"Seeing as I had finished school early, I decided to head down to Woolmer with lunch and see if anything was about." These were the rather uninspiring words this blog started with, on the 24th of April 2025. 365 days, 92 posts, hundreds of birds, and 17,059 views later, here we are. I've been planning for quite a while to go back to Woolmer for the first anniversary of the blog... the last time I was at Woolmer was on the 18th of October last year, when I saw the Great Grey Shrike. Since then, a move to Petersfield has kept me from coming to my previous beloved patch. It's just too much of a faff to get the train to Liss and bike to Woolmer two or three times a week. So I haven't been since we moved. That was until today.
I woke up at 5:45, made lunch, sorted out my bike, and caught the 7 o'clock train up to Liss, arriving in the village at 7:05. Back when I had been going regularly, my time to bike to Woolmer would be about 13 minutes... it took me 18 today. Oof. I saw a Swallow on the way, which was very nice as well.
I arrived already feeling tired, and quickly got my camera and binoculars out. I had hardly started biking down the path when a Dunnock popped onto the path. Some Blue Tits were about, a Robin was singing, and a decent species- Greenfinch- was heard calling. My day record for Woolmer was 56; I was aiming to beat that today, and the species just kept on coming in. Great Tit, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, and Chaffinch were all added in the woodland before I got up onto the main path, where immediately a Lesser Black-backed Gull flew off.
A Moorhen was on the mud, and I could hear the regular racket of Greylag and Canada Geese honking. A Coot was on the water, and a few Black-headed Gulls were around. Two Canada Geese flew over, and I was very happy to see a Mute Swan on the water- far from common here.
I soon spotted a few Tufted Ducks, and with nothing else visible, I moved on.
The first Woodpigeons of the day were on the path, and from a different angle looking at the lake, I could now see plenty of Sand Martins, and a Swallow flying about.
A Crow flew past in the distance, and a Gadwall on the pond was a good species to see. Some of the previously mentioned species were also closer, allowing for more acceptable photos.
A Herring Gull on the water added another species, and I heard a bird call less familiar to me, but I had my suspicions about what it was. And, sitting on a branch, out in the open, was what I suspected- a Reed Bunting.
I continued walking along the path, hearing a Goldcrest calling along the way. I stopped to look at a Song Thrush that was perched, before noticing a brown warbler singing from a branch higher up the tree. Hmm. A brief scan through the binoculars confirmed my suspicion- a Garden Warbler, a very nice species to see.
Another scan of the pond produced two more new species- Mallards and a Little Grebe, pushing the list up to 30 for the day.
A Greylag Goose showed itself, two Canada Geese flew over, a Robin was about, and a smart Chaffinch was singing from a branch.
A loud racket drifted to my ears, and the loud honking that was coming towards me was yet another new species for the day- Egyptian Goose.
A duck I noticed turned out to be a Teal, but with nothing else new visible on the water, I continued to bike around to the cottage.
I've really missed Woolmer. There's something about it I just love so much. It's so beautiful. I was loving this...
A while spent around the cottage didn't produce much other than a Long-tailed Tit, so I went to the gate looking over the large field and spent a while scanning stuff there. A Jackdaw came close, adding another species, along with a Magpie that flew through.
I was just tucking into my 4th fig roll of the morning when I heard something that made my heart rate go right up. The soft but strong sound "Cu-ckoo" drifted to my ears. And it was loud. Almost like the bird was close. I immediately switched my camera on and started searching around, and lo and behold, flying across was a stunning Cuckoo- wow!
It soon flew out of view, presumably landed, before calling for about 30 seconds. No matter how many times you see or hear a Cuckoo, it's always just so special. I was buzzing.
Some Linnets around were the 37th species added to the list, and I was very pleased to see 4 Egyptian Geese goslings around- last year, only one survived.
A bird that flew up from the ground was yet another good species- a Green Woodpecker. It unfortunately flew out of view before I could manage a picture.
I decided it would be worth biking back the way I came, right up the path towards the bridge over the A3 into Woolmer- I hoped it would bring some woodland species onto the list that I hadn't seen yet. There is part of the heathland visible from there as well, so I hoped to maybe pick up Woodlark or a Stonechat over there.
A Blue Tit perched very nicely for me, and three more Garden Warblers were singing from various bushes. Love their song.
As I continued round, more and more Garden Warblers were heard, along with plenty of Chaffinches, and I saw the Egyptian Geese again. A Feral Pigeon added another species to the list, and I was very happy to see two Swifts- the first I've seen this year.
I soon picked up another species- a Tree Pipit calling. I made it to the coniferous wooded part and saw a very cute, seemingly juvenile, Song Thrush.
I finally made it to the bridge over the A3 into Longmoor and set myself up to scan over the heath and trees. A first raptor of the day came in the form of a Buzzard circling, and I briefly saw and heard a Jay in the trees behind me.
I soon picked up a calling Stonechat and a singing Blackcap.
After I spent a while more here with no reward, I biked back the way I had come back towards the pond. Another Song Thrush I saw on the way was smashing a snail on the path before eating- very very cool to see.
I soon saw a Red Kite as I continued down the path, and saw the Tree Pipit.
On the small pond, a Grey Heron was fishing, becoming the 48th species on the list.
I planned to bike down to Range 2 and scan the field for Mistle Thrush or maybe a Wheatear. But for now, my focus was on what I could see as I biked down the path. I spotted a warbler calling from a tree, and with the call confirming my suspicions, Willow Warbler was added to the list- number 49.
I continued along the path before bumping into someone I've spoken to quite a few times here. Naturally, we had lots to catch up on and talk about, so we chatted for quite a while. About half an hour into the conversation, a falcon flew over our heads. "Looks like a Hobby", I said. And indeed it was. A little bit of a full circle moment there- Hobby was the main bird I saw in the blog's first post. And one year later to the day, the same thing happened- my first Hobby of spring, here, at Woolmer Pond, on the 24th of April. Hobby incidentally was the first ever orange-lettered bird on the blog...
It zipped around for a minute or two before being lost to view. Brilliant bird.
After finishing chatting, I continued on past the cottage and made it to the main part of the big field. A Red Kite was hunting pretty low down, and the hoped-for Mistle Thrush was added onto the list- there always seems to be one on this field!
To not waste time, I'm going to zip through the next 1 hour and 45 minutes, in which I didn't actually take any photos, and I searched for stuff in the field to no avail. I then biked back around to the cottage and up the path a little bit of the way to sit down and have lunch. From there, I wanted to go back to the bridge over the A3 to sit and watch the heathland, but as I was going up past range 1, I saw, much to my joy, that the flags were being put down. Normally, this happens at 16:00, and I had not been expecting to get into the middle today, which would've been a shame. But, at 13:45, the flags went down, so I biked in, starting off by biking around the lake, being careful to not disturb all the cattle around. I soon made it to the corner of Cranmer, where we pick up again now.
It is so beautiful here. I feel like it's unmatched. Nowhere else is quite like it. Yes, I'm biased, but this really is such an incredible place.
Anything can happen at any time. It's such a magical place. I love it so, so much.
As I continued along, intending to head to the heath, two Stock Doves that flew out became species 52 of the day.
As I came onto the path that heads past Cranmer and up to the heath, I flushed two birds, two brown, larklike birds. Another real Woolmer speciality- the Woodlark. Three flew up, but only one landed in view before calling and then flying off again. Stunning birds.
I moved on, biking past Cranmer, and picking up number 54 of the day- two Coal Tits. I was getting very close now to the previous day's total of 56...
I continued on, biking up the incredibly steep hill, glancing to the left, looking at all the cut-down trees, and stopping where I had spied the Great Grey Shrike all those months ago in the dusk. What a day that was.
I made it to the top of the hill and took a left, heading towards the hill with the best view over the heath. A few more Woodlarks were seen and heard (such an incredible song), and more Stonechats were seen.
I soon made it up the hill, found my usual seat on a stone, and sat there. And thought. Thought about, well, the year. A whole year of writing these blog posts. Wow. All the incredible birds seen. All the memories. I wouldn't swap it for anything. A Pheasant heard calling in the distance produced number 55 of the day, and as I lapped in the afternoon sun with a cool breeze drifting through, my total of the day rolled over onto 56 with a Dartford Warbler that flew by.
If I were to describe the word bliss to someone, I would take them here. What a day this was.
Sadly, with time whizzing by at an unbelievable rate, I continued on, hoping to see another Darty to photograph. I came across another Stonechat and went along the path that brings you out on the north side of Cranmer.
After a small search for a Darty to no avail, I decided it would be best if I headed my way back towards the cottage. After biking down the hill, through the gate and past Cranmer again, more Woodlarks showed up, allowing for incredible views and really good photo opportunities.
I biked around past the cottage and thought it would be nice to sit on the grassy bank of the pond for a final few minutes before leaving. Quite a few Canada Geese were about, and the Mute Swan was still present. Three Little Grebes were diving, and the usual Tufties were all about.
Sadly, with no more time available, I took one last, and a very long, one last look over the pond, before biking into the woods, through Greatham and back to the train station. I biked back with the previous day's total of 56 equalled, brilliant species seen, hundreds of memories from times past relived again, and new memories to last a lifetime.
Good night all: )
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