Tuesday 07 June – Felton Common Leader: Melanie Patch

A good crowd (24) turned up in reasonable conditions to crisscross our way over Felton Common. Most of the
walk we were accompanied by the singing of Skylarks (parachute flight), Whitethroats (around their territories)
and Linnets. A distant Kestrel was monitoring the rustlings from a landing light post, Swallows zipped over the
grass at knee height and the House Sparrow simply would not morph into anything more exciting. Our coffee
break Buzzard made its appearance on cue and we actually ‘saw’ a Willow Warbler singing (three seen /heard in
total). Some male and female Stonechats were seen and the best count we got of House Martins, at the Round
House, was 18 – probably 9 pairs with nests under the eaves. The walk down Long Lane added another Kestrel
flying over and a Yellowhammer making the count four in total. A second Song Thrush was seen, adding to the
one heard close to a snail shell anvil on the common. A lone gull, making free with a water trough, was initially
thought to be a third-year Herring Gull but after close study through a scope, re identified as a Yellow-legged Gull.
Up Kingdown Lane, past the camping site, we heard more Long-tailed Tits, a lucky few saw a Bullfinch and
Chaffinches were singing in the background. Back on the common for lunch with Chiffchaff putting in a refrain or
20 and then the final leg back to the cars. A follow up report from an early finisher recorded a Grey Heron. The
total count was 34 species and many thanks to Melanie for leading us round. Melanie Patch & Nick Hawkridge