We set off down the main track, the first time this year. Robins and Wrens could be heard in song, and in the back ground a little flourish of Blackbird, the first one heard this year so far. We stopped at a group of conifers, mainly Larches and listened. Above us birds were coming out of the roost, we could see Chaffinches, but nothing else stood out. Great Tits and Blue Tits called and there were smaller birds, Goldcrests or possibly Firecrests, it was impossible to tell in the gloom.
Moving on we could hear the calls of both Siskin and Crossbill above us and very briefly the call of silhouette of a Hawfinch. We made our way to the dead tree, always a topic of discussion between the two of us, and a subject of photography. Today I went for a different approach.
There were branches broken and on the floor, and you have to wonder with the frequency of the storms we have been getting how long this landmark will remain in place.
We followed the main cycle path with the intention of completing the loop back to the car park by walking towards Milyford Bridge and turning up over Acres Down itself. Above us we could hear the calls of Siskin and Crossbill, and would get teasing views as they broke from the tree tops. A Small cigar shaped bird flew across the path and I suspected we might have found one of our target birds for the day. I confess we played the call and it broke form the tree, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. It showed briefly in the trees before disappearing from us but we were both made up. Its not always a guaranteed sighting but, despite the lack of photography opportunity, it was a good view.
A little further on a we came across a singing Firecrest. Again no photo opportunity but we could follow the bird as it fed in the branches of the pine tree above our heads. The route then turned into the wooded area and then out at the bottom of the hill where the path leads up to Acres Down. Redwing and Chaffinches were in the trees, but then Ian pointed out a Hawfinch sitting at the top of one of the distant trees.
Here a little bit better.
We tried to get a little closer but true to form it flew off joined by two others.
Looking up the hill beyond the boggy patch we could see large flocks of Redwing coming off the ground and into the surrounding trees. We decided to cross the bog and head towards them. As we got closer we started to flush more and more Redwing and Song Thrush from the wet ground under the gorse bushes. They would appear from nowhere and fly off with a "seep" call and away into the the trees at the bottom of the slope. A couple of Mistle Thrushes flying low across the heath raised the pulses in anticipation of maybe a Merlin.
The forecast for the day was for it to be windy but overcast. What they didn't say was that the cloud would become low and would be full of drizzle. As we covered up the cameras and walked through the gorse there was a burst of song close by. It was a series of melodious warbling notes that built to a crescendo in both fullness of sound while falling in pitch, the very distinctive song of the Woodlark. They will sing in flight but will also do so from the top of a bush or even on the ground. We headed towards where we though the song had come from but couldn't see anything resembling the Woodlark. We flushed some small birds and followed them as they dropped back into the heather. These though looked more like Meadow Pipits.
As the drizzle eased we walked along the shelter of a line of trees, heading towards the Acres Down viewpoint. On reaching the main track across the down we heard the distinctive song once again coupled with a repeated call that sounded like "tuluwee tuluwee". We could tell the bird was close but couldn't see it on any bush. I scanned the ground and found it on the edge of a puddle in the middle of the main track, perfectly camouflaged in the twigs and branches of the heather.
it continued to call repeatedly, the crown raised as it appeared to look around the area.
Then it flew up while still calling and was joined by another and they gained height and flew around our heads before dropping away out of sight again. We walked on a little further and came across the two birds once again. The calls once again alerting us to them. We were able to get closer using the cover of the gorse bushes.
Both birds were visible and both were calling as if displaying to each other.
While one bird would call the other would flatten itself to the ground as if being submissive to the other. When the other bird appeared to have no interest in this behaviour it would fly at it and chase it away.
We surmised that these were a pair, both adult birds having similar plumage it was impossible to tell. The only indicator is that the female is slightly smaller which we could not determine.
The woodlark favours open, dry habitats with short grasses.
It can be seen all year-round, but is most notable in February and March when
displaying and singing ahead of the breeding season. Mostly, it is a resident bird in the forest,
feeding on seeds and insects, but does move to farmland stubbles for the autumn
and early winter, and in bad winter weather move south to warmer areas. Nesting is early with eggs laid in late March
in a nest on the ground. Incubation
takes between 11 to 13 days.
Adult woodlarks have reddish-brown crowns and upperparts with black streaks. Their rumps are brown and the wings have pale tips and edges. Flight feathers are dark brown and the tail is dark brown with black stripes and white tips.
Woodlarks’ underparts are buff coloured, their breasts are streaked with black and there are grey streaks on the flanks. they have a pinkish-brown bill, dark brown eyes and pink legs and feet. Their hind toes having a long claw.
Here the crest raised as the two birds continued to call at each other and go though the "lay flat on the ground and when you ignore me I will chase you off" behaviour/
Then one chase ended with both birds flying off and we decided to leave them to it. We could see a group of birders collecting at the viewpoint. This seemed a complete waste of time because in the conditions there was very little chance of a Buzzard appearing let alone the Goshawks that the area is well known for. We would be returning on a white fluffy cloud day for that.
As we stood talking to them a pair of Ravens flew past battling against what was now quite a forceful wind.
We made our way back to the car park and debated the next place to visit. It was either to be Blashford or maybe a visit to Toyd Down just close to Martin Down. We had never been here and the attraction was one of the reintroduced Great Bustards that has been present there for sometime. In the wind and rain we decided against the warmth of a hide at Blashford and decided on the trip to the north of the forest.
Pulling onto the A31 and heading towards Ringwood in driving rain I was questioning the decision, but as we drove past the turn for Blashford the rain had stopped and it was relatively dry. The sat nav took us onto the road that leads through Harbridge. Just over the bridge the fields were flooded and we stopped to have a look through the swans. There was nothing of note besides the Mute Swans and a single Little Egret. But as we scanned a pair of Kestrel flew low across the water and dropped down onto the road.
It seemed quite strange both birds landing on the road, and the behaviour became even strangers as they hopped around after each other, the the female appeared to offer herself by leaning forwards, raising her wings and crouching down. The male wasn't at all interested!
they were most likely using the road as this was the driest spot in the area, but it didn't appear to do anything for the male.
In amongst the flooded meadow and the clumps of grass was a patch of Marsh Marigolds some of the earliest I can recall.
The sat nav was telling us to head through the village but ahead was a large flood across the road. Some cars were driving through but I decided it wasn't worth the risk and so turned around and took the road through Fordingbridge. On reaching the little village of Tidpit you turn right and follow a single track road up hill, parking just before the Farm. From here the track turns into a bridleway with fields with sheep and crops on either side.
Heading along the track we scanned the fields in search of a large bird, but all we found to start with was a small covey of Red-legged Partridges. Then a little further along a smart male Yellowhammer. There were also a group of Yellowhammer around some feeding troughs in the field to the south of the track. Closer inspection also revealed a few Corn Bunting. When they flew up they headed out across the field settling amongst a group of Starling, but on closer inspection we could see many more Yellowhammer and as many Corn Buntings as well. I can't recall seeing so many Corn Bunting here in Hampshire, there must have been around 50 present.
A pair of Stonechat were on the cropped hedge that ran along the northern side of the track. The male Stonechat looking very smart in full breeding plumage.
As we continued to scan the Yellowhammers flew around us once again. This female settling on the hedge behind us.
A Red Kite was cruising over the fields, occasionally being mobbed by crows.
It finally settled down in the field and appeared to be eating the remains of a rabbit.
We decided to walk the track as it rose up over the down and then down the otherside. A strip of trees was providing cover for thrushes as they fed on an open field close by. Redwing, Fieldfare, Mistle and Song Thrushes could be seen flying to and fro the field and the trees. A male Yellowhammer posed nicely on the hedge before us.
Checking the map it was possible to walk a loop around the area, so we turned off the main track and headed back up hill moving away to the south. A partridge flew across and what we first thought was a Grey Partridge turned out to be a Red-legged on photographic evidence. A pair of Roe Deer were settled in the field, and behind them were two Brown Hares. A little further along another Brown Hare appeared along the edge of the field. Still distant but a little closer than the earlier two.
Considering the weather earlier as we had left Acres Down the conditions now were superb in comparison, if not still with a very brisk wind. Tod Down is to the west of Martin Down, nad it was nice to look across and be able to pick out Bokery Dyke on the horizon. The area here is very similar with rolling hills and farmland, it just lacks the grassland that is present on Martin Down. The way the area is farmed though appears to be for the liking of the bird life if the numbers of Yellowhammer, Skylark, Corn Bunting and all the Thrushes present are to be used as a guide.
We were heading down the path now towards the main track we had walked earlier. A quick check of Go Birding told us that the Great Bustard had been reported at midday in a sheep field alongside a crop field. This could only be where we had passed earlier, how could we have missed it. We carried on a swifter pace down the hill, only pausing to enjoy the amazing view.
A Red Kite, the same bird as earlier was quartering the sheep field to the south, the field we considered to have the Bustard. It came close cruising in the strong wind.
We scanned the field to the south there was nothing, but was the field next to the sheep field a crop field or just grazing. On closer inspection it looked like grass. So we decided to take a look on the other side. In the distance is a Kale field that it has been seen in before, in front of that there were sheep grazing, and next to it on the western side was what looked to be a good candidate for a crop field. Due to a hill we couldn't see all the field so I decided to walk back to see if I could get a better view. As I did so Ian called out he had found the bird. It was at the very far side in the north eastern corner of the sheep field. We walked down to see if we could get marginally closer. This was the result.
This is a re-introduced bird, in the UK, the great bustard became nationally extinct when
the last bird was shot in 1832. This iconic species of the Wiltshire landscape
returned to the UK in 2004 when the Great Bustard Group initiated the 10-year
trial reintroduction. Initially Russian birds were introduced but these did not fair too well, and in the last five years birds from Spain have been introduced
Over the last 15 years, hundreds of birds have been released
on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire by the Great Bustard Group (GBG) and a
"self-sustainable" population of about 100 great bustards has now
been established in the UK. They are now beginning to wander and there have been reports not just of this bird but of sightings in Sussex, and another individual just outside Keyhaven.
Frustratingly this one continued to move away, the combination of the colouring of the bird and the ground making it had for the lens to pick out a smart image.
It is thought that the word Bustard is derived from
‘Bustarde’ and ‘Bistard’ which date back to at least the fourteenth century,
having been recorded as a surname in 1391. Most sources state that this is
derived from the Latin avis tarda, meaning slow bird. This became abetarda or betarda in
Portuguese, avutarda in Spanish, ottarda in Italian
and oustarde and bistarde in Old French. It is suggested
that the English is derived from a blend of the two French words with the form
Bistard found in some 16th and 17th century sources. Great Bustards had
traditional local names in different parts of the country. In Sussex they
were called ‘Shepherd’s Wild Turkey’.
It moved further away associating with the sheep and now following the edge of the kale field. Another awful blurred photograph, but you get the picture (or not)!
Over the period of the two named storms Blashford has taken a beating. I certain areas trees have blocked boardwalks and the main car park at the Tern Hide was flooded and the hide subsequently closed. As I pulled into the reserve you could see signs of these events with still large puddles dotted around. I decided that the first hide to visit would be the Woodland Hide. On entering there was no one else present and I settled down by the only open window.
Blue and Great Tits were using the feeders while Chaffinches patrolled underneath for any fall out as I sat down. No sooner had I raised the camera to a ready position than a chorus of alarm calls rang out and everything scattered. From the left side of the hide cane a blur of bluish grey and a male Sparrrowhawk settled in the branches of the bush just outside the window. It was that close that with the lens at 400mm it was too close and I couldn't get it all in.
Its always about those eyes, the wide pupils showing inky black against the striking orange iris, menacing and forbidding.
It sat still at first as I scrambled the adjust the lens, then switched positions allowing me one opportunity to capture the whole bird before it was off twisting through the branches with amazing agility.
At home when we get one of these visits in the garden it takes awhile for the birds to return to the feeders but here they returned almost instantly. A Blue Tit waiting for the opportunity.
A Nuthatch appeared in the same bush that the Sparrowhawk had been in, carefully watching and waiting for its clearance to attack the feeders.
Unusually a single Long-tailed Tit sat in the branches.
They seem to be my staple diet for the camera recently.
In a short while they will be pairing up and leaving the roaming flocks to start to build there beautiful nest ball of spiders web, lichen and moss.
A Goldfinch waited for its chance, the head covered in the dust from pushing into the feeder to get to the seed.
Finally a Great Tit, plenty of these about and several belting out the "teacher" calls that are one of the signs of spring for me.
I had hoped for a Redpoll or maybe a Brambling but nothing happened, so I decided to leave and try another hide. A spell in the Ivy Lake South failed to deliver anything other than large groups of Wigeon, Cormorants in the trees and Tufted Duck in front of the hide.
Next was a visit to the new Tern Hide. It has been about since May of last year but this was my first visit and I can't say I was that impressed. First impressions are of a large hide, but once inside there is only about half of the area that points out across Ibsley Water that actually has opening windows. To the right it is shit off, while to the left about a third of the building has ceiling to floor windows that do not open, and the glass is covered with the same material used to screen the glass used in the Woodland and Ivy North hide. This means that trying to look out to the left and the south west corner of the lake you have to battle with a reflection on the glass from the windows that do open looking north.
I was able to sit and scan with the telescope. Most of the wildfowl was tucked out oif the wind on the westerns hore. There were plenty of Pintail, Wigeon, Pochard Tufted Duck and Shoveler. I could also make out several drake Goosander. To the north there was at least 5 male Goldeneye with the same number of females. As usual the birds were keeping away from the hide and anything that was close was tucked to the side where the windows made viewing impossible.
On my way home I popped into Alresford to check the water cress beds at Pinglestone and Drayton. There was hardly anything about besides some Mallard, a Little Egret and plenty of Woodpigeon. The rain was returning and I made my way home. An interesting day with plenty of year ticks, the Great Bustard and Sparrowhawk encounter the stand outs, but once again the weather did not play ball, one has to hope the spring comes soon and with it much better weather.
