Winter merging into Spring.......

10 April - A half day of birding at several sites. Calling in at Liddington Hill was a good plan - several Ring Ouzels were seen the previous day, and a couple of other people were searching - I had several flight views of both male and female as they darted between the hawthorns and ivy-covered trees, then the male perched up and gave good, though distant, scope views. I decided to go to Blashford Lakes past Salisbury, as there have been good numbers of Bramblings feeding close to the hide, now moulting into summer plumage and giving photographic opportunities. Numbers had dropped, as the recent fine weather has presumably allowed some birds to start their migration, but there were half a dozen or so birds feeding by the woodland hide, including a couple of males with almost black heads, looking very striking. Unfortunately most of the hide windows have fixed glass, and the birds were not appearing regularly in front of the open window, but I tried my best with the camera, with reasonable results. Finally, a walk on Hampton Ridge initially only revealed Stonechats and Meadow Pipits, but after quite a bit of searching I found a pair of Dartford Warblers which showed quite well in the gorse and heather. A pair of Curlews were displayinhg over a boggy hollow, but I'm not sure they have much chance of breeding successfully with the recreational dog walking and running that now increasingly occurs throughout the area. Most surprising - a Cuckoo calling very loudly, presumably newly-arrived - my earliest ever spring bird.