Cleeve Hill Common, 17th April 2023
We chose Cleeve Hill for an outing this month because it is noted as a ‘stop-over’ point for migrating Ring Ouzels as well as being the highest hill in the Cotswolds. The Ring Ouzel, known colloquially as the Mountain Blackbird, is a summer visitor to the UK where it breeds in remote mountainous locations. The ones we see locally in the spring are passing through, having spent the winter in Southern France, Spain or North-West Africa and they will likely go on to breed in Wales, Northern England, Scotland or even Scandinavia. Similar in appearance to their relative, the common Blackbird, they are distinguished by a bold white half collar at the top of the breast. Sadly, these birds have suffered reductions in numbers, estimated at over 40%, since the late 1960s/early 70s. They are red-listed in the UK, ie at the highest level of conservation concern, although it is heartening that their populations across most of the rest of Europe are generally stable.
Eleven members of our group arrived at the Cleeve Hill Common car park in mist and light drizzle, and we set off in a north-easterly direction. Fortunately, the mist and rain gradually cleared and the whole area became alive with the songs of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Tree Pipits which accompanied us throughout our walk. A quiet spot overlooking a dry valley gave us extensive views of scrubby trees and bushes alongside plenty of grassland, and we were rewarded with good sightings of Tree Pipits, Yellowhammers, Red Kites, Blackbirds and Magpies (which we hoped at first might be the elusive Ring Ouzels), a Stonechat, and the songs of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. Finally after persistent searching with a telescope we located two Ring Ouzels, probably a male and a female on the opposite side of the valley. They were a long way off, but we walked across and watched them again for a while at about 100 yards distance, which gave us a much better view.
A walk back across the hill to the western escarpment gave us sightings of a Buzzard, Swallows, the Red Kites again, and the laughing call of a Green Woodpecker from the woodland below. The views from the hill were stunning, both west over Cheltenham and to the east across the Cotswolds. The highlight of the day was of course the Ring Ouzels, which proved to be a first for all but two members of the group.
List of sightings
| Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) | Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) | Red Kite (Milvus milvus) | |
| Buzzard (Buteo buteo) | Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) | Magpie (Pica pica) | |
| Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula) | Rook (Corvus frugilegus) | Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) | |
| Great Tit (Parus major) | Skylark (Alauda arvensis) | Swallow (Hirundo rustica) | |
| Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) | Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) | Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) | |
| Blackbird (Turdus merula) | Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus) | Robin (Erithacus rubecula) | |
| Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) | Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) | Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) | |
| Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) | Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) | Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) | |
| Wren |
