Walking Home via Horton C.P.

I delivered the car for its annual MOT just after 9 am this morning and decided to walk home from Epsom via Horton Country Park. So with only my compact Canon S95 in my pocket I have put together a series of collages showing some of the sights throughout my two and a half hours leisurely homeward stroll.

After leaving the hustle and bustle of tarmac pavements behind I entered the park alongside Horton Park Farm where the noise of vehicles was quickly replaced by the calls of Wren, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Goldcrest and Crows. A few of the farm residents were enjoying the fresh green growth or just rooting around in the earth.

The nearby open pasture was a sea of white and yellow ... masses of Daisies and Buttercups plus the odd Magpie.

While listening to Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Great Tit and Robin my eyes turned to search out some of the much smaller critters hiding amongst the lush leafy wasteland close to the pathways including beetles, weevils, Wolf Spiders and plenty of Ladybirds hunting their favourite Aphid food.  

The sun and very recent rain has helped the wild flowers to show off all their varied colours and forms including Red Clover, Vetch, Field Speedwell, Cranesbill and Wild Strawberry. (No doubt the experts will let me know if any of the ID's in this post are incorrect.)

As I skirted the Golf Course the local Whitethroats joined in the late morning sing-song together with a few Greenfinch and Chaffinches. The bright violet-blue of the Ground-Ivy shone out from amongst the verdant green carpet around my feet. I did momentarily consider blowing on the Dandelion globe but there was a sufficient breeze for its seed dispersal to happen naturally ... like the millions of others floating around.

 

A slight detour took me across the open grass meadow (Lambert's Mead) to Meadow Pond where I disturbed a very disgruntled Coot but not a Grey Heron who surprisingly was totally unfazed when two dogs entered the water for a swim! I didn't find any Damselflies but a very tatty Comma rested in a nearby hedgerow. Leaving the Irises and the sound of metal thrashing that little white ball behind I finally exited via Church Wood to the squawking calls of several Parakeets and cooing Collared Doves. 

P.S. I won't mention what it finally cost me ( 2 new tyres etc) when I collected the car at 6 pm or the fact that I was stopped by the Police on my way home this evening (suggesting I had a wobbly rear wheel!) ... another visit to the service centre may well be on the cards very shortly!!   FAB.

Nothing New.

Despite carrying out a circuit of the paddocks at Horton Country Park mid morning and another visit to the Stew Pond (Epsom Common) this afternoon I didn't log anything new. However many of the local residents including Wren, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Parakeet, Jackdaw and Green Woodpecker plus numerous Chiffchaffs and a few skulking Blackcaps were very vocal.

 Chiffchaff always perching where a clear cut view is impossible.

 Mrs. Canada was more interested in a juicy grass snack and totally ignored my plea for a passport photo!

 Cormorant once again defeating the speed setting on the camera!

In a grassy patch within the woodland I spotted Mr. and Mrs. Mandarin out for a quiet stroll together.

 Once again the Long-tailed Tit only provided a side on view.

Great Tit blasting out its usual song.

Just before reaching the car park I noticed that the pair of Mandarin Ducks were not too keen on the presence of another male. There was a bit of posturing before the interloper decided to waddle away into the undergrowth and I returned home without any new sightings. Maybe something will turn up somewhere later this week.   FAB.

Local Patch Circuit.

The boots took a long overdue circuit around Horton Country Park today. I was out for over 3 hours following the footpaths and tracks across fields, around the horse paddocks and the pond close to the Golf Course. Sightings included Dunnock, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Jay, Magpie, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Robin, House Sparrow, Starling, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Nuthatch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch (heard) and Coot (heard). The highlights were a Common Buzzard soaring high up on the early afternoon thermals, a Hobby hunting and a very brief view of a male Bullfinch but regretfully no useable pictures.

Millions of thistle seed heads just waiting for a strong wind to disperse them everywhere.

Despite the wild flowers and autumn fruits there was little in the way of 'fluttering' activity except

lots of Speckled Wood and a single Meadow Brown.

A Robin peeked out from its shaded perch.

The grasses were swaying in the gentle breeze.

and finally Common Darters made an appearance.

Have a good wildlife weekend wherever you are and whatever you are doing ....... FAB.

Recent Local Sights.

Other commitments etc. have prevented me from posting as often as I had planned but I have still been lacing up the boots most days and taking a stroll in the fresh air somewhere fairly local to home. I have therefore built up a backlog of snaps of the local terrain and the visible wildlife.

At the end of last month a grey overcast day saw me heading into one of the far corners of Horton Country Park to relocate a stretch of scrub and brambles alongside the boundary fence of one of the horse paddocks. With rain threatening and a stiff breeze blowing I was not too hopeful but you can always be surprised with what may be found including a Six-spot Burnet Moth and a female Gatekeeper.  

 Taking a rest on the leaves were Large and Small Skippers.

As the first band of light rain moved in the horses slowly moved towards me and several leant over the fence apparently using the hedgerow to screen their faces from the precipitation while I tried desperately to keep myself and the camera gear dry.

I didn't have to search very far for more Gatekeepers resting in the hedgerow. The males are distinguished from the females by the dark sex bands on their forewings whereas the underwing patterns are very similar.

Leaving the paddock the boots trod through woodland with the occasional sounds of Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Nuthatch plus a brief encounter with young Blackcaps, Great and Blue Tits. A fallen feather was perfectly cradled by some leaves. The boots pressed onwards along the cycle tracks with the foliage canopy protecting me from most of the rain as the front rolled onwards.

An unexpected find was a Holly Blue that always rests with its wings closed but far more common and widespread was the dark male Meadow Brown. 

With the clouds rolling away the boots headed into the open, skirting around the empty paddocks except for the sounds of Goldfinches feeding amoungst the large areas of wild thistles, to check out another scrubby area that produced an unidentified Hawk Moth, Bees actively feeding and a what I believe to be is a very young Bush Cricket (top left) with its very long antennae not very inconspicuous on the dry ground!  

During my leisurely stroll I saw many of the very colourful Small Coppers. Like most species the underwing colour and pattern is so different from the upper wings providing some measure of camouflage when resting or feeding. More coming soon I hope.   FAB.

New Patch Sightings.

A few days ago a friendly neighbour reminded me that a Nightingale had once again returned to a area of damp scrubland on the edge of a paddock just about half a mile from home. I can recall him mentioning this to me in a previous year but (perhaps stupidly) I discounted it thinking that the location was somewhat unlikely. Yesterday morning I headed south to the appointed spot and listened....there was Song Thrush, Blackbird, Blackcap, and Wren singing, then from some 80 yards away the unmistakable 'chuir..chuir..chuir' followed by the liquid warble of yes, a Nightingale. So a new patch tick. My intended onward journey was thwarted by a sign that said "Pathway Closed due to ditch maintenance" and large machinery blocking the way ahead so I had to backtrack and take another  route into Horton Country Park.

As you can see the hedgerows are now in full leaf enabling the residents to hide from view and they did just that although several Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps made brief appearances but not for any photocall. However other beauties awaited me inside the woodlands.....carpets of scented Bluebells.

Also beneath my feet or at eye level were many other natural wonders to give the camera something to do in the absence of any avian opportunities.

The image below shows the seat overlooking a small 'dipping' pond were I regularly take the weight of my feet before heading for home. During a chance search of a small area of blue sky  I located around 30 Swifts hawking insects and then a few moments later the much larger 'boomerang' shape of my first Hobby for this year who was diving and chasing a Sparrowhawk as it continued it's journey following the Swifts in a north-

easterly direction. I searched the paddocks and fences but no other obvious migrants moving through.

Today (Thursday) we are transporting the folding camper to be serviced in North Kent so I'm hoping we may may get a little time to find somewhere for a stroll. Fingers crossed that all goes well and that I don't need to bend the 'plastic' too heavily.   FAB.

Local Walk.

The mid morning sky was overcast so I decided on a local stroll from home and headed off towards Horton Country Park. As expected Castle Woods produced the majority of my patch sightings:-

Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits; Wren, Robin, Chaffinch, Nuthatch (heard), Crow, Magpie, Parakeets, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpeckers calling and drumming, Jay and Treecreeper.

After an hour the first of the light showers appeared and continued for most of my time outdoors so the camera stayed inside its bag. At the Golf Course I added the usual Mallard and Coot on the pond. Dunnock and Song Thrush both singing heartily from nearby shrubbery. Close to Four Acre Wood I had my first glimpse of a male Blackcap skulking through the brambles. 

Two friendly horse riders also enjoying the fresh air quietly trotted by just as I heard the first of several Chiffchaff singing around the park. A little further on during an increase in the precipitaion I watch another two male Blackcaps arguing about territory rights.  Several Green Woodpeckers were heard 'laughing' throughout my stroll but never seen.

Blossom errupting all around the park certainly brightened up the otherwise dreary outlook. The back held up reasonably well but I was glad to get back home for a cuppa.  FAB.

Local Patch Walk.

A three hour leisurely stroll today very close to home saw me heading southwards following tree lined paths close to farmland with the constant scolding calls from Great and Blue Tits for company plus the occasional 'seep, seep' calls of Long-tailed Tits feeding overhead.  

Above is the view south with clouds building up as I turned east to cross the open fields containing many horses and quite a few Carrion Crows and Magpies. 

A number of friendly faces slowly meandered over to say hello to the interloper.

On the edge of the field I heard the constant calls from Fieldfare and Redwing and eventually got a shot of one Redwing before the timid flock moved away into another high resting point.

My journey took me into Horton Country Park with little avian activity except the drumming of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and the 'yaffle' of Green Woodpeckers until I got close to the golf course when a Grey Heron flew over. At the ponds I added Canada Geese, Coot, Moorhen and a pair of Tufted Ducks.

Turning westwards the path followed the still very damp woodlands which produced Jays, Chaffinch, Robin, Goldfinch, Nuthatch (heard), Dunnock, and a pair of courting Wrens.

Close to Castle Hill Woods there were even more Redwing and Fieldfares chatting high in the trees and constantly on the move. Just at the end of my walk a small group of Ring-necked Parakeets were feeding on the emerging pussy willow buds.

The legs got a decent work out and the total tally for todays stroll was just 26 species.  FAB.

Patch Walk 19 Feb (Horton C.P.)

I managed a long overdue local patch walk yesterday afternoon around part of Horton Country Park. Whilst there wasn't a vast amount of avian activity it was good to get out in reasonable weather. The overiding sounds as I entered  Castle Wood were squawking Parakeets, noisy Crows, plus the forceful 'chuitt, chuitt' warning from a Nuthatch, the ocassional 'kick, kick, kick' of a Great Spotted Woodpecker. In one of the paddocks I estimated a mixed flock of 100 plus Fieldfare and Redwing busily feeding but nervously flying off to a high vantage point at the slightest opportunity. I also disturbed a Grey Heron at the very small pool inside one of the other woodlands and shortly afterwards had a brief view of a Kestrel perched on a fence, but a little too distant for a really good photo.

Noisy Parakeet.

Kestrel.

Blue Tit gives a sideways glance.

Other species seen were Blackbird, Wren, Long-tailed Tits, Magpie, Black-headed Gull and Robin.  FAB.

Exploring locally.

I promised that I would try to get to know my local area better so headed out for an exploration late this morning. I know the experts will say this is not the best time for birding but who cares it was crisp, not too cold, and the legs needed the exercise. No planned route but just see where the mood takes me!

Once away from the houses and into Castle Woods the very quiet surroundings were punctuated with a few calls that enabled me to locate Blackbird, Redwing, Blue Tit, Robin, Nuthatch (heard only), Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Out through the Golf Course I added Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon and Parakeet.

It was fairly frosty underfoot but the horses were managing to nibble the grass. The fungi didn't look too good! Crows high on their perches and I found a number of Bat boxes on the edge of Four Acre Wood.

Friendly Robin stopped by to say a quick 'hello'.

My way home was a path I have never walked between open fields still very heavily frosted. Around Park Farm were House Sparrows, Wren, Great Tits and Dunnock plus a Black-headed Gull flying over.

Thank goodness for signposts...at least I know I'm heading in the right direction for home! During the last part of my walk I added Long-tailed Tits, Starling, Collared Dove and Greenfinch to produce a final total of 23. I'm sure this number will increase with improved weather AND when I get out earlier in the day.   FAB.