Our Circular walk today, extended up to Baydon House Farm
However before I arrived at Dons house I had 3 interesting sightings en route. The first was a juvenile Grey Heron walking along the road at Wanborough, the second was a Hobby flying over North Farm on Lottage Road and just a few hundred metres further along I had my second Weasel in two days. This time I had one running across the road in front of me.
Once at Dons, it was boots on and off down into the village. First stop though was the village pond, in the hope of seeing some dragonflies. Unfortunately there were none, but there were plenty of Pond Skaters, Water Snails and a fair few Goldfish. In the village there were many birds singing including Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, a dozen or so House Martins and Swifts.
The Village Pond
A pair of Pond Skaters
One of many Water Snails
From the pond we headed off onto south Street following the stream on our left. The water here is crystal clear, despite being contaminated in the winter floods and as we walked along we came across a pair of Azure Damselflies and a female Mallard.
A male Azure Damselfly
A female Azure Damselfly
A female Mallard
At Ford Farm we crossed the busy A4192 (Knighton / Ramsbury Road) and made our way up the steep incline,past the Barn to Winchcombe Copse. At the barn a pair of Red-legged Partridge bolted up the track never to be seen again and a pair of Swifts were screeching high above us. En route we passed what I reckon to Chinese Knotweed, It looks like someone attempted to get rid of it, but its definitely growing back.
The Barn just up from Ford Farm
I think this is Chinese Knotweed
The long haul up the hill
"Our" Apple tree looks good this year
At Winchcombe Copse the idea was to go over the stile and follow the hedgerow on the left. Unfortunately the farmer had planted crops right up to the hedge making it impossible to walk along, without ruining his Wheat. Not wanting to upset anyone we decided to go back over the stile and walk along the hedgerow on the other side. Before we did that though, I have a thing about lifting up corrugated metal sheets, especially when they are in long grass. There are at least 4 things that you can generally find under a sheet and they are Red Ants, Field Mice, Adders and Slow-worms. Today we very fortunate and came across a Slow-worm, which I haven't seen for many years. Not wanting to disturb it I dropped the metal sheet slowly down and left it be.
Corrugated sheets and long grass. Paradise for Slow-worms
And so it proved
Once back onto the hedge-line path we passed Green Hill, which is where we normally drop down to the horses running track, and headed off towards the entrance of Baydon House Farm. Along here I came across a Sawfly, Arge Pagana and its bright orange abdomen.
Sawfly, Arge Pagana and its bright orange abdomen.
Very noticeable from side on
This stretch is quite long and as it transpired very muddy, with one stretch of water that was 30 metres long, 4 metres wide and at a depth well above your ankles. Fortunately there was just enough bank on the right to avoid getting wet. Through the gaps in the trees and hedgerows you have great views of St Michaels Church in Aldbourne.
St Michaels Church in the distance
A lot closer when you zoom in
All along this stretch there were butterflies galore with lots of female and male Brimstones and Green-veined Whites and I even came across a moth, a Silver-ground Carpet moth. There were also many flowers including White-dead Nettle, Yellow Archangel, Red Campion and a few Bluebells.
Silver-ground Carpet moth
Yellow Archangel
Yellow Archangel close-up
Red Campion
Red Campion close-up
Bluebells
As we approached the farm, a Spotted Flycatcher came out onto a branch above us and then took off to catch a fly, before disappearing into an Oak Tree. Unfortunately we couldn't track it down again. Also overhead a pair of Buzzards were "playing", one was considerably lighter than the other. Not sure if this was a pair or a youngster with an adult.
Buzzards a pair or adult and juvenile!
A Coal Tit was seen feeding a youngster in the hedgerow, and in this area there were Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler and Blackcap. At the end of the track we headed back down the hill along Aldbourne Road. Yet again quite busy, but at least the drivers acknowledged we were there and gave us plenty of room. Along the hedgerow we had a Common Whitethroat, Chaffinches and above us a Red Kite, and in amongst the roadside vegetation there were Nursery Web Spiders, an Ichneumon Ophion luteus and many more butterflies. By the time we got home the temperature was well into the 20's, making it a most enjoyable walk.
A male Chaffinch
Nursery Web Spider and eggs
Ichneumon (Ophion luteus)
Birds seen in the Aldbourne Area: 1 female Mallard, 2 Red Kite, 3 Buzzard, Hobby over North Farm, Pheasant, 2 Red-Legged Partridge, Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, Swift, Skylark, 20+ House Martin, 5+ Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer.
Mammals: Weasel at North Farm
Reptiles: Slow-worm Anguis fragilis
Butterflies: Green-veined White, Male and female Brimstones, Male and female Orange-tips and Peacocks.
Moth: Silver-ground Carpet moth
Other invertebrate: Pond Snail, a pair of Azure Damselfly, a pair of Pond Skaters, Sawfly (Arge Pagana), Nursery Web Spider and an Ichneumon (Ophion luteus)
Flowers: Bluebells, Red Campion, White-dead Nettle and Yellow Archangel
Today's Photos Here