15 of us set off at 06.00 this morning to listen to the early morning bird song in Sharphill Wood in fine but chilly weather. A Song Thrush and a Dunnock singing right by us at the top of Peveril Drive got us off to a good start, and there was a distant Skylark further up the hill. The woodland itself produced the usual bird songs and calls, including Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker (drumming), Stock Dove, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Wren (particularly numerous), Blackbird, Robin and a possible Coal Tit. Eagle-eyed participants managed to point out to us a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Nuthatch and (although only a few of us saw it) a Treecreeper. By the scrub outside the southern entrance we watched at least 2 Linnets, although the usual Common Whitethroat doesn’t appear to have arrived yet. On the way back we took in the expanding area of Early Purple Orchids and some King Alfred’s Cakes fungus on a tree.
Thanks to all the participants for turning out on such a cold morning and to Chris Ritzmann for taking the bird pictures.
John Elwell, 27/4/24
