March 2026 Ramsbury Bird Notes by Paul Swan

Cetti’s warbler

A couple of walks in Burnt Copse with watery sunshine have produced an interesting variety of birds. As well as multiple robins we saw blue, great, long tailed and marsh tits. An over wintering blackcap was in fine voice, and may well be thinking about nesting here, which would be very special. A male goldcrest came very close, and as the wind pushed it’s crest up it was a dramatic orange. A female bullfinch flew by, and we waited in vain to see its beautiful partner.

Both in Burnt Copse and on the way to Littlecote we watch the nests used by red kites last year, and in both cases the pair are staying close by but have not yet started the rebuilding that will clearly be needed. At Seven Bridges we were delighted to hear the explosive song of a Cetti’s warbler. These secretive birds are now clearly resident in that area. If the weather warms up, they will lay their four eggs at the end of this month. It would be wonderful to find one of their nests as unusually, the eggs are bright red!

Having recently enjoyed the film ‘H for Hawk’, it is great news that we have goshawks nesting within a few miles of the village.