Army Ornithological SocietySPTA West
I have missed 2 months! I spent August in Canada and the USA. September passed in a blur when I hosted a journalist writing an article for Bird Watching magazine about Wiltshire plus a ringing course on the Isle of Wight. This month I have had the opportunity to get out. On 2 Oct a Barred Warbler was ringed on Westdown (by my trainer) as it was only the 2nd record for Wiltshire. I was allowed to look on queuing up behind four 'A' ringers. This week I have seen 1 House Martin and 4 Swallows as well as 76 Golden Plover. We therefore have the last of the summer migrants departing and the winter visitors arriving. I was having to provide an update for the Imber Conservation Group and I have recorded 96 birds on the West this year. This is something of a surprise but when I analyse the results it should be standard for most years. There are still quite a few Chiffchaffs about though at the beginning of the month there were no Stone Curlews around (they had been congregating near Stonehenge). I have seen no Great Bustards on the West however I can report that all birds released this year are still alive and doing well. Birds have commuted to France, Holland, Suffolk and Somerset before returning to the area. I also did not find any of Wiltshire's Montague's Harriers hunting on the West but they had occasionally been seen. This was the last year of the summer fieldwork by our PhD student on Whinchats. Next year she has to write up her results. Currently data suggests that the Plain has the highest density in UK. There is more armour about on the Plain and thus sometimes areas are out of bounds. With such a large area there is always a grid square to survey. Birds are forming large flocks and hopefully will be easier to see now that the leaves are turning. Meadow Pipits and Skylarks are still calling in numbers and of course corvids are plenty. Even Ravens are to be found about the place; I saw 2 at Copehill Down yesterday. Tit flocks are forming though I have only seen Goldcrest with them. Other large flocks of Goldcrest and Linnet are moving around. Every trip out this last week I have seen at least 1 Jay; I cannot remember when I have seen so many Jays. This year has been good for owls and raptors with plenty of food. Roughly 2 out of 3 Barn Owl pairs have had a second brood that fledged though Little Owl remains on the decline. I am now looking forward to seeing our winter visitors.
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