As another year comes to an end it is that time to look back on the highs of the year month by month
January
The year started with the surprise sighting of two Grey Partridge as I drove home on New Year's day. A visit to Titchfield Haven in the afternoon produced the highlight of four Velvet Scoter offshore. The 9th was a visit to Southsea for the Purple Sandpipers, followed by a visit to Warblington for the Cattle Egret, little did I know then how common they would become through the year. The afternoon was spent on Thorney Island. At the end of 2021 Ian and I had made several visits to watch and photograph the Short-eared Owls but never really managed to crack it. This was achieved with some great images, Shortie's are always a joy to watch and even better when you get the right images.
We were away for the weekend of the 14th and 15th in Somerset, so it was a trip to Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall for the Starlings and a very distant Ring-necked Duck. Other specialties were Great Egret and literally hundreds of Cattle Egret. Back at Titchfield Haven on the 22nd the Sanderlings were showing well on the beach and in the high tide roost, with Water Rail, Marsh Harrier a very showy Cetti's Warbler on the reserve and the Barn Owl in the usual tree along the Canal Path. The month ended with a visit to Keyhaven - Lymington Reserve. Spoonbill on the lagoons, plenty of Wigeon, Teal and Pintail in beautiful light and waders such as Greenshank and Avocet showing well.
The highlight of the month just had to be the wonderful Short-eared Owls.
February
The first week a visit to Blashford Lakes where we just about managed to see the Bittern, the windows and secretive behaviour of the Bittern combining to frustrate all attempts at photography. Also seen were Chiffchaff, Brambling, Siskin and Goosander. The afternoon saw a visit to the Forest where we managed to find a Crossbill and two more Brambling. The following weekend we were away at Sidlesham and there were more Cattle Egret, eighteen in fact and six Glossy Ibis, but once again an Owl stole the show, this time a Barn Owl.
On the 19th a trip to Kent saw me search, but miss out on, the reported Shore Larks on Sheppey. There was a Short-eared Owl at Elmley just before the rain curtailed the trip. The end of the month it was back to the New Forest for the specialties, Wood Lark, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Goshawk and Firecrest, plus the first butterfly of the year a Red Admiral. In the afternoon there was a trip to Martin Down where there were six Corn Bunting and on the way home a stop at Eyeworth Pond delivered Mandarin Duck
Once again though an owl was the highlight of the month.
March
The start of the month saw us back in Somerset and a walk around the Avalon Marshes produced several Great Egrets and Cattle Egrets. On the 6th a flock of around thirty Mediterranean Gulls were over the garden in Four Marks. On the 12th at Keyhaven - Lymington Reserve back in Hampshire there was Spoonbill, an over wintering Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank Avocet, Ruff and a single Water Pipit. The afternoon saw a fruitless search for the Great Grey Shrike in Backley Bottom in the New Forest
Warm mild weather between rain storms in the middle of the month saw Brimstone and Peacock in my garden. On the 19th there were six Common Scoter offshore at Hill Head with several Chiffchaff singing along the Canal Path. Marsh Harrier, Red Kite and Buzzard were seen over the reserve where there was a Peacock butterfly. On Browndown North in the afternoon there were more butterflies, displaying Comma, and a large female Adder soaking up the sunshine.
A visit to Old Down Wood at the end of the month saw six Raven overhead and Small White, Peacock and several Brimstone along the rides. There was a singing Firecrest at Swellinghill Pond, and Bee Fly and Comma.
There is always time for a Firecrest
April
On a cold and frosty morning on the 2nd we visited sites in the north west Hampshire for Stone Curlew. There were also several Brown Hare and good numbers of Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting. A rare visit to Testwood Lakes in the afternoon saw the first Little Ringed Plover of the year. On the 9th a morning walk along the Canal Path found a singing Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and a Bittern booming in the reed beds, it was heard only once. In the afternoon Dartford Warbler showed well on Browndown South and what was one of the highlights of the year, dancing male Adders fighting over a female, both Ian and I have waited a long time to see this.
On the 16th the first Holly Blue of the year was in my garden, followed by the first Orange-Tip on the 18th. Hill Head on the 23rd saw a four hour sea watch delivered good numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits moving with several Whimbrel mixed in. A close Gannet fishing offshore with six Eider. The highlight though was the movement of terns and gulls, eight smart adult Little Gulls, twenty Arctic Terns, nine which flew onto the reserve and two Black Terns, along with both Common and Sandwich Terns. On Posbrook Floods later were my first hirundines with all three present, very late this year and a Hobby. On the floods were Little Ringed Plover and three Green Sandpipers. In the afternoon we made the regular early spring visit to Noar Hill for the Duke of Burgundy of which there three seen, plus Orange-Tip, Brimstone, Dingy Skipper and Peacock.
On the last day of the month it was back to Hill Head and more Whimbrel. From there a visit to Acres Down found Tree Pipit, Firecrest and Redstart. The afternoon was spent at Martin Down where there was Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat, Cuckoo and Corn Bunting. Butterflies present were Grizzled and Dingy Skipper, Small White, Orange Tip Holly Blue and a Green Hairstreak
The month's highlight has to be the dancing Adders.
May
For the first time for many years we were able to take a holiday outside of school holidays, so on the 6th we set off early to Devon, first stop was RSPB Labrador Bay and the Cirl Buntings that showed very well. From there it was Dunsford Wood and Dipper and Grey Wagtail along with a beautiful show of Early Purple Orchids. A Wood White showed well inRosemoor on the 7th and on the 8th on a walk around Heddon Mouth, we found Pearl-bordered Fritillary and a Wall Brown. On the 9th we visited Lundy and had great views of Gannet Guillemot, Razorbill and Manx Shearwater on the crossing. On the island there were the auks including Puffin, Wheatear and a Merlin. A trip to Yarner Wood on the 12th had Pied Flycatcher, Redstart and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
Back in Hampshire on the 14th, Ian and I took the hovercraft from Southsea to the Isle of Wight, from Ryde it was a short trip to Ventnor and in stunning weather we found the Glanville Fritillary a first for me in this country. The sunshine brought them out along with Adonis, and Common Blues, Brown Argus and plenty of Wall Lizards, a wonderful day.
At the end of May we were back at Martin Down. Another beautiful morning gave way later to cloudy conditions. There three Turtle Doves singing from the usual copse, one has to wonder how long they will hang on here. A Peregrine was seen being mobbed by Raven. A walk along Bokerly Ditch produced Greater Butterfly, Common Spotted, Fragrant and Burnt Tip Orchid, but it was butterflies we were hoping for and we found, Marsh Fritillary, Green Hairstreak, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper, Adonis and Common Blue, Brown Argus, Brimstone, Red Admiral and Small, Large and Green-veined White. Spotted Flycatcher were along the footpath with several Brown Hare.
For this month my highlight was the day on the Isle of Wight, a glorious day and my first Glanville Fritillary and these beautiful Wall Lizards
June
On the 4th a walk along the Canal Path produced another new invader from the south, two Glossy Ibis on Posbrook Floods. In the afternoon we returned to Browndown South where after quite a search we managed to find a Nightjar and another large female Adder. On the 11th during another visit to Kent I went to Blean Woods where I finally managed to see a Heath Fritillary, quickly followed by hundreds of the this lovely butterfly. I also had a close encounter with a Nightingale at the same time.
On the 12th, news of breeding Dipper had us in Romsey town centre, but it would seem we were one or two days too late, as the young had left and there was no sign of the adults. An afternoon visit to Fishlake Meadows produced the first Garden Warbler of the year, two Cuckoos and Banded Demoiselle
From the 17th we had a week in the North York Moors, a week that eventually produced the highlight of the year. On the 21st we visited RSPB Bempton Cliffs, a lovely reserve just north of Flamborough and Bridlington. The Black-browed Albatross that was present last year and had been seen at Bempton off and on from March had been reported, but on arriving we were told it had flown out to sea, we spent the day in hope, enjoying the Gannets, Kittiwakes and Auks, plus a good number of Tree Sparrow around the visitor centre, always a treat these days.
That evening the Albatross was reported as returning so we decided to return earlier in the morning the next day and this time we struck lucky, incredible views of this stunning bird as it flew with the Gannets around the cliffs. At one point it was too close to focus, absolutely incredible.
At the end of the month we went to Whiteley Woods in search of Honey Buzzard which failed miserably, but we did get to see White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, Ringlet and Large and Small Skipper. In the afternoon I visited Old Winchester Hill, where I was able to add Marbled White, Dark-green Fritillary and Hummingbird Hawkmoths to the day's list.
No surprises on the moth's highlight, the incredible Albatross at Bempton.
July
Early July means Purple Emperor and a visit to Abbots Wood in Alice Holt Forest. I arrived in sunshine on the 9th, but cloud quickly moved in. At one point I left to get a coffee, only to return when the skies began to clear. On my return there were Silver-washed Fritillary and White Admiral on the wing. As things warmed up the main act appeared, at first in the tree tops but eventually one male grounded on the path. In the afternoon it became very hot and I visited Noar Hill, the first time I had been here at this time of year, seen were the first Gatekeeper of the year, Dark-green Fritillary, Essex Skipper and Marbled White and good numbers of Common Spotted, Fragrant and Pyramidal Orchid.
On the 10th there was a Swift over the house, always a notable event and a Ringlet in the garden. A Purple Hairstreak in the garden was an amazing event considering the location, but not the most amazing find of the month.
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets on the 15th was a nice surprise when visiting Leatherhead, and a trip to Selsey in the hot weather saw Whimbrel and Little Tern seen around Church Norton.
The end of the month saw a visit to Keyhaven - Lymington Reserve on the 23rd We made the walk to Normandy for the Lesser Yellowlegs, my second in Hampshire. Little tern was a belated county year tick. A visit to Pig Bush in the New Forest in the afternoon delivered a distant Honey Buzzard.
The highlight of the month though came in the garden on the evening of the 26th. Watering the garden I was amazed to see a female Purple Emperor appear in the spray, it landed on the window sill and also the trees. Incredible.
On the 30th it was a trip to Shipton Belinger, unfortunately the Brown Hairstreaks only showed high up, not coming down to eye level, but the Wall Browns were present in very good numbers and showed well. The afternoon at Broughton Down Painted Lady, Dark-green Fritillary, Chalkhill Blues and Silver-spotted Skipper.
Highlight of the month just had to be the Purple Emperor in the garden, I still can't quite believe it.
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