13th January - The New Forest, Hampshire

Early starts are reserved for Saturdays, so it was at just before eight I pulled into the car park at Acres Down.  I was meeting Ian to search for some of the New Forest specialities.  It was overcast, but while the thermometer said it was just above freezing, there was no wind and it wasn't horrendously cold.

We set off down the main path with plenty of bird calls around us, we heard the chipping call of Crossbill, but never saw them as we scanned the top of the pines.  The main path bends away to the right and just past the gate is a dead tree.  The reason we were here was because of reports of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in and around the tree, but despite plenty of effort we could not see any.  We thought we heard drumming, but there was also a Great Spotted Woodpecker about and this was drumming too, so we could not be certain.

In the leaf litter below the Beech Trees nearby there were large flocks of Chaffinch and we did manage to find at least two Brambling in amongst them, their white rumps giving them away as they flew out of the leaves.  We spent two hours in the area for very little return.

We decided to walk up to the down and then around to Highland Water  We saw a few Redwing and Fieldfare in a Holly tree, and down at the bottom of the hill we had three Hawfinch fly over, but that was about all.  Walking down to the main path there was a pair of nuthatch in the beech trees.

A Jay was the first photograph taken after about two and a half hours, and that didn't stay around for long.

At Highland Water we hoped for Grey Wagtail, but it wasn't there.

The only bird of note a Redwing.

As we reached the car park there was a Marsh Tit in a Holly Bush.

Whilst we had managed a few year ticks it was a disappointing morning.  So where next?  We decided to go to Mark Ash Wood.  Once again it was quiet, but I did find a Treecreeper, avery poor record shot.

Once again there were a lot of birds in the leaf litter and once again we saw Brambling flying away from us, flashing their white rumps to tease us.  We would use the thermal camera to see where there were birds in the litter, we also would use it on holes in the trees.  One interesting find was in this old branch.  There was a hat source to the left of the hole, and looking into the hole there were leaves and some soil, so we had to presume the heat was coming from a hibernating dormouse.

From Mark Ash we drove around to Eyeworth Pond.  As we turned into the car park I was horrified to see the pond was frozen, there was some open water though near to the place where the ducks are fed.  We were here for the Mandarin Duck, but once again there was no sign.  We scanned the area where the low branches cover the water at the back of the pond and also walked around there, but couldn't find any Mandarin.  We decided to walk along the path, as the stream that feeds the pond winds through areas that Mandarin would like and the water and pools were ice free.  Nothing other than this Song Thrush.

We walked back to the pond and gave it one more go, this time Ian found them, tucked away on the island.

We don't think they were there when we arrived and that they must have decided to move.  Wit a little encouragement they started to come out of the cover.  Drake and duck.

The female, whilst not having the bright colours of the male is quite a smart little duck in its own right.

In this one, the male looks a bit like Gimli, the dwarf warrior from Lord of the Rings.

The pair were standing together.

Then swam out together, the male stretching and bobbing its head while the female seemed to look all around.

While the male continued his bobbing, the female lay stretched out on the water in some kind of submissive pose.

They ten moved apart and went on their own way.

Before we left I had to take this Nuthatch coming to the seed that had been put out, there was also a Coal Tit that evaded my efforts.

We had always intended to finish in one location.  When we arrived we had two hours of light left.  From the cars we walked down the slope and of course I was drawn to the tree on the horizon.

Ian then picked up a male Hen Harrier flying above the ridge, heading west, we lost it as it dropped below the ridge.  However, minutes later another appeared coming from a distant location.  I managed to get onto this one.

It banked and then flew along the ridge to the south of us and eventually out of view.

Then about five minutes later Ian picked up yet another male, this time coming from the direction of where the first harrier had disappeared and came past us a lot closer.

It crossed the valley and over to the ridge south of us and gave some great views.

Over the gorse

The flight is unmistakeable, a few flaps and then a glide as it watches the ground below for possible prey, it appears almost effortless.

It even flew around the tree.

It then turned and was lost to view over the ridge.

We decided to stay in place to see if they returned or the other birds would come into roost later.  Towards sunset the sky started to turn blue as the cloud thinned.

Just before four we had a brief view of a male and assumed it dropped into the bracken on the other side of the ridge.  With the gloom setting in we decided it was time to go.  The morning had not been good, but the afternoon made up for it and seeing male Hen Harriers is always a great day.