Trip reports

Thurlbear - 7 May 2008

Monday, 12 May 2008

A regular visitor to this well-managed habitat , and target bird for the day, is the nightingale. The group was not disappointed as, even before they had set foot inside the boundary of the reserve, they were able to hear the rich throbbing song of a nightingale. It was thought that at least five of these maestros were heard, with several being very close yet out of sight among the thick undergrowth. Then, at last, one nightingale was spotted in what seemed to be a higher than usual position, in full view and giving forth a glorious song with beak wide open and throat bulging.
The air was alive with birdsong, and it proved to be a great test of recognition ability. There was the scratchy scolding sound of the whitethroat, the piping of the blackbird, the rich, variable notes of the blackcap, and the high-pitched warbling refrain of the dunnock, to name a few.
Other well-known songsters noted included robin, chiffchaff, willow warbler, wren, song thrush, greenfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, and, after some deliberation, a garden warbler. The song of the garden warbler closely resembles that of the blackcap and can often lead to conflicts of opinion. The blackcap song is said to be more variable in pitch and delivered in shorter bursts, but at the end of the day, a good sighting settles all arguments and on this occasion this was indeed the case.
Other birdsong noted and more species seen included great tit, blue tit, long-tailed tit, bullfinch, green woodpecker, buzzard, magpie, carrion crow, and a constant flight of rooks.
The bright sun and warm weather were ideal for butterflies and among the species seen were holly blue, green hairstreak, speckled wood, clouded yellow, and a superb Duke of Burgundy.
Part of the group then moved on to Cothelstone Hill and took the path that leads to the edge of the woodland areas around the hilltop. Several more butterflies were noted including a lovely brimstone. Among birds seen were coal tit, marsh tit, nuthatch, goldcrest, kestrel, swift, meadow pipit, linnet, skylark, swallow, stonechat, and best of all, three glorious redstarts. There appeared to be two females vying for the attention of a brilliantly coloured male. One female perched above and the other below, both occasionally moving closer and flicking their tails in the distinctive redstart manner. The Anglo-Saxon word for tail was 'steort' and the outstanding russet tail of both female and male birds gave the species its name.
To see a male redstart in full breeding plumage is to see one of the most attractive birds that visits this country. It has richly contrasting colours and distinctive markings. Its back is grey, it has a reddish belly, an outstanding rusty-coloured tail, and a black face beneath a conspicuous white blaze on its forehead, often likened to a pearl.