16/03/02 - Log opened for this spring. Little to report except a couple of Redwing around the paddocks at the tail end of last week, a male Blackcap in the hedge between the paddocks and the houses of Half Moon Lane today and a flock of 86 Meadow Pipit on the paddocks slope this morning (16th).
17/03/02 - The first Wheatear of the year arrived on the paddocks at Blows Downs today at about 16:00. The rain closed in shortly after and it was not seen again.
17/03/02 - Chiffchaff singing in one of the woods above the slopes in the morning.
18/03/02 - No sign of any migrants in the downpour that was today !!
22/03/02 - 1 Northern Wheatear above the Chalk Pit in the morning
22/03/02 - 2 Northern Wheatears in the Paddocks for most of the day
22/03/02 - Blackcap still singing between Half Moon Lane and Barton Ave and various Chiffchaffs singing around the site
23/03/02 - No sign of any Wheatears today
23/03/02 - 18 Redwing flew west at 08:00am
23/03/02 - Blackcap singing in a couple of places and Chiffchaff singing near the old whiting works
24/03/02 - 1 Northern wheatear (male) in the Paddocks at 07:30am
24/03/02 - If you visit the site don't be phased by the pile of rubbish at the end of Half Moon Lane - the Conservation group are doing the annual litter pick and this is the collection point.
25/03/02 - Nil to report today in the way of migrants
26/03/02 - Nil to report today in the way of migrants
27/03/02 - Nil to report today in the way of migrants
28/03/02 - Nil to report today in the way of migrants
29/03/02 - The first Ring Ouzel of the spring found, a male on top of the ridge directly above the Jeans Way stile AT 07:30 and later on the eastern edge of the paddocks slope viewable from the path at the bottom.
29/03/02 - In paddocks most of the morning - 1 male Wheatear
30/03/02 - Nil to report today apart from singing Chiffchaff
31/03/02 - The only migrant of interest this morning was a Swallow which flew over at about 09:30
01/04/02 - Northern wheatear 4 today - A female on the paddocks, A female on the paddocks slope and a male and two females on the slope to the east of the chalk pit.
01/04/02 - nearby on the Griffin Golf Course: a male Common Redstart seen in hedgerow - a very early record
02/04/02 - Ring Ouzel- 2 (male & female)on the Kingsbury slope and a third (male) has flown away
02/04/02 - 1 male redstart on Downside slope.
02/04/02 - Willow Warbler- 1 singing in the chalkpit-1st for site this year
02/04/02 - Northern Wheatear - 2 on Kingsbury slope
02/04/02 - Still on Blows at 18:45, The two Rouzels feeding at the eastern end of the Kingsbury slope. They were joined at about 17:30 by a male Redstart which was still present at 18:45 at least.
03/04/02 - The news today is that the Wheatear and ouzels appear to have left overnight but there has been an arrival of Common Redstarts. There is a male using the fences in the paddocks, a male on the Kingsbury slope and a pair on the Tesco slope.
There are now a couple of Willow Warbler giving occasional bursts of song along the slope and a Whitethroat was heard briefly this morning.
04/04/02 - No migrants of note reported today - Willow Warblers on site now more vocal
05/04/02 - No migrants of note reported today - not even a Swallow!!
06/04/02 - No migrants of note reported today
07/04/02 - Nil to report today - rather windy and most birds keeping well "tucked-in"!!
08/04/02 - 1 male Common Redstart seen on Tesco Slope (A) at 11:10 & 12:15 little else apart from 1 Swallow
09/04/02 - No migrants of note reported today
10/04/02 - Todays news is that a male Common Redstart was seen above the Skimpot gully late afternoon and another Swallow flew over the site.
Willow Warblers are still stuck at 3 or 4 birds - no sign of the next wave yet
11/04/02 - Todays news is that yesterday's male Common Redstart was seen above the Skimpot gully again this morning
12/04/02 - No migrants of note reported today
13/04/02 - No migrants of note reported today - a cold north wind does not help!!
14/04/02 - No migrants of note reported today, Willow Warblers are rather more evident with probably a dozen birds singing around the site - this is over double from yesterday
15/04/02 - No migrants of note reported today, just a couple of Fieldfare and a Swallow
16/04/02 - 1 female type Black Redstart and 1 male Common Redstart on south facing fence on the plateau above the Paddocks and Downside slopes. Black Redstart not seen at lunchtime though. Also seen 2 Northern Wheatears and 3 Yellow Wagtails plus Common Buzzard and Swallow flying over
17/04/02 - Nil to report of note today
18/04/02 - Northern Wheatear - originally 3 males (now 2) on brow of slope just west of chalk pit. Originally 1 male & 2 female on Tesco slope (now 1m1f)
18/04/02 - Sedge Warbler - a migrant singing by the paddocks - where Barton Ave joins the site
18/04/02 - Swallow - about half a dozen passed over in groups of one !
18/04/02 - House Martin - a single overhead
18/04/02 - Yellow Wagtail - a single overhead
19/04/02 - Ring Ouzel - two moving between the chalk pit and the paddocks slope. Rather flighty and due to the fact they are choosing to feed on the short grass of the path along the brow of the hill they are been regularly flushed by passing humans.
19/04/02 - Northern Wheatear - Earlier there were five in the paddocks, three above the chalk pit and three near the monument. There may have been some duplication in these numbers as the birds were quite mobile but there were probably at least eight present.
Unable to find any on the way back off so I assume they have now left the site.
19/04/02 - Common Whitethroat - One seen by the paddocks and another heard above Skimpot roundabout.
19/04/02 - Yellow Wagtail - a couple passing over calling
19/04/02 - Swallow - a couple passing over
20/04/02 - This morning there are two (possibly three) male Common Redstart on the Kingsbury slope and a cracking male Northern Wheatear on the paddocks. Also a few Swallow moving through and a Common Whitethroat on the slope above the Jeansway alley
21/04/02 - Short-eared Owl - One flew north at 06:45: one lucky observer
21/04/02 - Northern Wheatear, a male above the chalk pit early on had moved to the Tesco slope by midday
21/04/02 - Common Redstart, a male seen at the top western corner of the Tesco slope briefly
21/04/02 - Lesser Whitethroat - first of the year by the paddocks
21/04/02 - Common Whitethroat - perhaps half a dozen on site with quite a few in song
21/04/02 - Swallow - a few passing through (less than 10 noted)
21/04/02 - Yellow Wagtail - a couple headed north
21/04/02 - Fieldfare - one on the fotoball pitch by the paddocks at about 09:00
22/04/02 - Northern Wheatear - 2male & 2female in the paddocks - still present at 17:30. Also 2male & 1female on the Tesco slope
22/04/02 - Common Redstart - a male in the paddocks area
22/04/02 - Willow Warblers are now pretty well in with lots of song
23/04/02 - A female ring ouzel was in the chalk pit at 19:10
23/04/02 - Northern Wheatear - a single male to the east of the chalk pit
23/04/02 - Lesser Whitethroat - at least two singing this morning so a slight increase in numbers.
23/04/02 - Common Whitethroat - half a dozen birds singing around the site
24/04/02 - 3 separate Lesser Whitethroats singing - heavy mist this morning
24/04/02 - 1 female Northern Wheatear this afternoon on the Tesco Slope
25/04/02 - nil of interest apart from common warblers today
26/04/02 - A female Wheatear was in the paddocks midday
26/04/02 - A Sand Martin flew through early morning - not dramatic in a county sense but we only see one or two each spring so a good site record.
27/04/02 - A male Wheatear on the paddocks.
28/04/02 - In amongst the rain showers this morning a female Ring Ouzel was seen to drop into the scrub at the west end of the Kingsbury slope, also a male Wheatear was on the paddocks but was very elusive and may have now left the site
28/04/02 - Usual warblers around singing - still no sign of Garden Warbler here
29/04/02 - Not much this morning but a couple of Swift that flew over were the first for the year
29/04/02 - This evening there were two Wheatear (M+F) in the paddocks
30/04/02 - there was a Wheatear on the paddocks, a female Ring Ouzel on the western end of the Tesco slope and a Fieldfare above the Kingsbury slope
01/05/02 - Paddocks: - a female Wheatear and a female Whinchat this a.m.
01/05/02 - Tesco Slope: - a female Ring Ouzel and a male Wheatear this a.m.
01/05/02 - also Swift, House Martin and Swallow moving over
01/05/02 - this afternoon - one Yellow Wagtail and one Swallow over
02/05/02 - Reed Warbler singing in bushes by the paddocks & probable Whimbrel over this morning
03/05/02 - 1 Yellow Wagtail flew over today
04/05/02 - 1 Yellow Wagtail on the paddocks.
04/05/02 - Garden Warbler are now in with at least three singing in Cottage Bottoms
05/05/02 - Nil reported
PLEASE IF YOU VISIT THE SITE DO NOT GO INTO THE PADDOCKS EVEN THOUGH MANY OF THE FENCES HAVE BEEN BROKEN DOWN. IT DISTURBS THE BIRDS AND WILL RUIN YOUR CHANCES OF SEEING THEM. THERE ARE PATHS ROUND THE PADDOCKS AND ONE THAT PASSES THROUGH, PLEASE KEEP TO THEM.
Please note there will be no reports in this log between THURSDAY 9TH MAY and MONDAY 27th MAY