DAVID'S NATURE BLOG

21 MARCH 2026 – SOUTHERN COUNTRY PARK and SURROUNDS

This was to be a walk to Southern Country Park, and the fields around Matham’s Pit to try for Skylarks and Blackcaps, following my walk on 18 March along the River Stort, when I was thwarted in my efforts to take my intended route - from Spellbrook to St. James’ Church and its surrounding farmland - due to an extremely muddy (and therefore possibly dangerous) towpath from Thorley Wash to Spellbrook.

I started out from home at 0940 hrs heading straight for Southern Country Park (SCP), arriving there around 10.15 hrs. There is a small woodland along Thorley Lane near to the northern entrance to SCP, where I had reasonable views of a Nuthatch, and where I was able to get a few photos using the 100-400mm telephoto lens on my camera (though, even then they required enlarging in processing for the final result), as well as photos of early Bluebells; Wood Violets; White Deadnettle, and a couple of Bee Flys (which are fascinating insects).

Into the park, the first birdsong came from a Cetti’s Warbler and a distant Chiffchaff, though I saw neither. Near to the boardwalk along the northern perimeter of the lake, I heard the screaming call of a Water Rail, but with no chance of an actual sighting, I did at least know that the species was still present here, which was encouraging. There was little activity on the lake other than the usual suspects (Mallards; Moorhens and a Coot), but a lovely display of Daffodils on the east bank. I walked around woodland areas west of the lake, then made my way down to the Old Pond, and the Ancient Wood near the Spring Meadow without encountering anything out of the ordinary except another singing Chiffchaff. I did catch a snatch of a Blackcap song, but the Saturday traffic along St. James Way drowned it out, and although I crossed over the footbridge to the other side of the road, I was unable to locate the songster.

On the way to open farmland (which I call Matham’s fields that surrounds Matham’s Pit fishing lake, I saw a pair of Long-tailed Tits with nesting material, eventually locating the nest, which was almost complete. I stayed for half an hour or so, watching the birds bringing more material to the nest, located in brambles across a small ditch, taking a series of photographs at quite close range. These delightful birds were quite confiding, so I was able to remain in situ without causing undue stress.

A short way along the track I gained a view of a Eurasian Treecreeper, which stayed in view for a few minutes, allowing me to take several photos via the telephoto. It was my first treecreeper of the year, a bird that I don’t see any way on any kind of regular basis hereabouts.

Nearing Matham’s Pit I was struck by the almost complete lack of bird calls, other than a mewing Buzzard, and the twittering of Blue Tits and Robins’ song; but what was deafening was the silence from a complete absence of Skylarks. In previous years Skylarks were already on territory and singing readily by the end of February on these fields, but today not a single Skylark song could be heard, and this continued all the way up to St. James Church. The entirety of fields had been planted with (I think) Brussel Sprouts that were well established, but that hasn’t seemingly prevented Skylarks from seeking territories before. I can only hope that maybe the birds were already here, but were not yet vociferous, but it was worrying nonetheless and was a disappointing end to what had been an interesting morning’s walk. I was home by 13.30 hrs.