Fifteen members joined the walk to Puttenham Common, and although the weather was fine, with no wind, many expected birds were lacking. While waiting at the start, Canada geese were heard but not seen. At Cutt Mill, there were fortunate views for some of a Kingfisher and for others of a male Mandarin Duck. Three Great-Crested Grebes were out on the water (one adult and two juveniles), plus six Mallard and a Cormorant. Towards the southern end, there were 3 good specimens of Brown Birch Bolete Leccinum scabrum – near to a birch tree, helping to confirm the ID!

Walking along the road back to The Tarn, the group was treated to good, close views of a Buzzard flying along the road away from us but below the tree branches. They are impressive birds when seen close to. The Tarn provided two Grey Herons, two Black-Headed Gulls, and a blackbird for our list.  A large Beefsteak Fungus Fistulina hepatica was also seen in prime condition, bizarrely almost on the ground, but definitely attached to a tree.  Warren Pond then gave us sightings of Moorhen and Coot and a male Teal briefly visited The General’s Pond.

Various Tits were seen and heard on the pines as we walked up to the Hill Camp, but foliage stopped proper views.  Jackdaws were seen and a Raven heard cronking (along with numerous Nuthatches making their presence known), as we climbed the hill. A brief drink stop sitting on the WW2 excavations showed how important these are for Aculeate Hymenoptera (solitary bees and wasps) which were flying in and out of lots of holes in the south facing slopes of the lumps and bumps – maybe Ivy Bees Colletes hederae?  Swallows were also seen swooping over the Hill Fort. 

Continuing the walk, a Carrion Crow was seen, along with an unidentified single thrush high up in a tree on Hill Brow – most likely a Song Thrush, but the light was difficult.  We then made a surprising discovery of an uncommon Wild Service tree Sorbus torminalis. The final part of the walk across the gorse and heather-dominated area gave us a good view of a Great-Spotted Woodpecker working a silver birch, plus very good views of two Woodlark.  Curiously, no Stonechats or Dartford Warblers were seen here.

Although overall species numbers were low at eighteen species seen and six heard, we had some good sightings of birds with some bonus Fungi.