Alice Holt

Promised Sarah that I would get her first sighting on the ground today - what a mistake!
Got an early start this morning as the forecast was so good to be greeted by mist and fog!
Was at Botany Bay for the first four hours and walked right through to Tugley Wood and Oaken wood and back again - nothing! Spoke to number of likeminded folk who also reported nothing so set off for Alice about noon.
Got to Alice at about 1.30pm and parked at the South end of Abbots wood and walked right through to tht car park in VERY warm sunshine - nothing on route.
I pointed out the territory at the car park to Sarah and said 'that's where I saw some' and immediately a male set out from one of the pines - we watched for about twenty minutes and saw several sorties and eventually a tussle between two - so at least the day was part saved.
Drove over to Goose Green Old car park at about 3pm and saw one on the chesnut within two minutes.
We watched the territory for about 45mins and there was one pursuit of three males across the road which was quite spectacular. There was one male in a gap in the oaks and I estimate that in total probably five were present - so hopefully things are looking a bit brighter.
Finished off a HOT day with a walk up the main track at Straits but nothing again!
Didn't get the promised viewing on the ground but got plenty of purple flash fixes from the pursuits at Goose Green so all was not lost.
MarkT