Trip reports

AN EVENING AT PORTON DOWN - Tuesday 10th June (6 pm - 9.30 pm)

Tuesday, 10 June 2008

26 attended this, our first evening visit to Porton, with a view to seeing some of the 15+ pairs of stone curlew for which the site is famous. Our leaders, David, Ailsa and Phil first took us past an old target wall where peregrine falcons now nest. The adult male was in situ, guarding at least one near fledged chick. We then parked on the side of a hill overlooking a broad expanse of downland, and set up our telescopes. At first, only rabbits and rooks could be seen, but then a stone curlew flew into the area from an adjacent scrape, and started feeding. This bird was eventually joined by three others. Although seen at some considerable distance, the light on this balmy evening allowed easy identification of this crepuscular species. The rest of our time was spent enjoying the flowers, particularly the orchids, and also the butterflies, notably common blue, small heath and dingy skipper. Other birds of note were stonechat, tree pipit, yellowhammer, willow warbler, and linnet.

Reported by Steve Oakes