Warm, bright with sunny spells, from 11am.
Parked up at Decoy Pond Farm & walked out along the railway line into mixed heath & woodland.
In first clump of gorse closest to the train line: Crow, Magpie; the first of many Stonechat seen throughout the walk; Great-Spotted Woodpecker busy on a dead shrub; many Chiffchaff foraging lowdown, most notably around a chainlink fence; juvenile Robin & Great Tit.
Onto the heath area & a very fruitful patch of burnt gorse bushes: Linnet & Goldfinch in usual small groups. A couple of unusual-looking yellow-green birds were also briefly perched on the burnt wood, & they didn't immediately suggest greenfinch due to colour & small bill, they looked almost serin-like; after reference to various resources & internet photos, as well as unlikelihood that they were serins, decided on juvenile Greenfinch.
Continuing towards the wooded area where the path deteriorated so much I had to turn back, however my mind was easily made up when a Hobby was spotted sitting on a dead tree on the wood's edge, back towards the heath. It perched between enthusiatically hunting insects, behaviour which included soaring & a couple of impressive stoops. It was then joined by a couple of soaring & calling Buzzard which came up from the woods before floating out of sight.
Continuing to lap the around the burnt out gorse: the usual stonechat in good numbers; suddenly a distinctively-profiled bird perched atop one of the branches immediately identified as Dartford Warbler, a new species. Another was seen later & its distinctive 'tchurr' call was also heard from nearby unburnt gorse foliage.
Also in the unburnt foliage: Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush & a Roe Deer, which stared at me before bounding away.
Cutting through the burnt area again, the hobby was still on its favoured tree, green woodpecker & nuthatch also heard from afar. Looking back into the burnt area more sturdy-looking pipit perched & then flew off, enough of a glimpse to identify Tree Pipit.
Heading back to the car through the pines: Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Treecreeper & Pied Wagtail near the car.
A modest number of heathland birds, with a couple of specialists, in particular dartford warber & hobby.
20 species seen, 1 new.
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