NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

It’s quite surprising what can be fitted into (and be seen) in a stolen couple of hours in the field. While the rest of the family did what normal people do on the beach, I headed up to the set-aside fields on the cliff-top at Whipsiderry. There is a good arable flora here, including a great deal of Corn Marigold (in the photograph above with Sowthistle). I also found Field Madder, Field Pansy, Sharp-leaved Fluellen and Musk Mallow in the briefest of searches. Overhead there was a steady southward trickle of Common Swift (175), Swallow (225) and House Martin (35). A couple of Hummingbird Hawk-moths were also buzzing about. Earlier in the day I was treated to the presence of a group of at least eight Common Dolphins off of Porth, several of which jumped fully out of the water, showing off their markings a treat. Not a species that I see from the south-east coast.

I was very pleased with managing to capture these images of Corn Buntings in the set-aside fields at Whipsiderry near Porth, Cornwall. No enlargement needed, just a bit of sideways crop.

Along the cliff top, just above Whipsiderry Beach, is a stretch of 'set aside' fields some 800m in length. Signs alert you to this being 'Bunting habitat' and in particular that of the Corn Bunting. Like elsewhere in the south, this species has become a lot more uncommon, so it was good to see such measures having been undertaken to safeguard its future. The fields held plenty of birds, with Linnets, Goldfinches, Skylarks, Meadow and Rock Pipits utilising the long grass and wildflower seed (I did see some Corn Marigold still in bloom). And Corn Bunting? Yes, five of these chunky passerines, one in song and an obliging individual that allowed me to obtain some quite good (for me) pictures. I will post them soon.