The Green Hill Walk

First off I have to apologise for the lack of posts on my Blog, the days are flying by and apart from a few days walking the dog in the local area, there really hasn't been much to write about. However and I hadn't realised until today, the blog today is about the same route I walked on the 12th September. Was it really that long ago. It was a bit of a late morning start, but eventually Don, Benji and myself headed off down the hill from Oxford Street towards the village pond. At first it looked very peaceful and then a Southern Hawker appeared on the scene and was bombing about like nobodies business. It did have a bit of a route around the pond, but even predicting where it was going to be didn't really help with my efforts to photograph it. However I did manage a couple of shots, but not the best.

Southern Hawker over Aldbourne Village Pond

From the pond we turned left onto South Street (A4192 Knighton / Ramsbury Road) and headed off up the hill towards Ford Farm. Opposite the Farm entrance we took the track up to Winchcombe Copse. There is actually a book called the "Offroad Circular Walking & Running Around Aldbourne in the North Wessex Downs" by Simon Knighton and it appears that this particular walk is known as The Green Hill Walk.

A couple of weeks has made a big difference in the species in the village and all that was seen and heard before we got to Ford Farm were a few House Sparrows, a Dunnock and fly-by Woodpigeon.

As we made our way up the track towards the Barn, there were at least 30 Red-legged Partridges up ahead of us and several in the field. But as we approached they soon fled with at least 12 taking off and heading of to the other side of the field. Also amongst them were two male Pheasants. Along the edge of the track around the Barn was something I hadn't noticed before and that was hundreds of Yellow-legged Mining Bees, Andrena flavvpes. For about 10 metres or so there were mini holes in the bank under the hedgerow. Unfortunately it was difficult to photograph them as Benji kept running up and down the track trying to catch them. Lucky for him they didn't sting him!

Yellow-legged Mining Bee, Andrena flavvpes

Yellow-legged Mining Bee, Andrena flavvpes

Something else that was quite noticeable was the number of Chiffchaffs calling in the hedgerow with a few singing birds. In fact for most of the walk, wherever there was a hedge there was a Chiffchaff calling. As we passed the Barn, a call above me caught my attention as my first Skylark of the Autumn flew past.

As you walk up the first part of the track, it actually runs parallel to the old track between the hedgerows. Its so overgrown that I'm guessing the farmers gave up on it. However as you pass the Barn, the new track we were on, rejoins the old one and carries on up to Winchcombe Copse. Just beyond where they meet, there are a few gaps in the hedge on your left. This was where on our last walk I mistakenly identified a Hare as a Roe Deer in the field behind the hedge. So it was good to see that this time there were indeed Roe Deer present. In fact there were 5 including at least two youngsters and a Stag. Sadly no Hare for comparison.

Roe Deer, the stag in the centre

Roe Deer

As the track nears the summit, our favourite Apple tree on our left was definitely bearing fruit, as the track in front of us was covered in fallen apples. They are a beautiful yellow colour, quite small but very tasty. I'm no expert on apples, but they looked like Golden Delicious. Delicious they most certainly were as we munched a few on our way up the track. Yet again the trees and bushes along this stretch were full of birds including Goldcrests, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Wrens and Chaffinches.

Apples!!

At the summit we turned left again and followed the hedgerow on our right. Just like in the hedgerow as we were coming up the track from the main road, there were lots of Ivy in flower with many bees present and several Red Admirals. On one such Ivy, a bee sp. caught my eye. It had a white tail and a really orange thorax, definitely not one I've come across before, but unfortunately it flew off before I could photograph it. 

Update: As an update on my bee sp. its taken me awhile but today (7 Oct 13) I think I know what it was - A Volucella bombylans. It wasn't a bee but a Bumblebee Mimic. Apparently there are two types and the one I saw was a V. plumata. Read more about the Mimic on Ispotnature or naturespot

This hedgerow produced lots of birds last time round, but not so today. All there was, was a pair of Yellowhammers and a few Chiffchaffs. This was really disappointing because I had expected to see or at least hear thrushes along this stretch. There are so many berry bearing bushes and trees, I would have expected to have recorded at least one! There's time yet. Funnily enough though, on the whole walk we didn't record a single Blackbird, Song Thrush or Mistle Thrush. Overhead a pair of Meadow Pipits flew over and several more were seen later.

One of several Red Admirals seen today.

Yellowhammer

The Silhouette of a Meadow Pipit overhead

Further along the field we came to the spot where the Badgers and Deer had been feeding on the spilt grain on our last walk along this stretch. This time the grain had germinated and was standing about 3" tall.  However what was interesting is that the Badgers, despite the fact there was no evidence of any food left in this area, are still using the very same scrape for their latrine. Obviously creatures of habit.

At the end of of the field you come to Green Hill, at which point we took the track down into the valley below. Just before we got there a Green Woodpecker called from Green Hills wood on our right. As we made our way down the track, the stinging nettles are still there, though they did seem to be dying off a bit, but what was noticeable was the the number of Toadstools along the path. More species to identify......

Possibly Rooting Shank (Xerula radicata)

Possibly Rooting Shank (Xerula radicata)

Possibly Rooting Shank (Xerula radicata)

Toadstool sp.

Toadstool sp.

As we passed the copse on our left and into the field, it was down to the stile by the Hawthorn Tree and across the Horse Field to Baydon Hill Farm. In the field there were up to 10 Meadow Pipit which took off as we made our way along the footpath. Overhead there was a Raven and up to 100+ Carrion Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws in one huge flock.

Once we reached the top of the field it was pass Baydon House and back home on Oxford Road for 1:10pm.

Species recorded: Birds - 3 Red Kite, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Pheasant, 30+ Red-legged Partridge, 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, a Green Woodpecker, 4 Skylark, 20+ House Martin, 30+ Swallow, 8 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 15+ Chiffchaff including 3 singing, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer. Mammals - 5 Roe Deer, Rabbit, and evidence of Badgers. Insects - a Migrant Hawker, 1 Speckled Wood, a Large White butterfly, 7 Red Admirals, Field Grasshoppers, Yellow-legged Mining Bee (Andrena flavvpesa) and a White-tailed bee sp.