13/04/2017 Dartford Warbler at Old Lodge - My First

Thursday 13 April 2017
Old Lodge

It was such a nice morning I decided to do a lunchtime visit to Old Lodge to check out the Cuckoo that had been seen there yesterday.  In cool but pleasant conditions I took the clockwise route rather than the usual anti-clockwise one.

• As predicted by Bob J,  I had excellent views of a Tree Pipit on the overhead wires by the metal gates.
• Soon afterwards I saw a male Green Woodpecker fly from the ground to a tree trunk, some 3 metres above the ground.  Whilst admiring this bird, a second one appeared - a female on a nearby trunk.
• Next to show was a superb Raven, flying overhead, no doubt the male from the nearby nesting site.
• Down the hill and over the stream then 50 metres up the hill, on a gorse bush, right of the path, I saw my first ever Dartford Warbler at Old Lodge.  It subsequently flew south.
• To add to the glamour I saw the male Redstart, almost in the same position as last time.
• All this plus the Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and the basic resident species.
• Thankfully, no Adders

A superb visit - and I missed the target species!