An early morning stomp around my old patch proved productive yesterday. Best of all was a singing Common Quail in the fields immediately south of Tynings Farm when I arrived at 4:45am however there was no sound of it at 9:00am when I left. It's the first time I've visited the area in spring for many years and it was interesting to see how the population dynamics have changed. Gone of course are the Dartford Warblers and I can see a major reduction in the availability of suitable gorse so I wouldn't be expecting re-colonisation anytime soon. Interestingly Greater Whitethroat appears to have partially infilled the Dartford niche. Whereas they used to be confined to the Hawthorn scrub on the edges of the heath they are now common throughout and I must have seen at least 30 individuals during the morning. Also noted were a single reeling Common Grasshopper-Warbler SE of the trig point (not seen), five singing Tree Pipit, a pair of displaying Common Cuckoo, two Lesser Redpoll and at least three parties of recently fledged Common Stonechat.
