It was a frosty morning, but clear and dry much like the new year has been so far this year. I was meeting Ian at Blashford Lakes but actually found each other on the M27 as we headed west. As the reserve was not open until 9:00 am we parked outside and then walked onto the reserve. The hides were closed but there was plenty about to take in. In the Alders good sized flocks of Siskin were feeding, the birds hanging from the dangling seeds. However being high up meant getting much colour definition was almost impossible so I decided on black and white.
The Woodland hide area was busy, many more Siskin calling and singing from the tops of the trees, a Great-spotted Woodpecker on one of the bird feeders and a Nuthatch that moved between the surrounding trees and the feeders.
Two male Goosander flew overhead followed by three red heads. Above a Song Thrush sang its repeated fluted song, moved when we tried to get a photograph, but fortunately it didn't go far, the challenge though was getting a view that was a little better than directly below it.
While all these birds were interesting, they were not what we were here for. We made our way around to the Ivy Lake North hide. We wanted to be there to be able to get the best seats from the hide. A Bittern has been showing throughout the month of January and of course we hoping for some good views.
The last time I had seen a Bittern was in March 2019 here in the same place we were hoping to see one today. It was going to be challenging, not least due to the sunshine. The hide also only has two opening windows, the rest are tinted and don't open. When it is cold they also have heavy condensation on them. When the sun is out the windows become mirrors reflecting everything on the walls of the hide. Reasons for this are that children use the hide and it protects the birds being disturbed, but why can't the children be controlled? Surely they are there to watch the birds.
Anyway we still had thirty minutes until the hide would be opened, the only view we had of the reeds was through the gaps between the hide and fence and through here it was possible to quickly come to terms with the challenge of the light.
Looking through the gaps I could see movement around the reed mace seed heads. Initially I struggled to get a good view but as the bird came closer it was clear it was a Chiffchaff.
This bird though did appear a lot lighter and paler with a more drabber plumage on the upper parts and complete pale underparts. It lacked any obvious visible green or yellow and had a very clear supercillium.
I was thinking this was a good candidate for Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis, however it is not a simple identification process.
In summary, the identification of tristis rests on
the following criteria: an absence of olive in the crown and mantle; no yellow
away from the underwing; a grey-brown or pale brown hue in the upperparts a warm
buff in the supercilium and ear-coverts and buff on the breast-sides/flanks. Both the legs and bill should be very black.
What would nail it though would be if it were to call, in
which case it would have a thin, piping near-monosyllabic, Bullfinch-like or
Dunnock-like call and if we were very lucky a song markedly different from
western Chiffchaff's.
So looking at this bird and the photograph below, one leg looks very black while the other in sunlight looks a little pink. The bill too looks pale. However nowhere is there any sign of olive, the upper parts looking more grey brown. In this photograph the underparts look pale, but there is no discernible buff wash on the flank
In this next photograph the supercillium looks large and buff in appearance while there is a definite black eye-stripe leading from what looks like a black bill now. The legs though still have one black and the other paler. What is clear is a buff wash around the edge of the breast and the flanks. There is still no sign of yellow or olive.
The only reason for showing this photograph is for the yellow wash that appears on the underwing coverts.
Again one black leg, one pale and no sign of olive or yellow.
Unfortunately the bird was never heard to call at all, and I must admit the only thing I am clear about is that this is a Chiffchaff, of what sub species though I can't be absolutely clear, maybe I will share with others to get an opinion. However if I was pushed to place a bet I would put my money on Collybita and cross my fingers.
We were finally able to get into the hide and I was able to secure one of the open windows, the one on the right hand side of the hide, looking out over the reed bed where the Bittern has been most often. I settled in for the long term, there was no initial sign of anything.
Ian had positioned himself on the left hand side and was entertained by the Chiffchaffs and Blue Tits on the reed mace, plus he also had a showy Cetti's Warbler. On my self there was a drake Wigeon moving about amongst the reeds along with a single Moorhen. One of the Chiffchaffs appeared in the bramble bush and spent sometime catching insects,but was far too mobile to photograph.
I scanned the reeds and the water, checking anything that might look like a Bittern, but try as mush as I could it was just a clump of reeds. The hide saw people come and go, several put off by the condensation on the tinted windows that do not open. The sunlight too was low and would reflect the images at the back of the hide onto the windows like a mirror. The hide is terrible for watching wildlife from unless you can secure one of the side windows that do open. The argument from those at the reserve is that is understood, but for those in the hide the frustration was quite clear and surely the reserve has a duty to those that want to see the birds as well as accommodating poorly behaved children.
It was then amazing what happened next. One of the birders who had stuck it out with Ian and myself found the Bittern. It took a while to realise where he meant and there was a scramble in the hide with Ian taking out with a really good body check another man. Once I managed to get on to it I was also able to see it through the open window. Not one of my better Bittern shots but it was a start, hopefully it would show better.
Then the Bittern began to move, slowly showing the bill and a little bit of an eye.
But it didn't go far, turning back again ever so slowly. In the hide questions were being fired around, "where is it, which patch of water" and when you tried to guide them to it by using a moss coloured branch they couldn't find the branch.
It then turned once again and this time could be seen with the bill open.
Then the bill opened wider, which was probably the result of it trying to expel a pellet.
It became quite intense as it sat with the bill open and its tongue visible, but everything was done at sloth like speed.
It remained still for sometime and fortunately all those in the hide were finally able to say that they could see it. Then it started to slowly move once again giving what were probably the best views, while at the same time demonstrating the perfect camouflage the Bittern has.
It then dropped down and became almost completely obscured by the reeds which made it even harder to point out to anyone else who came into the hide, at the same time we decided the views were not going to get any better and that it was time to move on.
Even though you know the Woodland Hide is as bad if not worse than where we had just been we had to drop in. The hide was as expected busy both inside and out. What first caught the eye was a smart male Reed Bunting foraging in the leaf litter with Chaffinches. But of course the only way we could photograph it was through the tinted windows, which later calls for some colour correction.
There were two birds we were hoping we could find from the hide and Ian quickly found one, a Brambling. This was a female and like the Reed Bunting was foraging in the leaf litter.
I don't think I have really appreciated the delicate patterns and markings of this bird before, they are beautiful and it is not just a little finch.
Then the open window space opened up and we were able to get a better view and light of the birds around the feeders. The male Reed Bunting perched amongst the bramble.
The dominant call around the bushes and trees was that of Siskin and they were also frequently coming to the feeders. This one is a male, with the gorgeous yellowish green plumage contrasting with the black crown.
Here the female a little more somber compared with the male but a very nice, dainty little finch.
Male Chaffinches are starting to acquire the deeper, richer colours of the breeding plumage, it varies bird to bird, but I would expect in a few weeks time the black at the base of the bill will become deeper to take on the look of a pair of dark sunglasses.
Finally the Long-tailed Tit, always a favourite. A really tiny bird if you take away the tail.
A slightly different view.
Always alert, watching all around and above.
The other bird we were looking for was the Lesser Redpoll, but there was no sign of it, or for that matter any sound of it. It was time to move on. Walking away from the hide two Fallow Deer ran across the path in front of us.
We decided to try out the Tern Hide before leaving. Surprisingly it was empty and the view in front of the hide was very much the same. Scanning around though duck could be seen distantly along the far shore. Closest were Tufted Duck and Coot, a little back were Goldeneye with good numbers and displaying males. Along the western shore was a large group of Pochard and out of the water amongst the geese we were able to pick out Goosander and Egyptian Geese.
Leaving the hide we had time for lunch before heading into the New Forest. We had decided on parking at Millyford Bridge, the plan being there was much better opportunity to park there. From the car park we were able to walk through the Wood Crates inclosure, then turn north and walk up the hill through the woods to Acres Down.
We were hoping for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, but the weather had changed, the wind had picked up and the cloud thickened, what with this and the time of day there was hardly any bird song or calls. Needless to say we did not find the woodpecker or anything else for that matter.
Coming up on to Acres Down the view away to the south and you can see how gloomy it now was.
We were just short of the copse on the top path when Ian called to stop, there was a male Crossbill on the corner of a pine tree, perfect placement, but unfortunately as the camera went up it flew off and we never saw it again. In the area were Coal Tits and Siskin, but no sign of any more Crossbill.
We dropped down to the lower path which was a little sheltered, hoping for more birds, but it didn't help. However I did pick up this Peregrine soaring over the trees at the top of the slope.
As we came down to the car park it was half empty, I bet if we had decided to come straight here it wouldn't have been. From the car park we picked up the main path and walked towards Highland Water. Once again there was very little about, very little calls or song. In the cleared area though this Song Thrush was perched in one of the small trees that remain standing.
Now normally a Song Thrush will be off, even if it is in the middle of a tree with branches surrounding it. For some reason this Song Thrush was more than happy for us to photograph it.
We walked on, turning to the south and now heading back towards the car park. There were quite a few larch trees on either side of the path and despite the fact that they were without any leaves there were plenty of cones and this was attracting large flocks of Siskin. Once again despite searching we could not find any Lesser Redpoll.
The calls were continuous, chatter between the birds in different trees. Then it went completely quiet, there were no calls or anything. Then Ian called out a Sparrowhawk high above the trees.
You can understand the complete silence, it drifted away and unfortunately for Ian out of sight. There were buzzards about that would bring alarm calls, clearly not seen as such a danger as the Sparrowhawk.
Staring up at the trees was not doing my neck any good, but it did make me appreciate the monochromatic patterns made by the many branches of the trees.
Just before the gate out of the Holmhill Inclosure and into Millyford Inclosure there was quite a bit of activity once again. We stopped to talk to a group of young people and picked up Treecreeper and Marsh Tit. Just through the gate there were a lot of finches feeding on the ground so we stopped to watch and walk alongside the fence.
With the number of Brambling around this year it was worth the wait to see if there were any present and sure enough one appeared from out of the leaf litter, a male this time and you can see how well they blend into the leaf litter and surround old branches at this time of year.
But we were able to get a little closer.
As we watched the Brambling and Chaffinches a Raven flew over calling. Then the birds just seemed to disappear. It was time to move on. The weather was closing in and there was some drizzle in the air along with a strengthening wind. We missed some target species today but we also managed to get some that were not seen last year and even the year before. The Bittern could have showed better, but then again it is a Bittern and it was doing what Bitterns do. All in all a good day for early February
Post Script:
A response to my posting of the frustration in the Ivy North Hide with the windows from the team at Blashford
Chris Rose on February 7, 2022 at 3:45 pm said:
Why oh why are the windows not sorted out in the Ivy North
Hide, it is gaining a reputation as the worst bird hide in the country!
Reply ↓
Jim Day, Blashford Lakes on February
8, 2022 at 10:46 am said:
Dear Chris,
The short answer is because, in our opinion, they don’t need
sorting out and your suggestion that it is gaining a reputation as the worst
hide in the country is not borne out by the number of visitors who have been
using it in recent months, many of whom have enjoyed excellent views of a
bittern and some of whom have done so for the first time…
The long answer is that you are not alone in your
frustration, this isn’t the first time that we have had to answer this question
either on the blog, in an e-mail, or in person on site and nor will it be the
last!
Essentially there are two reasons why both Ivy North Hide
and Woodland Hide have closed windows with one way glass:
– they are aimed primarily at allowing visitors to see
birds. Bittern are notoriously secretive birds and given that the hide was
located close to the reed bed to the north of Ivy Lake where bittern were known
to over-winter, with the hope that our visitors would be able to enjoy watching
these amazing birds, we wanted them to be able to do so without disturbing
them. Generally speaking we are fairly satisfied that it has worked. The same
is true of the Woodland Hide where visitors can enjoy close up views of (at
times!) hundreds of birds without even needing to use binoculars. The success
of both hides is borne out by the number of bird watchers, families and
photographers who visit them and unfortunately (sadly) this does occasionally
lead to friction between visitors. As frustrating as it may be, particularly
for photographers, we very much believe that the wildlife spectacles that can
be enjoyed from both hides would not be nearly so spectacular and desirable to
photographers (or everyone else) with a conventional hide. The birds that are
so desirable simply wouldn’t be there to see or photograph in the first place.
– education is a key part of our work at Blashford Lakes and
Woodland Hide and Ivy North Hide are the two hides nearest to the centre that
are used most often by visiting groups. The combination of closed windows and
one way glass means that a class of 30 children can enjoy watching wildlife
with little or no disturbance to it.
The other four hides on site (and additional 5 viewing
screens) are a) used less frequently by large groups of children and b)
generally look out over more distant wildlife which is therefore less affected
by disturbance from people, camera’s and telescopes.
So that’s your answer! I don’t doubt that you will still be
frustrated, but hope that you will at least appreciate the rational behind our
choice of hides now!
Regards, Jim
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