Allton Wildlife Blog and recent local wildlife news.

02/03/2021 22:14

We have resurrected the Alton Wildife Blog. It can be found here:

https://altonwildlife.blogspot.com/

All postings and photos there are made on walks or cycle rides from home from Alton and are therefore Covid-regulation compliant - I pride myself on zero petrol involvement ! And feel so lucky to have so much within walking distance.

Latest postings/news includes the first primroses of the year, fallow deer, and snow. This winter has been characterised by a lot more Herring Gulls locally compared to previous years. Woodlarks have been reported singing on the heaths - and can also be found singing on the chalk close to Alton. Grey Herons are already using the nests at Kings Pond, and Ravens are starting to nest too.

For those who are confined to home - keep an ear open for Chaffinches which have recently started singing. Within a few weeks we can expect a passage of Common Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls over in March. The latter have a call which to me sounds like Sybil Fawlty saying "oh I know" - look out for the all white wings. Or you could even try "Nocmig" - running a sound recorder overnight. This has proven the overland movement of Common Scoter across the country. And true big stuff is possible - White Storks from Knepp, Common Cranes, or White Tailed Eagles from the Isle of White reintroduction are all possible