This blog is about all forms of wildlife I record around North Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes in particular. My main interests for 2012 will be looking for anything I've not seen before.

Saturday, October 23

Lodge Hill in the deep south, Lapper dip no. 1

Wow has it been over a week since my last post!
Well this morning I dragged Nik the 39 miles south to Lodge Hill Farm near Bledlow Ridge to try and refined the near week long Lapland Bunting found by Warren Claydon. After the hour long drive in bucketing rain we finally arrived at the parking area with the sun/light thinking about turning on. As forecast the rain had moved off by a 07:15, so we started our trek round to the farm and where the bird had been seen.
A mammal bonus was a pair of Roe Deer out in one of the open fields, these constituted my 31st mammal species for Bucks this year. I'd first seen this species in Cambridgeshire back at the end of January!
As I was speaking to Jim Rose to check we were in the right spot another birder appeared down the track and introduced himself as Warren Claydon (the finder of the Lapper on his local patch) So the three of us tried to locate this elusive bird in the stubble field before us. But alas no joy and with negative news from yesterday we gave up and headed back towards the car. I did however see a few Corn Buntings which were a 'tarty' year tick, but disappointed not to connect with the Lapland Bunting. Bet it's still there but the fields and site are massive.
Thanks to Jim and Warren for their help today.
A Bucks tick last week and a dip this week, I'll predict that we could be due some more Lapland Buntings before the years out...fingers crossed.

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