Had the afternoon to myself today so I walked from Anderwood, through Burley Outer Rails Inclosure, Beech Bed Inclosure, Soarley Bottom, Backley Holms, Bratley Wood, North Oakley Inclosure & Mark Ash Wood.
Although not a cloud in the sky & only a slight cold breeze the birds weren't showing as much as they do in the mornings still.
The highlight today was a Great Grey Shrike that perched on top of a tree at Soarley Beeches.

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Deer Stalker

Started of from Blackwater at 7am this morning. Another clear but cold morning. As I walked from the car through Poundhill Inclosure Song Thrushes, Robins & Goldcrest were singing, Great Tits & Chaffinches were calling, as was a Crossbill from a tall Douglas Fir. Further on in, a Roe doe & her kid disappeared in to the trees.
Out on Poundhill Heath were a group of Red hinds. These were joined by a couple of herds of Fallow does that walked from the trees at the edge of the...

Deer Stalker

Worked in Great Linford Inclosure today clearing ride edges.
A fine day again, a fair bit was out with my first two butterfly species of 2008 - a couple of Brimstones & a Peacock.
The task finished at 1pm so a few of us went for a short walk around Linford Brook, Pinnick Wood & Red Shoot Wood.

Altogether I saw & heard:

Goldcrests
Tawny Owl
Robins
Wrens
Buzzards
Nuthatch
Coal Tits
Great Spotted...

Deer Stalker

Perfect cold, clear morning today & not even a breeze. Shame I only had a couple of hours to walk round.
At last its getting noticably lighter in the mornings too, as I parked up in the half-light at 7.10am.
With Robins & Song Thrushes singing all around me, I tried to take a pic of the sky lightening up in the east through the trees, but it was a bit too dark for the camera so they didn't come out very well.
As I walked through Mark Ash Song Thrushes & Robins were...

Deer Stalker

Worked in Wooton Coppice Inclosure today.

We were working on an area that had been a Western Hemlock block which had been felled about 7 years ago & we were clearing the silver Birch that is starting to encroach. In the summer this cleared area has Marbled Whites, the odd Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary along with the common butterflies & Roesel's Bush-cricket.

Just as we started work a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker called & then started to drum. Other birds...

Deer Stalker