Trip reports

Chobham Common

Saturday, 13 June 2009

Each year we visit Chobham Common during a summer evening to find some of the specialist heath land species that we would not find on our visits elsewhere. This year 9 of us set off through the trees to the open common. A tree creeper was seen at the roadside as the cars arrived. This must have been a good year for great tits as there were several family groups foraging as we walked. In the distance we heard the song of a willow warbler and a song thrush. The first interesting bird was a little brown job seen in the area that had been burnt in the fire from a few years back. It perched in a tree and then went to ground in between new grass growth. We persevered and gradually worked closer until we found that it was a woodlark. The entire group got really good views. As we walked on a kestrel flew past. We next heard the song of a tree pipit. This was a difficult bird to find. Eventually we found it on a fern, further away than expected. This bird has powerful vocals. A green woodpecker was seen in flight as we continued on our way. It was time to wait at our favourite spot for the nightjars. As we waited there was a splendid woodcock that flew past. A stonechat was calling from the scrub as dusk started to fall. Eventually the nightjars started to churr. There were birds all around but only a few of the group got a very distant view. As the dark pulled in the rain started so we decided to call it a day.