Tuesday 24th February 2026: Chantry Hill

 At last some sunshine! We set out mid afternoon for a pleasant stroll along the South Downs Way at Chantry Hill, and enjoyed a fine spectacle of farmland birds. A pair of Rooks were feeding in the grass as we arrived, and three Red Kites soared overhead. These were a constant presence throughout our walk, although it was unclear if we were seeing the same birds repeatedly or there were just lots of them! A pair of Ravens also passed over the fields.

We had not gone far before I spotted a suspicious looking lump at the edge of a field, which I thought might be a partridge. We edged closer, and it became apparent there were three birds huddled here, and eventually we managed to get to a position where we could determine they were Grey Partridge. Later on the walk we found the more commonly seen Red-legged Partridge too, and the calls of the Greys rang out as the sun began to drop and they became more visible in late afternoon.

Grey Partridge

Corn Buntings were plentiful, with over thirty seen in a single tree, their jangly calls ringing out loudly. A few Yellowhammers were also seen together with a couple of Fieldfares. Skylarks were everywhere and it was a delight to hear their joyful song filling the air, a real sign of the approach of Spring. A Song Thrush was also in full voice, although we failed to spot him. Other highlights included a family of Stonechats and a Great Spotted Woodpecker that flew into a tree in front of us.

Corn Bunting

Yellowhammer

Overall, it was a really enjoyable walk, with a nice variety of birds enjoying the sunshine, and so did we!