A Change of Scene...

Instead of my usual wander around the Golf Course and Saxon Mill fields, this weekend I thought I would change direction and head for the racecourse instead.  The Saxon Mill is less than two miles from the Racecourse, yet it's amazing how the variety of birds can change in such a short distance. 

 I approached the small reservoir at the back of the circuit just as it was getting light and immediately added little grebe to both my own green year and the Warwick 100 lists.  Known affectionately as 'The Toxic Pool' by the 100 team, for its historic lack of wildlife, it has been well managed in recent years and has started to look a more likely spot for duck, warblers and maybe even the odd wader or two during passage.

A quick peek in the fields to the back of the course didn't produce the partridge I was hoping for, so it was on to the centre, as the morning started to brighten and the birds began to appear - kestrel, buzzard, and great spotted woodpecker the highlights along with the usual residents.

The centre of Warwick Racecourse is definitely worth a visit, armed with a pair of binoculars.  Part of it has a small golf course and driving range, where little owl and redstart have been recorded in past years.  The Caravan Club has a small section and there are football pitches where wheatear have been known to stop while passing through in Spring.  The rest is grassland - an important habitat for breeding skylark and meadow pipits, both of which were new to my green list today.  Work is constant to protect these areas from the threat of development, model aeroplanes and dogs, but it was encouraging to see fencing in place during the breeding season and the numbers of successful pairs rose last year.   

There is an area of wetland at the far end of the grass; home to reed buntings (another year tick for me), water rail, the occasional visiting stonechat and whinchat and the most amazing evening roost of snipe in Winter.  Sometimes up to 30 snipe will come out of the roost at dusk, with jack snipe also spotted last year.

Lastly, part of the wasteland has been turned over to a wildflower meadow, with finch flocks appearing since planting.  A chance to spot goldfinches, linnets and chaffinch and to dream of a brambling amongst them!  Today, though, a brambling wasn't to be.  

A single snipe flew up from the wetland as I left for the walk home, taking the Warwick 100 list to 66 so far and me very happy, having enjoyed the change of scene.

Lizzy