Overton Biodiversity Society

January 2007

1^st

Happy New Year!

2^nd

the duck Scaup was on the pools off Southington Lane.
A cock Chaffinch in a Station Hill garden was the first "for ages".

Right: Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula & Scaup Aythya marila (Photo: Jay Hutchins)

The two ducks – the 'Scaup-faced' Tufty causing confusion amongst some observers

3^rd

Rooks were already well advanced in their nest occupation at sites either end of the Parish.

4^th

Daisies were amongst flowers noted already in bloom.

5^th

White Dead-nettles were another over-wintering bloomer noted.

6^th

Brown Trout continued to show well off the bridge at Bridge Street.

7^th

a Little Egret was at Flashetts whilst the adjacent filtration pools held three Shoveler, 38 Gadwall and 46 Tufted Duck.

8^th

bird feeders continued to attract only small numbers of birds, the bountiful supply in the 'wild' presumably providing ample energy currently.

9^th

a Red Kite was over the school early afternoon and the duck Scaup reappeared at Southington, along with a Tufted Duck suitor.

10^th

Robins, Wrens, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds were amongst the birds to be heard regularly singing about the village.

11^th

the movement of Lesser Black-backed Gulls north-east over the Parish, towards their roost sites, remained a daily occurrence.

12^th

Lesser Periwinkle were in flower at the northern end of Bridge Street.

Right: Lesser Periwinkle Vinca minor

One of the commonest naturalised plants about the village

13^th

the duck Scaup was again on the Southington Lane pools.

14^th

Canada Geese remained flighty within the Parish, generally only alighting at the pool at Ashe House.

15^th

there was no sign of the Southington Scaup.

16^th

the feeding of the 'dodgy ducks' at Bridge Street continued to attract in a number of dramatically variable Brown Trout.

17^th

water levels continued to rise, The Test in the east of the Parish actually being above the ground for a change!

18^th

Snowdrops were to be found out at several sites, particularly, though it was mainly out of the Parish, in Laverstoke Park.

19^th

walking The Test from Ashe to Overton produced little, ten Teal and just two Gadwall being of most note.

20^th

both Coots and Moorhens were to be found amongst the far more confiding wildfowl at Bridge Street.

21^st

Long-tailed Tits were present in a Station Road garden.

22^nd

Primroses were another early bloomer, the daffodils not being too far behind.

23^rd

an overnight snow fall, the heaviest perhaps for several years, left the village covered well into the 24^th.

Right: St. Mary's Church (Photo: Jay Hutchins)

24^th

violets were seen to be in flower in Station Hill.

25^th

Dandelions created a splash of colour on several verges.

26^th

a Meadow Pipit headed north over Winchester Street early afternoon whilst a Grey Wagtail was nearby, frequenting the waters about Town Mill and Riverside Close.

27^th

both Mute Swans and Canada Geese remained obvious at the source of The Test. Nearby, a small flock of Redwings moved about Ashe crossroads.

28^th

the Big Garden Birdwatch weekend – what did you see?

29^th

Eels remained obvious in one of the filtration pools, Station Road.

30^th

Hazel catkins were another, purportedly, sign of the hoped-for spring.

31^st

a Little Egret was in Flashetts.

Contributors: Malcolm Dixon, Mike Duffy, Jay Hutchins, Peter E. Hutchins, Veronique Kerguelen, Adrian Lewis, Margaret Rainford & Simon Yates.