Warren House Inn 5th June by John Allan
This is rapidly becoming the ‘jinxed venue’ for the Group weatherwise and this year followed the usual pattern! Not quite as murky as last year but steady rain and not much to see. Pity really as it is such a lovely spot in good weather.
About half a dozen of us decided to brave the elements and search for the elusive Ring Ouzel (and anything else that showed its wing). A quick look in the likely gulleys and girts below The Warren House revealed nothing so we doubled back and dropped into the valley below Birch Tor. Wheatear, Stonechat and Whinchat were visible, as one would expect, together with the usual Meadow Pipits, Willow Warblers and Chaffinches. The only ‘blackbirds’ were Blackbirds (and Crows) but Tree Pipits and Mallard were seen together with Pied Wagtail by the bottom stream. A Skylark seemed unconcerned by the rain and Reed Buntings were seen near Soussons Plantation.
The original intention had been to make this a full day outing taking in Challacombe but, on reaching The Golden Dagger mine it was decided enough was enough and back to the cars we squelched. No Ouzels, not even a Cuckoo but 18 species was not bad in the circumstances (and the weather will be much better next year!) Oh! and Richard thinks he might have seen a Hobby at the car park.
Birds seen, in BOU order or alphabetic order
BOU order Mallard Sky Lark Tree Pipit Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Wren Dunnock Robin Whinchat Stonechat Wheatear Blackbird Willow Warbler Blue Tit Carrion Crow Chaffinch Bullfinch Reed Bunting Alphabetic order Blackbird Blue Tit Bullfinch Carrion Crow Chaffinch Dunnock Mallard Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Reed Bunting Robin Sky Lark Stonechat Tree Pipit Wheatear Whinchat Willow Warbler Wren