Page 10 - Out Birding Autumn 2024

a previous nest area, but we only saw Common Buzzards, which Neil assiduously checked to see if they were Honey Buzzards. Entering the woodland again, mostly birch and alder, we were discussing the lack of Wood Warbler despite the suitable habitat, but then we did hear the unmistakeable song of at least two. We caught glimpses but there were also many Willow Warblers fli􏰀ng about. One of the few houses in the valley had House Mar􏰁ns flying around, but overall we saw very few hirundines, just the odd Swallow and Sand Mar􏰁n. Great Spo􏰂ed Woodpecker, Swi􏰃, Robin, Wren, Blue Tits and Blackbirds made up a good day-list.
Graeme and Neil departed for home, and as I was staying at the campsite in Killin, I did return to the river later in the evening. I'd never seen a European Beaver in the wild and didn't hold out much hope. The river is wide at this point, the Dochart having been joined by the Lochay, and a􏰃er a while I turned to walk back as there wasn't a lot to be seen except to watch the light changing on a lovely evening - but there, up- stream, at about 9.30 was a large Beaver reaching up out of the water to eat the leaves of an overhanging willow. It then swam diagonally across the river and only disappeared finally under the bridge just below where I was standing, its body and broad tail visible for a few seconds more underwater. A magical end to a lovely day with two very companionable and knowledgeable GBC chums.
Rachael
Woods Mill and Wall Lizards 08/06/2024
There are not many events that start with the offer of home-baked cheese scons (or scones, if that’s more your style) to start the day, but Sue and Eva’s Summer Sussex Extravaganza (as it should really be called) is no ordinary GBC event.
14 of us then convened at Sussex Wildlife Trust’s Woods Mill nature reserve, a de- ligh􏰄ul li􏰂le reserve nestled in sight of the South Downs, for a gentle meander through the woods and meadows. Sue had done a recce a few days before and was worried we wouldn’t see much, but with those 28 GBC eyes and ears in ac􏰁on, we wouldn’t be disappointed
Sue led us first down to the mill stream, a good test for H&S procedures as it requires a road crossing on a bend and avoiding dog poo (expertly spo􏰂ed and announced by eagle-eyed Teena) but we quickly got out of range of pooch-walking evidence.
Soon we were hearing Ce􏰀’s Warblers and Whitethroats, Greenfinch and – brief but definite – Nigh􏰁ngale singing in the distance and then a Cuckoo, also in the distance. Beau􏰁ful Demoiselle and damselflies bobbed around and the first Large Skipper of the year for most of us perched, as Carol would say, like a li􏰂le jet fighter.
Merlin was much in evidence (the bird sound app, not the bird), but it failed to pick up the gently too􏰁ng Bullfinch that we did. Humans one; technology nil!
We then crossed back for a walk through the meadows, our way interrupted by a crime-scene of a dead Common Shrew on the path. Many shrews are le􏰃 uneaten by predators because they secrete unpleasant smells (and presumably tastes) from scent
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