Along the Old Railway Cutting, and up Chalky Road

26th May 2025 - a walk along the Old Railway Cutting is often fruitful in terms of finding warblers, since Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat all breed in the hedges. In previous years, Andy has also found Garden Warbler here during the Bird Survey, but not this year, although there was a particularly noisy Wren!

Walking up Chalky Road to Hildersham Wood, was good for Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting, Linnet and Skylark, as well as a number of raptors, which this year included Buzzard, Red Kite and Kestrel, as well as a brief glimpse of a Hobby. 

Of the relatively few butterflies seen, Speckled Wood could be found along the shady parts of the path along the railway cutting, with Small Heath in the more sunny grassy areas. Oxeye Daisy were out in profusion in some fields on the LSA too.

Female Common Whitethroat, quietly gathering food for her young

Lesser Whitethroat male, proclaiming his territory ...

... and a male Wren, noisily doing the same ...

... as was a male Blackcap

Male Yellowhammer

Corn Bunting, singing from the corn

Skylark, singing aloft ...

.. and collecting food for young

Speckled Wood, along the edges of the ORC

Small Heath in the grass

Oxeye Daisy in profusion in some LSA fields