After a frustrating work day yesterday setting up my new blog, I decided today to get outside to and to help refocus. Today’s aim was to spot a Dartford Warbler on Caesars Camp, an old fort and heathland area owned by the army and managed by Hampshire wildlife trust situated on the edge of Aldershot. I had briefly seen my first Dartford warbler on this very site only a month ago on a dusk walk as it flitted out from gorse bush bordering the path next to me into the denser undergrowth .I have never been disappointed on my walks here, an area of woodland, heathland, sandy areas and small lakes there is always something to see or hear. Today was no different.
I headed up through the woodland that edges the heathland from the entry gate to the path that takes me along the heathland edge which provides a view to the hill that is the focus of this area. Starting to feel little brighter for being outdoors, I began to walk steadily along the stony, rutted track looking up at the trees and sky. As I walked l listened to the Chiffchaffs the warblers, the Blackbirds, a Green Woodpecker and a Pheasant that croaked in the distance away,
On reaching the hill I stopped briefly looking out over a surprisingly leafy Farnborough and Aldershot, the Hogs Back and out onwards to the Surrey Hills. One of my favourite local views.
I continued on inadvertently disturbing a Sparrow hawk from its perch as I went, watching as it swooped off out away across the heath. Just before I had startled the Sparrowhawk I had been deliberating which way to turn, ,I now let the Sparrowhawk decide and I followed in its direction, though I hasten to add I had already lost it at this point!, On turning down this route an excited puppy came romping up towards me jumping up and down on me trying to befriend me- its muddy paws now printed on my jacket- it wasn’t the muddy paws that worried me- as it is at this point that i shall mention that I am very anxious around dogs-not a great attribute for someone who loves being outdoors.
Once the puppy had left with its apologetic owner in the opposite direction, with my heart still pounding I meandered slowly down the track and was not disappointed at my choice of route. Only 50 metres down the path I was stopped by noisy chattering, singing and in the trees, gorse and ground around me. Getting out my binoculars I spotted a male stonechat sitting a short way off on the top of a gorse bush making the unmistakable flint on flint tapping sound. I stood on the spot watching for a long while the male sing, flit from gorse to gorse then sit preening himself, at which time he was joined by the female who sat only a few branches away facing the male. At the same time I was also watching another bird that was warbling away in the gorse behind me, my bird identification skills are still in need of improvement so I was frantically trying to look it up in my bird book, watch the Stonechats and watch this bird and multitasking is not a strong point of mine, and consequently I only succeeded as much as narrowing it down to a pipit of some sort- as a result I think I will head back another day soon to have a second shot at identifying it.
I passed through a small woodland where more Chiffchaffs were calling and on the ground just out of my sight on the ground in front of me a rapid scuffling movement and a flash of a small light brown mammal rushed across my path into the undergrowth, I stood for a while to see if it would come out so see what it was, unfortunately not this time.
As I returned to the heathland, I was resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t see a Dartford Warbler today, when, to my left, I heard a warbler. I stopped, brought my binoculars to my eyes focusing as quickly as I could and yes, there before me was a Dartford Warbler, its small fluffy black headed body warbling happily away on the top of some tall bracken. I watched for a good minute or so, before, just as quickly as I had spotted it, it flew abruptly into a nearby gorse bush ceasing to warble. Mission accomplished- spirit raised and Dartford Warbler spotted. I smiled slightly smugly to myself turned and headed home. It was time for lunch,
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