A sunny visit n Monday to Old Lodge Reserve on Ashdown Forest , in the faint hope of finding the Little Bunting with a small flock of Reed Bunting , was fated from the start with a very strong wind blowing across the site . To keep warm as much as for anything , I criss-crossed the reserve , finding very little , and after 3 hours , the only sighting of interest was the back end of a Raven , heading
towards the usual breeding area . In an attempt to salvage something from the day , I headed for RSPB Broadwater Warren , a reserve that I have never visited before . A previous conifer plantation , still in the process of being cleared , and revealing heathland habitat as a consequence . Fortunately maps were available at the car park , and with one in the pocket , set off along one of the tracks . The site with surrounding woodland was more sheltered than Old Lodge , and in the sun it was pleasant , but very few birds around . Halfway across a cleared area , a male Stonechat was my first sighting , closely followed by the melodious bubble of Woodlark , and the sight of the backend of two birds flying away and disappearing in the distance . At a junction , the map showed a pond to the right and that's where I headed . Still in it's early stages , but given time I can see it becoming a very productive Odonata habitat . On a sunny bank were some refugia , felts and tins , which needless to say were
turned over , producing my first amphibian of the year , a Toad under one of them . A bit further along the track I met the only other birder there , and fortunately he was a local , who had been told that the Larch area on the side of the quarry held good numbers of Siskin and was out looking for them . I tagged on and we slowly climbed to the far side of the reserve , with the wind increasing with every step . By the time we reached the quarry , the wind was as strong as at Old Lodge and the tops of the Larches were swaying in it . But even so , above the wind , the constant chattering of Siskin , a sound I have missed this Winter , could be heard , and with strained necks , we started seeing them in
the tree tops . Every now and again , the odd one or two dropped down a bit lower , like this pair . Impossible to get an exact figure , but my estimate was 50+ . Other species were also seen or heard including at least 3 Lesser Redpoll , my first of the Winter , Marsh , Coal , Great and Blue Tit and even Nuthatch . My fellow birder could only stay a short while , but I stayed on enjoying the sights and sounds . Eventually I started back to the car , and must admit was glad to get out of the worst of the doing so . When I reached the junction where I saw the Stonechat and the Woodlark , I turned off the main track , and before long re-found the Stonechat ,
which turned out to be a pair . They were very flighty , but eventually I managed to get each into the
viewfinder . Feeling well pleased I retraced my steps , when within seconds I heard again the bubbling song of Woodlark , and searching , found a bird just 10 metres away , looking for food , and blending in very well with the heathland habitat . I had it in front of me for just a few seconds , before
the second bird appeared and the two flew off . What could well have been an almost bird-less visit had turned into a very enjoyable one , thanks in a large part to that fellow birder .
On Wednesday , I did the Down House Bird Survey , which produced a very good total for the site of
24 species , which included Common Buzzard , for only the second time , Sparrowhawk , Fieldfare Redwing , and at least two Goldcrest . Once I finished the survey , I went back to the area where I had seen the Goldcrests , and spent a very pleasant half an hour attempting to photograph this difficult species , which don't know how to keep still , constantly on the move looking for food . Once home and looking through the shots taken , a large proportion went straight in the bin being
blurred , rear ends or headless specimens , but the odd few were worth keeping , thank goodness for
digital photography . With the weather remaining reasonably mild , I made my first visit of the year up onto the Greensand Ridge to see if any reptiles had emerged yet . After an hour of searching ,
three males were found , enjoying the warmth of the sun . If the weekend proves to be as warm as
predicted , many more animals should emerge from their underground hibernation and start showing
across the site . Also noticed was a pair of Long-tailed Tits , busily going about the construction of
their nest , somewhere amongst the Gorse .
Today , whilst working up on the Common I saw my third species of butterfly this year . After Red Admiral in January and Small Tortoiseshell in February , a male Brimstone .
