Local sightings
Return to the list of reportsJanuary 2013
- 1st
- Robin were in song as soon as the New Year started.
- 11th
- a Tawny Owl was 'singing' early morning, north of the Town Meadow area.
- 13th
- Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, House Sparrow, Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird and Little Owl were all familiar birds seen by one Parishioner — albeit in Tunisia!
- 14th
- in warmest — don't you believe it — Africa Spotless Starling and Spanish Sparrow took the places of their counterparts in the Parish.
- 21st
- two male Tawny Owl were vocal early morning, again towards the Lordsfield Gardens area.
- 22nd
- a Little Owl was hunting pre-dawn close to The Harrow Way.
- 23rd
- a female Reed Bunting visited a Woodlands garden, where a single Fieldfare continued to make the most of the readily available food. Further snow with flooding evident in some areas.
- 26th
- a Barn Owl was over fields north of Polhampton Farm while early morning saw another at Cannon Heath, lingering, as always, just outside the Parish. A Little Egret, Little Grebe, eight Wigeon, 28 Gadwall, eight Tufted Duck and 29 Canada Geese were among the waterbirds noted between Lower Ashe and Polhampton Farm.
- 27th
- two Red Kite and a Kestrel, plus six fly-through Fieldfare, were about the fields between The Harrow Way and Frost Hill mid-afternoon, a Buzzard then seen moving west over the school. A pair of Blue Tit was seen to be nest prospecting in village gardens. Good numbers of Black-headed Gull were seen moving south-west over the village during the latter part of the morning.
- 29th
- a Barn Owl was roadside near Frost Hill early morning.
- 30th
- a Tawny Owl was on a hedgerow near Frost Hill early morning when further flooding was very evident.
Contributors: Alison Hutchins, Peter E. Hutchins & Simon Yates.