Winter birds on Black Down (National Trust)

Leader: Paul Nevett

Thick mist remained all morning. In addition to garden birds, Paul drew attention to the occasional Redwing, Bullfinch, Brambling, Redpoll and Goldcrest in the canopy and sightings of Stonechat and Treecreeper.
Small pits in the sandstone may have been where lumps of chert were sought for use in gun flints, producing good sparks.
Examining closely a beech leaf not entirely brown but with a small green area, the explanation was that a micromoth had laid an egg and the larva’s feeding had prevented the tree from absorbing back all the chlorophyll.