We turned on to the road that ran past the airport which used to be the Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, HMS Daedalus, and was one of the primary shore airfields of the Fleet Air Arm. First established as a seaplane base in 1917 during the First World War, it later became the main training establishment and administrative centre of the Fleet Air Arm. Today the area is an enterprise zone, the airport serving engineering, flight instruction and local business and pleasure flight.
Another turn took us alongside the Overlord building, and rather dilapidated warehouse surrounded by security fencing and with spoil heaps at either end, weeds were growing between cracked concrete hardstandings. On the other side of the road newly built business properties, and houses. It looked the perfect spot for the bird I was hoping to find, a male Black Redstart. Ian being close has had several visits to see the bird and was kind enough to bear with me this morning to allow me the chance to catch up with it.
Getting out of the car it was still gloomy, sun rise was around 7:30 but the overcast conditions of Friday were still with us so it was going to take a while to reach full brightness. I scanned the area checking the Overlord building and walking down to the spoil heaps, nothing was about. Coming back to the car I saw something on the roof of one of the terraced houses, sure enough it was the Black Redstart. With a little persuasion it came down and confidingly perched on the fencing around the Overlord building.
For once a stunning male, all the Black Redstarts I have seen in the United Kingdom have been immature or females. I have seen many males abroad, mostly around the offices I would visit in Munich, so to catch up with a male and one as superb as this bird here in the UK was special.
Despite the gloom it photographed well with the lovely blurred background adding to the scene.
A slight breeze ruffled the feathers that appear almost silvery in colour but are dark with grey fringes. All the time the red tail was flicked to show flashes of colour against the grey.
There has also been reports of a female bird being present here too, but the male has been reported for the last two weeks and has probably been present since before Christmas.
It flew from the fence into one of the small saplings planted alongside the new business development. Who knows in years to come when these young trees are grown sufficiently they may well hold berries that attract Waxwings, we can but hope.
The species originally inhabited stony ground in mountains,
particularly cliffs, but since about 1900 has expanded to include similar
urban habitats including bombed areas during and after World War II, and
large industrial complexes that have the bare areas and cliff-like buildings it
originally favoured. In the United Kingdom
most of the small breeding population (20 to 50 pairs) nests in such industrial
areas of major cities such as London, Birmingham and Nottingham.
On passage it is fairly common on the east and south coasts,
and in winter on the coasts of Wales and western and southern England, with a
few also at inland sites. Migrant black redstarts arrive in Britain in October
or November and either move on or remain to winter, returning eastward in March
or April. It will be interesting to see what happens to the birds seen here. The site would be perfect for them.
The male then flew to another man made structure, this time giving the opportunity to see the gorgeous white flashes in the wings, set against the dark of the overall plumage and the orange, fiery red of the rump and tail.
We had arrived found the bird, photographed it with some excellent views, now it was time to move on there was a lot to get through today. As we started to put the stuff away Ian called out as a Peregrine flew over. We assumed it must have been roosting on the radio mast alongside the airport. Here a poor record shot of it as it caught us by surprise.
Our next stop was to be for another bird that has been about for about a week. We set off on the longish journey to the otherside of the Solent and a site just outside Fawley, Badminston Gravel Pits to be precise. Here over the week a Hoopoe had been delighting birders. Another bird that has probably been about for a while it was first reported last Saturday and once again Ian had seen it on the Sunday.
As we pulled ou opposite the horse paddocks where it has been frequenting there were a few birders about, but the numbers started to steadily increase. We talked to one who had seen it about 15 minutes earlier and he said it had flown off to the south. We decided to have a walk around the gravel pits.
As gravel pits they are very overgrown with only a few areas of open water to view. There were Mallard, Gadwall and teal present and in the reeds Long-tailed Tits while a group of Bullfinches were in the bushes.
Back at the horse paddocks the number of birders had increased and they were spread out around the outside of the paddock. Then a bird flew over with a slightly undulating flight on large broad wings, unmistakably a Hoopoe and we watched as it headed towards the trees at the back of the paddock. Hopes of it landing in the tree faded as it disappeared behind them so we decided to walk around to see whether we could find it.
With everyone staying put we struck lucky with Ian finding the hoopoe at the back of another paddock behind the trees. It was a little way off but not so it wasn't possible to get some acceptable photographs.
Typical Hoopoe behaviour, scurrying across the grass probing as it went, but at the same time watchful and nervous.
It has been a long while since I have seen one in the UK, the last being a bird I found at Stanford le Hope in Essex, this was a county first.
It slowly moved away from us and down a slope which obscured it from view.
Then it flew off around the back of the trees and lost to us. We decided though we had seen enough, and rather than wait with all the other birders to return to the paddocks (which it did), we were moving on to the next stop in the New Forest.
It was a pleasant drive through Beaulieu and then across the forest to Brockenhurst where we accessed the ornamental drive to Puttles Bridge. We had visited here back in December but it was now another year on, and we were here once again to try and see the Great Grey Shrike
As we walked from the car park and across the road Fieldfare and Redwing could be seen in the bushes. We walked through the pine copse and in the distance we could see two birders scanning across the bog. We made our way to them and they pointed out a distant Great Grey Shrike. As we watched it then flew away from the top of the the distant tree into a collection of more trees and promptly disappeared.What to do? Stay and wait or walk around the area? We opted as usual to walk on and hope we came across it. There was always the hope that we might come across the reported Merlin. We walked around the loop wading through the stream and negotiating a very muddy path. The only bird of note was a Green Woodpecker and a Treecreeper in the trees close to the stream. But there was no sign of the Great Grey Shrike. Coming out in front of the line of Silver Birches we were told it had been about there briefly, but had again disappeared. We stood scanning the area with no sign of it. Once again it was decision time, wait here or move on. I think if we hadn't seen the shrike in December the view we had would not have been acceptable, however it was enough for us so we walked our way back to the car and decided on the next location. That would be Mark Ash Wood just off the Boulderwood Ornamental Drive, the other side of the A35.
After lunch in the car park we set out to the south side of the drive. We passed a flock of Chaffinches, but didn't stop, deciding to walk on in the hope of coming across more. This didn't happen though, there were plenty of Robin, Blackbirds and more Treecreepers. This Song Thrush had a bill full of grubs so it could be that it had young in the nest already.
Mark Ash wood is one of those places that we always visit at this time of year, usually a little later in the month, and in the hope of finding a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. On these visits we always come across a clump of narcissus or wild daffodils underneath a Beech tree. Today we thought we might be a little early but as we walked through the wood Ian cried out, they were there, and they were in perfect bloom.
As we walked back to the car park we came across the flock of finches once again, and this time we paid them careful attention. This resulted in me finding a male Brambling in amongst the Chaffinches and Redwing in the trees. Ian too had another fly past us. With our target bird secured we turned our attention to Marsh Tit, another year tick and there were plenty about. Their song is very similar to that of a Great Tit, but once you tune in it is easily recognisable.
On the other side of the drive we came across several more that posed a lot better.
We continued the search for the finch flocks, without much luck. I stopped to watch a very noisy Wren
Here thundering out the song at full volume.
Walking back to the car we came across a pair of Nuthatches that showed very well.
Here the classic downward point stance with the head lifted.
At this time of year the Nuthatches are very vocal as they defend their territories. the two we watching tolerated each other so have to be considered a pair.
They are a bold and aggressive bird, quite prepared to take on larger birds such as Starlings as they feed.
Our plans did originally include Blashford, but it was now getting late so we decided to make the annual pilgrimage to Eyeworth Pond for the Mandarin Ducks. On arriving there was no sign of them, but it could have been due to the number of visitors around the car park and the area close to the water.
We saw a male briefly but then disappeared. We walked down to the overflow and managed to see a couple of pairs through the low branches of the trees by the water's edge.
Another drake emerged from the island, and swam across to the same covered area.
But they stayed distant and only gave brief views. Then a couple of males came out from the trees and swam across the main pond towards the island, they were beginning to get a little closer.
And another swam back sticking to the far side of the pond.
The car park started to empty, and we were left to watch the tits around feeding area, although the only food on offer was lumps of brad. This Long-tailed Tit came down to investigate.
We sat and watched the Mandarins behind the branches on the island. We were quiet and there was hardly anyone else about. As a result one of the drakes came out from the island and swam towards us.
A car started up and the duck turned back.
But as the car left it turned and headed back, maybe the possibility of finding left over food was the incentive.
Then it stopped and lifted out of the water to flap the wings.
Beautiful little ducks that are always a photographers delight with the bright colours against the dark water.
Sunset was just after five pm, so we had some time. The last stop was to be Black Gutter Bottom, and maybe Hen Harriers coming into roost? Well this wasn't to be, I did get a brief glimpse of a Merlin flying over the ridge,m but we couldn't find it again. All we were left with was the tree on the horizon, always an attraction for a black and white landscape shot..
But the start was the super moon that came up over the horizon and through the clouds. This month the super moon is known as a "Snow Moon" because it is sometimes associated with snow storms. Again I went for a black and white image.
Looking east across the heath.
There were no harriers, but the Fallow Deer appeared on the ridge as if from nowhere.
As we left the moon had risen higher, here in colour.
A great day allowing us to pick up some good year ticks, and of course I was able to add Hoopoe to the county list. There were also some great photographs of the commoner woodland birds
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