When's a Hare not a Hare. When it's a Deer Oh!!

This morning Don, Benji and myself decided to do a slightly different walk around Aldbourne. Last time round we had headed northwest, but this time we decided to do a walk to the east. At 10:20am we headed off down the hill from Oxford Street and into the village. At the bottom of the hill we passed the Co-op and took the next left which takes you past the Library and the Forge (which is still being used today). At the end of Oxford Street we turned left again onto South Street (A4192 Knighton / Ramsbury Road) and headed off up the hill towards Ford Farm. Fortunately as you come out of the village there is a proper path on the other side of the road. Why there's a path here nobody seems to know, but I'm glad there is as this quite a busy stretch of road. Eventually the path is no more and on your right is the main entrance to Ford Farm.

The route we took today, east of Aldbourne

(Aerial photograph courtesy of Google Earth)

Up until this point the wildlife consisted of a few House Martins in the village and one or two Woodpigeons calling. Alongside Ford Farm there were a few Robins, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Dunnock, Jackdaws and Collared Doves.  Opposite the Farm entrance there is a track leading up to Winchcombe Copse.

The entrance to Ford Farm on your right.

Opposite Ford Farm the track which takes you to Winchcombe Copse

Carefully crossing the road we made our way up the track, which has a slight incline to the top. In doing so you pass a gap in the hedge on your left which gave a great view of the Church of St. Michael, Aldbourne. I'm glad we stopped as a pair of Meadow Pipits passed overhead followed by a Yellow Wagtail.

Church of St. Michael, Aldbourne

Further up on your right you pass a barn, which by the looks of the floor is often used for sheep shearing. As you pass the barn, the field on your right ends with a tall hedge and the path bears right. It was just beyond this point that there was another gap in the hedge on the left and peering through it we could see a Hare grazing in the field. I took a couple of photographs and suddenly realised when I got home that it was actually a Roe Deer. Easy mistake!!

Barn

Hare! Oh dear its a Deer

Mistaken identity.

As the track nears the summit, there's an Apple tree on your left that is most certainly not a Crab Apple. But not only was it full of fruit, which tasted delicious, it was also full of birds. It was extraordinary but along this stretch of track there were Goldcrests, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Corn Buntings and Yellowhammers all in this apple tree and surrounding bushes. In fact just after the Apple tree there was a Buzzard watching us coming up the track. Eventually we got to close for comfort and he took off, circled above us and drifted away to the south.

Apple tree

Female Chaffinch

Buzzard on branch

Buzzard in flight

Eventually we hit the summit and in front of us was a gate and stile with a yellow arrow pointing straight on and a double white arrow indicating left and right. At this point we turned left, but as you can see by the photograph below, Benji had other ideas and was heading back to where we had just come. Do you know I'm convinced he walks twice as far as we do.

Benji you're going the wrong way.

The gate at Winchcombe Copse

If I thought the hedgerow was interesting on the way up, then I was in for even more surprises along this stretch. Yet again there wasn't a bush that didn't have a bird in or on it. Along here were more Goldcrests, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Corn Buntings, Yellowhammers and also Chiffchaffs and Bullfinches. With the amount of berries along here including Hawthorn, Elderberry, Guelder Rose and Sloe, this could be an excellent place to visit for winter thrushes later in the year. A squawk on our left was suddenly responded to by squawks on our right and then out of nowhere 3 Jays shot across the field to join a 4th one in Peggy Knowl Copse.

Long-tailed Tit

Jay

The path has not been used for sometime along here and we decided to walk along the edge of the freshly harvested cornfield. The amount of grain that had been left behind was quite a lot and though not a particular nice topic to talk about, there were lots and I mean lots of clumps of "crotties" or scat, which were either from Roe Deer or Fallow Deer. But also there were elongated and sausage shaped faeces which were full of grain, with one in a scrape indicating that Badgers had been feeding here as well. Needless to say we tiptoed carefully passed them.

Possibly Roe Deer scat

Looking north west towards Baydon Hill farm

our next destination.

The light line in the field is the path we eventually took

 once we followed the track down the hill from Green Hill

Further along the field we came across 8 or 9 Red-legged Partridges. At first I don't think they knew quite what to do as they slowly moved along the edge and then whether they saw the dog or not I'm not sure, but there was a big flurry and they were gone.

Red-legged Partridges

And more

In flight

About a mile along the ridge you come to Green Hill, which is another copse to your left, it was at this point that we headed west and started the slow walk down into the valley below. Yet again this is another path that’s not been used in ages, with Stinging Nettles at chest height. It was at this point I wished I was a dog, as Benji just poodled along with the nettles forming a canopy over him. Half way down the slippery path I spooked a Pheasant, which made us jump. Though Benji couldn't see it for amount of vegetation above his head.

Masses of Sloe berries

The track down the hill

Eventually the path opened out into a field and as we looked across towards the Baydon Hill Farm, we could see a pair of Red Kites above us. However having enjoyed watching them in "play mode" we then realised we couldn't see a stile to get over the fence to carry on our walk.

Once out in the open we headed for Hawthorn tree in the centre

 of the picture, which is where we hoped there would be a stile

 to use, so that we could cut across the horses field

A pair of Red Kite

We needn't have worried, as just behind the Hawthorn was a stile. Phew we weren't really looking forward to doubling back and trying a different route. The path the other side takes you across the running track for the horses and up the grass field to Baydon House. I think this area is for the rehabilitation of horses. Its not obvious at first but to the left of the house there is a stile. Once over here it’s a short walk through the gardens to another stile on Oxford Street.

The stile

You first Benji

Looking back towards the Hawthorn

and treeline at the top of Green Hill

Almost a straight line....

And facing the way we were going the stile

was to the left hand side of the fence.

You first Don

Looking back at the stile we climbed over,

there's a sign - all dogs to be on a lead. 

There isn't one on the way up the hill,

 but common sense prevailed.

Through the garden to the side of Baydon House and over 

another stile you come out onto Aldbourne Road, just above 

the 30 MPH  speed signs, which then becomes Oxford Street.

When we arrived back at the house at 12:10pm there was a Hawthorn Shieldbug, Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale on the front door.

Hawthorn Shieldbug

Hawthorn Shieldbug

Species recorded: Birds - Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, House Martin, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer. Mammals - Hare, Rabbit, Grey Squirrel and evidence of Badgers. Insects - Speckled Wood, Small White butterflies and a Hawthorn Shieldbug. 

See Also Photo Album Here

Aldbourne Circular - Sunday 1st September

We had an excellent 4-mile circular walk around Aldbourne yesterday. Myself, Dawn, Dawn's dad Don and Benji the dog started off at Oxford Street and down into the village before we headed up past the village green onto Crooked Corner.

Our 4 mile circular

(map courtesy of Google Earth)

Don and Benji

Dawn and Benji

Crooked Corner runs parallel to Lottage Road and is more or less an an access road to the homes backing onto it. Along its length there were quite a few Cuckoopints (Poisonous) in the hedgerow and lot of Buddleia, most of which were covered by Small Tortoiseshells, Small & Large Whites and a few Peacock butterflies.

Cuckoopint

Small Tortoiseshells

At the end you cross over Cook Road and onto the start of the Gallop. On your left and right are fields and the track takes you down to Lottage Road. Along this length were Sloe, Elder and quite a few Blackberries with one or two Speckled Wood butterflies flitting along the track..

Sloe

Speckled Wood

Up until this point, the bird life was very quiet with just a few House Martins overhead and House Sparrows squabbling in the bushes. However as we entered the open countryside we came across Jackdaws, Rooks, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Yellowhammer, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch and Swallows. Overhead a Lesser Black-backed past by and in the distance we could see a Red Kite over the hilltops.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Goldfinch on post. Lottage Road just behind it.

Crossing over Lottage Road we headed up the Gallop. As we crossed over a Yellowhammer landed in the tree to our left and seemed quite content to watch us pass by. About 100 metres up the Gallop we turned right onto a track, that eventually takes you east Lease Farm. However it wasn't our intention to walk to the farm, but instead turn right at the East Leaze Cottages (I'm not sure why one is Leaze and the other is Lease!)

Yellowhammer

The track up to the cottages is about 1½ miles and runs along a ridge on your right. To the left are fields, most of which have been harvested now. The only bits that hadn't been harvested were close to the track where there was a continuous line of what I think was Rape. The pods were pea like with very small brown seeds in them.

Possibly Rape! alongside the track we came up.

Along here though we came across a Red Kite that just came over the treetops before heading south. Further up there were dozens of Small & Large White butterflies, a few Small Tortoiseshells, a Speckled Wood and several "Blue" Butterflies. What they were I'm not sure. They very small and were a deep dark blue. Unfortunately they were very flighty and I never got opportunity to get close or even photograph one. As we pushed on I could hear several Field Grasshoppers chirping away and an usual bird call. Almost a low whistle, but difficult to locate. The only thing I could say is, it was most likely a juvenile bird calling, for a few metres away were a pair of Corn Buntings that didn't seem to want to leave this part of the ridge.

Red Kite

Red Kite

Red Kite

Red Kite

On an ordnance survey map there is an area marked as Greenhills. As you pass this there are quite a few hedges on your right which were teeming with life with Hoverflies, White-lipped Banded snails, more "Blue" butterflies, Small Tortoiseshells, Peacock butterflies and Speckled Woods. However the best was to come. The bushes eventually give way to a wired fence to keep the cattle in and once again we were back into open countryside again. In the distance we could make out East Lease Farm and the corn fields in front.

Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

 Hover-fly (Xanthogramma pedissequum)

Speckled Wood

Small Tortoiseshell

East Lease Farm in the centre

Looking back towards the tree line (top right)

where we turned off the Gallop

With our binoculars we could make out dozens of Swallows and House Martins feeding close to the corn. And then all of a sudden a huge flock of hirundines appeared three hundred plus strong. The sky above us was full of birds twittering away and then whoosh two Hobby’s burst in, twisting and turning and scattering the Swallows and Martins in all directions. Incredibly not one bird was taken, though as the huge flock moved up over the ridge and south towards Aldbourne, I wouldn't be surprised if the Hobby’s had one or two later. What an amazing sight that was.

Swallows and House Martins feeding over the fields

Hobby

Hobby

As we got close to East Leaze Cottages we could here Chiffchaff calling, a Chaffinch and a Dunnock. At the cottages we took a right and headed up the hill towards Aldbourne Road. As we turned, a flock of about 12 Linnets took off from a field and landed in the bushes to our left. Moving slowly up the road a Yellow Wagtail was calling and eventually it landed in a bush for all of us to see. Further up the road a Kestrel was hovering over the fields and another Red Kite drifted over further east. Once onto the main road it was more or less eyes on the road and traffic. Though there were a dozen House Sparrows feeding on spilt grain on one section.

Horse Chestnuts by the cottages

Cows and where the Yellow Wagtail was searching for flies.

Female Chaffinch

Yellow Wagtail

All in all an excellent walk with 23 bird species seen. 3 Red Kite, 2 Hobby, 1 Kestrel, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, 300+ Swallows and House Martins, 1 Yellow Wagtail, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Wren, Dunnock, 3 Chiffchaff, Robin, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 12+ Linnet, 3 Corn Bunting and 3 Yellowhammer. Butterflies seen were Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Small White, Peacock and “Blue" butterflies. Also White-lipped Banded Snails, Grasshoppers and Hoverflies.