Overton Biodiversity Society

February 2016

1^st

both male and female Tawny Owl were heard early in the day, Skylark joining them in song soon after. At least three Red Kite were to be seen over the village late morning. One of the Blue Peafowl remained very vocal.

2^nd

a Little Egret was on the roadside dew pond at Ashe Crossroads mid-morning. A Grey Wagtail was heard over Two Gate Meadow / Lane, a Red Kite being over Sapley Lane early afternoon. A further Red Kite was on the wing near Quidhampton Farm during the evening, a pair of Long-tailed Tit being nearby. The previously vocal Blue Peafowl remained so!

3^rd

a Little Egret was in Flashetts early evening. A female Bullfinch was in the hedgerows of Dellands Lane. Red Kite were again seen over several places about the village, perhaps two+ birds being present. The Blue Peafowl remained vocal, although not seen.

4^th

one of the Blue Peafowl was seen displaying in Red Lion Lane; will there ever be a friend for him? Red Kite were seen over Overton Hill, The Green and west of Winchester Street during the morning. Lesser Celandine were still the most obvious of the 'spring' flowers, gardens however now colouring up with Hyacinth, Grape Hyacinth, Daffodil, Pulmonaria officinalis and Mahonia japonica.

Right: Mahonia japonica - This actually being native to Taiwan, and not Japan!

5^th

a Green Woodpecker was heard in the field that holds The Source of The Test.

6^th

Red Kite were seen over Waltham Road and Alexander Road.

7^th

a Little Egret was in the garden of Southington Mill mid-afternoon. A Sparrowhawk was seen hunting along the hedgerows by Berrydown Court. Red Kite were seen over the fields between the village and Frost Hill mid-morning and mid-afternoon, two being present at the latter time, with another over Station Road during the afternoon. The feeders on the corner of Southington Lane and the B3400 continued to attract many avian visitors, the ponds nearby however almost devoid of wintering wildfowl.

8^th

a Little Egret was seen on the wing over The Test. Two Red Kite lingered over The Green mid-morning.

9^th

a Robin was seen by Kingsclere Road, opposite Foxdown, during the evening.

10^th

a drake Mandarin visited the allotments off Bridge Street, its' interactions with the resident Mallard not at all convivial! Red Kite were seen over the Two Gate Meadow area, Sapley Lane and Woodlands. The Robin, or another, was again seen off Kingsclere Road, two Goldfinch being nearby.

Right: Mandarin, Aix galericulata - Now more frequently seen in Britain than in its native haunts!

11^th

a Cormorant joined the late afternoon movement of gulls over the village, moving high and east. An obvious frost with areas of the village remaining that way, in the shade, for much of the day. Also evident, still, was a Robin off Kingsclere Road.

12^th

a Siskin moved north over The Green, the first noted locally for some time. A Dotted Border was found on a Pound Road front door. Three Red Kite were lingering over the southern part of the village early afternoon. A ladybird sp. was seen in the Primary School.

Right below: Dotted Border, Agriopis marginaria - Picture Mike Wall (www.hantsmoths.org.uk/species/1934.php)

13^th

rain! The rising waters of The Test now holding an adult and immature Mute Swan. A Wren was seen in the churchyard at Ashe.

14^th

Chaffinch were both heard and seen in Station Road.

15^th

a male Blackcap was about Papermakers gardens, the first wintering bird to be seen in the Parish during 2015 / 2016. Mistle Thrush were seen in Two Gate Meadow during the afternoon, these even less frequently seen than Song Thrush locally. Several Red Kite, perhaps three+, were seen about the village during the morning. The 'pair' of Mute Swan was still about The Source of The Test, being seen to drop in to the adjacent, sheep-filled, field to graze. Garden birds noted in Two Gate Meadow included Wren, Blue Tit and Chaffinch.

17^th

a Little Egret was at the ORC in the morning. A Yellowhammer was seen at the northern end / bottom of Straight Lane. A pair of Long-tailed Tit was seen in David's Wood. A Wren was frequenting the vegetation on Overton Hill, near Two Gate Meadow.

18^th

a Short-eared Owl was seen over / on farmland north of the village, a Woodcock being seen nearby on the wing. A Sparrowhawk, two+ Buzzard and up to three, perhaps more, Red Kite were seen over the village during the latter part of the morning.

19^th

the cock Blue Peafowl was seen walking down Sapley Lane. Almost as bright was a Goldfinch seen at the Railway Station during the morning commuting period.

20^th

the first amphibian of the year was seen, unfortunaltey however it being an adult Frog on Waltham Road that had been in an RTC! A Blackcap was in Winchester Street gardens. Several Red Kite lingerd over the village before rain set in from early afternoon. The cock Blue Peafowl was again noted, though only heard!

23^rd

an OBS / HOS walk that took in the Court Drove, Willesley Warren and The Harroway areas from mid-afternoon was attended by 14, some from as far afield as Surrey, Wiltshire and Bath! Lasting through to dark those present throughout were rewarded with sightings of at least five Short-eared Owl!!! Also noted were a singing Tawny Owl, eight+ Grey Partridge, a Golden Plover, several pairs of Bullfinch, a vocal and very mobile Marsh Tit, good numbers of singing Skylark, flocks of both Yellowhammer and Linnet, perhaps four+ Red Kite and 14+ Buzzard and 19 Brown Hare. Both Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen in trees by Polhampton Farm. Hail greeted those attending the aforementioned walk!

24^th

Grey Partridge were vocal about the Willesley Warren area later in the day, where both Lapwing and Brown Hare were more readily seen. Early afternoon saw a gathering of four Red Kite and four Buzzard over the Kercher's Field area, further Red Kite being seen over The Harroway, several, the Railway Station and moving high over Foxdown. Another obvious frost.

25^th

a Dunnock was in song at the Railway Station during the morning 'rush hour'.

27^th

both Dunnock and Blue Tit were seen to be involved in spring 'activities' in one garden. A broken Woodpigeon egg in Papermakers was presumably the product of such happenings! Red Kite were seen over the High Street, two, The Green, Alexander Road, Harveys Field, Kerchers Field and Overton Hill. A Buzzard was in a tree at Bell Meadow early afternoon, moving off north on being found.

28^th

a Muntjac was in the woodland at Micheldever Spoil Heaps, five Roe Deer nearby in the field west of the Test Valley Golf Club. A Red Kite was seen over the Edward Kersley Playing Field.

29^th

a Peacock, butterfly, and vocal Bullfinch were in Vinns Lane early afternoon. Five+ Red Kite, a Kestrel and three Buzzard were seen over the village by early afternoon, a further Buzzard over the floods at Ashe crossroads mid-afternoon. Nearby the Canada Goose flock was again at The Source of The Test.

Contributors: Peter Foley, Deborah Heath, Alison Hutchins, Peter E. Hutchins, Doug Kelson, Veronique Kerguelen & Geoff. Sharp.