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
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.