Bunting

Little Grebe and Coot edged along the reeds. The quality of the light was exceptional on the reeds and trees as the sun slipped ever lower. A Tawny Owl made itself known from the woods. We moved deep into a stand of trees and sat quietly watching pipistrelle bats flit to and fro in the gloom. We hoped to see the owl but it did not oblige.

Back then to the bat roost but it was still too light there for them to be out and about. We could hear them ticking away inside but could wait no longer as it was past 10 o'clock, so with thanks to David we set off down the drive alert for owls on the fence posts.
We saw 32 species.
R Payne