Monday 1st August

Walk in this morning was pretty quiet, until I reached the new underpass that Gallagher has built for the public footpath into Barming Woods. A bird flitted out of one the mature Sweet Chesnuts and quickly back in....a Spotted Flycatcher at last! Persistence paid off and eventually a count of 6 (presumably new family) were seen flitting in and out of the trees and often resting on the fence bordering the gallop. Further on there was no sign of the Little Owl, but a female Sparrowhawk harassed the large number of Collared Doves that have taken up residence on the corner of Kiln Barn Lane. A Rook was seen flying east as I walked along the entrance track to the research station - first for the year on this site!

A trip up to Oaken Woods, Barming to check for the elusive Nightjar between 21:00-22:30 was unproductive, it's frustrating not to have my earlier report confirmed. However on the path up from North Pole Road I saw 20+ Glow Worms. 3 falling stars seen clearly from the coppiced area went someway to making up for the disappointing.