BOC Morning Walk at Bury Down, 8th November 2022

A forecast of strong winds and heavy showers meant that we had to be mindful of the weather (rather than be deterred altogether) as the six of us set off for a birdwatching walk from the Bury Down car park. As it turned out we enjoyed sunny but fresh conditions until the final stretch when we got somewhat wet.

The Berkshire Downs in autumn hold many of the resident farmland species that you would expect plus there’s the chance of seeing wintering species such as birds of prey, owls, winter thrushes and flocks of finches. As we walked westwards along the Ridgeway path, we encountered Kestrel, Yellowhammers, Corn Buntings, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. A covey of thirty Red-legged Partridges moved through the stubble and a large flock of Starlings wheeled around. With a menacing cloud approaching we headed for the wooded car park at near Cuckhamsley Hill just inside Oxfordshire. Two Stonechats were on the fence line and a small flock of Chaffinches also held a Brambling. We had several fleeting glimpses of Bramblings around the edge of the copse and in the treetops. In the end we followed the course of the Ridgeway through the copse and were surprised to see large numbers of Chaffinches moving along the hedge and every so often a Brambling, maybe as many as ten of these handsome finches in total.

We then turned back and followed the path that heads down to West Ilsley village for a short way. The hawthorns were full of Yellowhammers and a few hundred Fieldfare but we had to look hard to find a single Redwing. Red Kites came close overhead and several Corn Buntings perched on top of the bushes. We completed our return leg by dropping down the north side of the Ridgeway and taking a path through the Chilton Downs.

Robert Godden