Overton Biodiversity Society

November 2003

1^st

a quiet start to the month with the only news being of a Common frog in a garden pond.

2^nd

a Great grey shrike was reported from Ashley Warren, the first known record of this species within the Borough of Basingstoke & Deane; as always, seemingly, with this rare a bird just a little outside of the Parish boundaries!

3^rd

a Barn owl was at roost at Ashley Warren. Nearby male Stonechat, Buzzard, Kestrel, many Fieldfare and Redwing, Meadow pipits, Red-legged partridge and a redpoll sp. were also found. Over these a continuous movement of gulls south-west included a Herring, 149 Lesser black-backed and 12 Black-headed. A Buzzard was east of the Turrills Hill entrance road.

4^th

a Buzzard was over Sapley Lane Playing Field and to the south and the duck Scaup was again on Southington Lane pools. This was originally an introduced bird, with a partner, but has taken up winter residence over the past few years - since its' wings grew back! 9 lacewing were on a kitchen window in Station Hill.

5^th

a Mute swan walking up Station Road created a queue of traffic. A Kestrel was over the 'dog field'.

6^st

a Grey heron moved low to the west, above the B3400, through the village.

8^th

the male Stonechat remained at Ashley Warren, this time joined by 11 Grey partridge, Brambling, 2 Buzzard, 3 kestrel, 22 Skylark, Meadow pipit, 120+ Greenfinch and hundreds of wintering thrushes. A further 2 Buzzard and a Kestrel were to the south of this area. A Pheasant was hanging around bird tables in Copse Road.

9^th

the Great grey shrike was showing well at Ashley Warren, as did a ring-tail Hen harrier, Stonechat, Brambling and many winter thrushes; a total 0f 113 Pheasant were in roadside fields! A 'flock' of 3 Lapwing moved high to the south-west.

12^th

2 Roe deer were seen to cross the North Waltham road just outside the village. A Red admiral was in a back garden in Glebe Meadow.

15^th

10 Canada geese moved west over the golf course late afternoon whilst a Grey wagtail was by the stream passing Southington Mill. A Small tortoiseshell was in Copse Road.

16^th

a guided bird walk, led by a member of OBS, from Lower Ashe Farm had just 4 attendees who managed to see / be shown 35 species of bird as well as Rabbit, Common darter, Garden tiger moth caterpillar and several species of plant still in flower. Of the birds recorded small flocks of Fieldfare, Meadow pipit and Teal, a sharming Water rail and 3 Grey heron were perhaps of most note. A further 90+ Fieldfare were seen at Ashe Hill early afternoon. A Small tortoiseshell was again in Copse Road.

18^th

a Nuthatch was in gardens in Copse Road.

19^th

3 Roe deer were in fields, by Court Drove, leading to the Harrow Way. A garden in Bridge Street had 3 Fieldfare, amongst other birds, in an apple tree.

20^th

a Grey heron was visiting ponds in the north of the village.

23^rd

St. Mary's Church had 5 Red admirals flying and a partially albino House sparrow was in Station Hill gardens.

24^th

a Buzzard was perched by the pig field on the western edge of the village late morning.

25^th

a Grey heron was again seen over the river behind Glebe Meadow.

26^th

a Small tortoiseshell was found 'roosting' on a house wall in the High Street. A Kestrel was at the Burley Lane crossroads, Ashe.

27^th

a report of a Golden oriole-like bird in Southington Close was intriguing - its identity has yet to be confirmed.

30^th

the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) carried out on all waters within the Parish had several more noteworthy birds located: Kingfishers at Southington and Quidhampton; Water rails at Flashetts (2) and Quidhampton; Teal at Polhampton (19), 2 Snipe and 5 Little grebe at Station Road filtration pools, 16 Meadow pipit on fields off Straight Lane and several Chiffchaff in waterside willows. A walk by members of OBS, in afternoon rain at Northington House, had a Tawny owl, Kestrel, Cormorant, 2 Jays and Kingfisher amongst the birds noted and a late White-tailed bumble-bee in a Southington Lane garden. Fungi were very obvious during the walk - does anybody out there know anything about them?

Thanks are due to the following for their input to this report: Shirley Cardus, Mike Duffy, Margaret Elkins, Lindy Hatchard, Jay Hutchins, Alan Lewis, Margaret Rainford, John Smith, Valda Stevens, Jim Stickland.