Army Ornithological SocietySPTA West
This week there is live firing on the west all week so quite understandably there is no access. Over the last 4 weeks I have visited Norfolk and Somerset whilst in between I have looked at various sites in Wiltshire and even strayed into Hampshire. On the Plain the winter birds are leaving. On a walk last Sunday there were still some Fieldfares and Redwings. There were some last week on the Centre. I have started to carry out surveys there as well and a new BBS square is in the middle of the impact area! Birds seen over the last period include Snipe and Woodcock as well as raptors including Short-eared Owl, Merlin and Red Kite. There are plenty of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits about though some cold winds seem to hampen their singing. I have put up 18 bird boxes arond Imber Village and 8 re-furbished boxes along Gurkha Track. It will be interesting to see what nests in them as they are all at shoulder height so I can look in without a ladder. On area R there was a Chiffchaff and there is a pair of ravens with a nest nearby. They are nesting in the quarry as well. There are lots of tits and Chaffinches all over the place. In a flock of Chaffinches near Z Range there were 2 Brambling. Unfortunately I have not found any others. Corn Buntings remain by famland though Yellowhammers are moving about in more central areas. There are plenty of Stonechat pairs. The Spring migrants are on their way so hopefully they will stop and hang around the Plain for a while so I can note where they are, once I can get back on.
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