I have only been up Butser Hill twice before, the first time many years ago and I walked from the Queen Elizabeth Country Park car park at the bottom of the hill. The last time was about the same time last year, when I discovered it was possible to drive to a car park near the summit. Like then, I was here for a regular migrant thrush that stops off here to fuel up before continuing on its migration to North Africa, they normally accompany winter thrushes coming through from Scandinavia. It is of course the Ring Ouzel.
From the car park it is a short walk to a spot that overlooks a slope that faces south west and is covered in hawthorn and bramble, and this year the slope was covered in berries that made the slope turn a reddish colour.
There were Blackbirds moving about so I decided to moved to another spot that was a little lower and gave views of a lot more of the berry laden shrubs. Goldfinches were moving around and thrushes and Blackbirds. Then I saw a flash of light wings which flew to a bush. Where it stayed on the outside and could be seen with the pale fringes to the wings and scallops on the breast, an immature or female Ring Ouzel.
Then it was gone. I decided to drop down to the path that led around the slope to try and get a little closer to the bushes that appeared to be attracting the thrushes.
I found this spot with a view looking out across the park, and was able to use the bushes as cover.
I could hear Ring Ouzel calling, but frustratingly could not see them, but I was entertained by some other birds in the bushes, Bullfinches called around me, Song and Mistle Thrush flew past and there were also a few Redwing, my first of the autumn.
There were many "black" birds but these were continental Blackbirds, Blackbirds that have come over from the continent. They are different from our resident Blackbirds easily told by the lack of yellow bill.
Also present were Goldfinches.
A Wren just below me
And what could almost be described as a seasonal Robin.
Time was pushing on and i had an appointment that meant I had to leave at a certain time. I had stood in the cold enjoying this view for quite a while.
In black and white.
Then just before I was about to leave the clucking I could hear in the bushes turned into a bird and appeared in a bush, frustratingly though hidden a little by the branches.
The Ring Ouzel seemed settled so a Red Kite passing was worth some attention. The position I was in meant I was either looking down or at eye level.
The streaking on the breast indicates this was an immature bird.
Back to the Ring Ouzel and it had moved, but not very far.
Then it flew off and obligingly did exactly what I hoped for, it perched on a branch at the top of a bush.
Looking at the dark belly beneath a lighter throat crescent this is probably an immature male.
Some of the best shots I have had of Ring Ouzel.
Then as it looked like it was going to fly the wings were raised and it showed the white fringes on the wing feathers.
It flew to a hawthorn bush where it started to eat berries.
Then it disappeared into the bushes and away. Rather than leave though the Red Kite returned and I could leave with out taking the opportunity for some more shots as it circled and drifted past me.
The Kite drifted around the slope and away out of sight. Just as I was about to leave a Green Woodpecker flew and hoped around beneath the bush the Rig Ouzel had been in earlier.
Walking back I was amazed to see the panorama in front of me. The view allowed me to see all the way out east to the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, west past Eastney, then Sinah and Sandy Point on Hayling Island and then further west, Selsey Bill. This panorama is hard to discern but provides a record.
Once again I was impressed by Butser, last year I promised to return in the summer and never did, but will hopefully do better in 2024.
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