30th April - Hill Head, Acres Down and Martin Down, Hampshire

The north easterly winds that were productive last weekend continued throughout the week and interestingly for this Saturday saw the wind going around to the south east around midday.  Though out the week there had been bits of interest so Ian and I changed our plans and arranged to meet at Hill Head at sun rise.  On arriving the tide was low and it was a beautiful clear morning, not ideal, but there was always the wind.  As I got out of the car there was hardly a breeze, definitely not ideal.  Still it was another beautiful dawn over the Titchfield Haven nature reserve.

The rising sun was sending a warm orange glow across the reeds and river Meon.

I walked to look over Duck Bay, disturbing a pair of Avocet that flew on to the reserve but also finding a group of ten Black-tailed Godwits feeding close to the shore.

With the sun now just emerging above the trees on the horizon it was sending more colour across the water.

Black-headed Gulls bathing and resting close to the reeds.

Further up the river a Mute Swan fed while its partner was probably sitting on eggs in amongst the reed bed. A mist was rising from the water as the air temperature was still very cold, in fact when I left home it was minus two degrees.

Turning my attention to the sea there was little movement, away to the east three Brent Geese could be seen on the shore line, while Gadwall were on the water.  Where the tide had exposed pools of water the light was reflecting well as Black-headed Gulls searched for any signs of food.

The terns always seem to be a little late in getting up, but were soon moving from shore to sea and back.  As this Common Tern passed overhead it took on a warm orange glow from the rising sun.

I the shallow waters created by the low tide Oystercatchers foraged

It was very quiet, there was very little movement on the sea, we did find a couple of groups of Common Scoter, five and ten.  We watched for any wing flap that might give away the Velvet Scoter that has been present but with no luck.

After awhile we took the decision to walk up the canal path.  around the bushes close to the reserve entrance there were several Reed and Sedge Warbler, both species were in song but proving hard to find in the reeds and scrub.

Our walk was uneventful with plenty of Whitethroat and Blackcap singing.  Just past Hammond's Bridge we got a message saying an Arctic Skua had passed by heading east so we decided to head back, maybe the hopes for a good sea watch were still on.

Arriving back at the sea wall there had not been anything else move.  Out on the water in front of us a single female Eider was just off shore.

A report of another Arctic Skua passing Chilling did not materialise past us and all we had to occupy the time was the movement of terns back and forth and this smart Cormorant.

Sandwich Tern

Common Tern showing the correct body colour now.

And a Mediterranean Gull showing plumage in the primary tips of a second winter bird with an adult black hood.

Patience has never been our strongest ability so we debated what to do and ended up going back to the original plan.  This saw us forty minutes later pulling into the car park at Acres Down in the New Forest.  Again very little wind and a warming sun.  As we left the car park and followed the main track towards Highland Water a Firecrest was sing from the holly nearby.

A distant Cuckoo calling was welcome but other than that there was not a great deal of bird song to focus on.  At the dead tree just past the big curve in the path a Stock Dove as usual was sat at the top.

The leaves on all the trees at this time of year take on different shades of green, but for me none are more beautiful that the newly emerging Beech leaves.

Looking up contrasting against the blue sky the canopy hangs over you.

As we approached Highland Water there was another Firecrest singing and this one showed briefly at the base of the holly tree.

When we were last here at the end of February there had been a significant spell of rain, now the stream was hardly flowing and where little still pools had gathered was reflecting the surrounding trees and bushes.

Hazel leaves with the sparkling water of the stream in the background.

Rather than follow the main path, we turned off and headed up a slight incline.  We hadn't gone far before we heard the song of one of the target birds, a male Redstart.  It took a short while to locate it and as always it was singing from high in the canopy, so for the next few minutes there was a considerable strain on my neck as we attempted to get the best view and photograph as it moved around doing its best to avoid us.

This being the best of them all, a stunning bird.

Every year we go looking for them around this area and every time they stay high in the canopy, maybe we need to try somewhere they might be a little easier next year.

One reason for taking this path was to check out the nest we had seen in February.  Unfortunately there was not any sign of the nest being used.  It seemed to have been added to, but there were definitely no occupants.

Coming out on to the main path we turned left and headed back towards the valley.  From the top of a conifer a Tree Pipit sang, then fortunately "parachuted" down to a small bush on the side of the path, where it continued to sing and gave some great views.

Over the years the area of damp ground and low scrub has been a good spot to find Wood Warbler.  Once a guaranteed sighting in the New Forest, today they are becoming extremely rare.  I first came across them in 2015 when in this area there were several singing individuals.  Gradually these numbers have dropped and in 2019 and 2020 we didn't find any.  I managed one singing bird last year, but again as we walked past the best places today all was silent.

The species is declining in many countries across its breeding range. The UK wood warbler population has declined by 69% since the mid 1990s and has been lost from 50% of its former UK range. However, the causes of this decline are unknown and, like other migrant birds, may be driven by factors at their breeding grounds, wintering sites, on migration routes or a combination of these. 

We headed back towards Highland Water and then made our way back up the slope towards the car park.  Once again there were Firecrest singing and several showed pretty well by the side of the path.  As those who read both this blog and the blog from around my home village of Four Marks will know, I can't resist photographing a Firecrest and despite telling Ian I wasn't going to photograph any more, I did!

The leaves on the Beech trees appeared to have taken on another hue in the short time we had been here.  These trees just before you reach the car park.

After a quick lunch we were off to another favourite place, martin Down out on the northwest border of Hampshire.  Everything appeared good for a visit, time of year sunshine and warmth.  Pulling into the car park we were greeted by a male Orange Tip that did what all good Orange Tips do at this time of year, just kept on flying.  Setting off along the path towards the ditch there was a Blackcap singing and distantly another Cuckoo.

Reaching the copse where the Turtle Doves reside (it was too early for them today) we could hear several Whitethroat singing and then in amongst them the song of a Lesser Whitethroat rattling out from within the hawthorn.  It took a little bit of patience but finally we managed to get a good enough view of this summer visitor.

The walk from the car park is a gradual incline that catches up with you as you reach the top, but the view looking back is always spectacular.

Where the footpath crosses the ditch with exposed chalk is always a good place to look for Early Purple Orchid and today there were some good specimens flowering.

Setting off to walk the ditch there is a great view, today with fields of yellow rape standing out against the blue sky.

There had been several Brimstone about and the odd Small White, but the butterfly we were after was the Grizzled Skipper and it did not take long to find one in the ditch, sheltered from what breeze there was.

The Grizzled Skipper is a characteristic spring butterfly of southern chalk downland and other sparsely vegetated habitats. Its rapid, buzzing flight can make it difficult to follow, but it stops regularly either to perch on a prominent twig or to feed on flowers such as Common Bird's-foot-trefoil or Bugle. It can then be identified quite easily by the checkerboard pattern on its wings.

We came across several more as we walked along the ditch and also the similar Dingy Skipper.  A calling Cuckoo brought us out of the ditch though and after scanning the down finally found it relatively close.  We edged closer slowly, stopping as we went to get a record.

Changing the angle afforded a better background and this was the best shot I managed to get.

Last year I visited Thursley Common to see the famous "Colin" the Cuckoo.  I was able to get some of the best views and photographs of a Cuckoo ever.  Colin is lured in by mealworms that interestingly were originally provided to attract the local Redstart.  Whilst Colin is a wild bird the set up was really false.  This bird presented much more of a challenge to photograph and to illustrate the point every time you got within a suitable distance it flew and you were left with a view like this.

In the end we watched as it flew away low over the bushes, later we heard it calling once again.

A little further along and I an called out for me to stop and turn slowly to my right where a Skylark was sitting on an anthill close to me.

And a little further along a small black and white bird in flight had us dreaming of more exotic birds until it revealed itself as a male Stonechat, albeit a very smart looking Stonechat.

Walking the ditch several male Orange Tips had flown past us searching for something.  Finally we managed to get one to settle and while it never gave us a full open wing shot it did provide views of the gorgeous green markings on the under wing and a glimpse of orange.

It wouldn't be Martin Down without a photograph of a singing Corn Bunting so here it is.

The grass around the old ranges showed how dry it has been through the month of April, the grass looking a beige brown in colour.  The area is sheltered and a good spot for butterflies and we found several more Grizzled Skippers.

But Ian managed to find the one butterfly that is known for being found here amongst the gorse and shallow dips, the Green Hairstreak.  This one was nectaring on the blue Milkwort flowers.

The Green Hairstreak holds its wings closed, except in flight, showing only the green underside with its faint white streak. The extent of this white marking is very variable; it is frequently reduced to a few white dots and may be almost absent. Males and females look similar and are most readily told apart by their behaviour: rival males may be seen in a spiraling flight close to shrubs, while the less conspicuous females are more often encountered while laying eggs.

From the old ranges we made our way back to the car park, above Raven called as they headed over and in the grass were many Skylark.  Looking across the down to the distant fields the yellow flowers of the rapeseed provided a background for the ivy covered Ash tree that was looking worse for wear.

Reaching the hedgerow that runs alongside the track there were two Holly Blues and from the top of a bush a Willow Warbler sang.

Another very smart Grizzled Skipper

And surprisingly the only Yellowhammer seen, this close to the car park.

And so April comes to an end and we move into May a month with differing periods, the start is still about incoming summer migrants and maybe a rarity, while in the second half of the month it turns to the butterflies and orchids.  This year has seen the weather interrupting the normal course of events, I can't help wondering if it will continue so into May.