Valley of Fields Walk
This morning we walked from our home with a group of five other RSPB members on an approx 7 mile circuit (Valley of Fields Walk) through Oliver's Battery, Yew Hill butterfly reserve, Yew Hangers at Compton Down, and Shawford Down to Shawford station, where we had a snack at the excellent new Platform One cafe. Revived, we carried on beside the Itchen Navigation, along Five Bridges Road, by St Cross and over Bushfield Down to Oliver's Battery. We didn't spot the Osprey today but did meet a couple who had seen one last week in the area . Was it the same one we saw yesterday, I wonder? We did see lots of Chiffchaffs flitting over the water catching insects, and a pair of Grey Wagtails gathering nesting material.. The blip is the view from Compton Down looking towards Winchester and St Catherine's Hill, with its ancient earthworks from an Iron Age fort.
Plants found included Marsh Marigold, Butterbur and Coltsfoot by the Itchen Navigation, and Moschatel, in bud, in the yew hangers. I will try to return to Compton in a week or so to capture the Moschatel once the flowers are fully open.
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