Going on a Quail Hunt - Blustery Birding

Taken through the windscreen

Yesterday was a birding day, someone on the Sussex Ornithological Society website, having reported Quail requesting “wetmylips” on the Sussex Downs. My birding guru picked me up, telling me it was going to be the best weather of the available days this week, and whisked me to Coombes. Discouragingly, the windscreen wipers were needed several times during the journey.

Rats at the same banquet

Having found somewhere to park, and seen a hunting Kestrel on route, we sat in the car for few minutes while the sky cleared. Immediately in front of us we were treated to a busy coming and going of assorted Robins, tits and finches as someone had spread a banquet of seed on the top rail of the fence. They weren't the only diners though as two rats had been seated at the other end of the restaurant. We then set off for our trudge up towards Steepdown, spotting a couple of Little Egrets flying over on the way.

11th Century Church at Coombes

Beginning our climb up to the top of the Downs, we passed a Norman chapel and couldn't resist a look, reviving another hobby of the past. In my cycling days I was in the habit of seeking the cool interiors, and yew-shaded graveyards, of country churches to revive from the hot work of pedalling and I began to buy and collect the guide books of those visited. In those far off days the churches were unlocked so anyone passing could enter for a spiritual, or in my case physical, recharge. Sadly this is rarely the case these days, but our little church was an exception.

Then it was on, up through the woods, to emerge high and clear with wide views over the South Downs and to realise our first mistake: the wind was quite strong. Nevertheless we pressed on out into the open, stopping to watch several Corn Bunting sitting up on fence posts making themselves heard quite easily above the wind. Skylarks were in evidence as well, and a couple of Swifts flew over.

We began to feel spots of rain and once we had got well clear of any decent cover, the skies opened for a bit. Luckily we had some pakamac-style temporary waterproof clothing. Unluckily, mine was still in the boot of my own car many miles away. We sheltered for a moment in the lee of a hedge, which kept the worst of it off, until fate noticed I was cheating it and caused the wind to drop for a while and allow the rain to fall straight down.

The shower quickly passed though. and we carried on slightly more soggily, to stop for sandwiches, overlooking a fine Sussex view of Downs, sheep, and distant (dry) dew ponds. No Quail to be seen or heard wanting their lips wet though, as we wet our own with something almost - but not quite entirely - unlike tea.

The walk back with the cliffs of home in the far distance

After lunch we began our return but by a different route, turning the walk into a large circle. A Stonechat, reluctant to be evicted from his chosen territory by us, moved ahead, giving ground one post, shrub or tree at a time, stopping to sit up and sing. I am all in favour of these little chaps, like the Stonechat and the earlier Buntings which sit on top of things in clear view. Yes, Cetti's Warblers, this comment is aimed at you: Stop yelling at me from impenetrable bushes.

Teddie's Bear's Retirement Home (sic)

By the time we had returned to the car, the sky was blue and the sun mocking our hats and jackets. We had been passing through fields of wheat and poppies with views over the distant sea, of the historic airport at Shoreham and the imposing chapel of Lancing College. We also discovered where old toys retire, although it doesn't look entirely voluntary to me. Some House Martins were darting across the sky near here and during the walk we had also come across a number of Linnets and been barked at by Jays.

I am not a wildlife expert, being very much the first year pupil of my birdwatching friend but I am beginning to try and satisfy my curiosity about the insects and plants we see on our expeditions too. The butterflies really did not want to be photographed this time, and the wind was not helping but we did see Red Admirals, Marbled Whites (which I understand are actually “Browns”), Small Heaths and Meadow Browns and a possible Dark Green Fritillary. Amongst the plants were many beautiful Poppies, the orchid above, Birdsfoot Trefoil and Viper's Bugloss. There were also some fungi which made the earlier, damper part of the walk seem disturbingly and prematurely Autumnal. I hope there's plenty more Summer to come first.

I was feeling I had really done some walking again after a few weeks off and we returned home for a welcome sit down and a cup of tea in front of the television in time to see a great stage win in "Le Tour" for the Manx Missile, Mark Cavendish.