Tuesday 13 May – Castle Combe Leader: Geoff Hardman

On a lovely spring day eight members set off from the car park for a five mile picnic walk in a pleasant slightly overcast 17 degrees C with hardly any breeze. From the car park Swifts and Swallows were seen high above us. Very soon we walked by a paddock field with a couple of horses in it but also containing three splendid Mistle Thrushes seemingly unconcerned by our presence .Skirting the golf course we descended into the beautiful village to reach the Bybrook where a grey wagtail was busy feeding among the rocks and pebbles. A gradual ascent on the Macmillan Way parallel to the stream produced views of flocks of corvids and a couple of buzzards while we had a coffee break. Notable throughout this walk was the high number of singing Blackcaps, Robins, Blackbirds and Wrens almost
everywhere we went which added to the atmosphere and enjoyment of the splendid scenery. Diverting from the list of birds was the discovery of the tiny and beautiful Green Hairstreak butterfly which some of us had not seen or heard of before! After a picnic stop in bright sunshine more birds were heard than seen except for a Raven flying overhead. We ascended to more inhabited and farmed countryside continually adding to the variety of species we had seen
including Heron and Coot on the ponds and Dunnock and Goldfinch in the hedges. Just before the end of the walk a Yellowhammer was heard and briefly seen to bring the total species seen or heard to a respectable 43. Thanks to Geoff for leading this great walk. Neil Davies