30th November - The New Forest and Blashford Lakes, Hampshire

Ian has been away for the last three weeks so today was the first chance we had to catch up.  We met at the parking area  in the New Forest, we were here to try and see birds of prey, so had arrived just before dawn.  However it was a dull misty morning, the gloom hung all around the moor.  We walked down the hill toward the stream at the bottom with Meadow Pipits calling around us.  On the far side of the valley two Roe Deer a female and youngster, made their way up hill, stopping to keep an eye on us.

We hung about for about an hour and a half, taking the chance to catch up with each other.  The raptors never appeared so we set off to walk around the area.  There was very little else about, a few crows, more Meadow Pipits and bizarrely a Lapwing sitting amongst the heather.

Walking back I couldn't avoid the tree on the hill side, my equivalent of the Sycamore Gap tree here in the New Forest.  I think I would be devastated if it was ever cut down.

 

We made the short journey to Blashford Lakes and headed to the Tern Hide first.  As always the duck were all away in the distance, but there were a few Pochard close by.

And a Great Crested Grebe.

A birder in the hide pointed out the Black-necked Grebe that has been present for awhile now, it was, as well, distant but was heading across the lake towards the west bank and the Lapwing Hide.

We decided to walk around to the Lapwing Hide, along the way there was a Great Spotted Woodpecker and Siskin in the trees while along side the pool we flushed a Kingfisher.  Once in the hide it took a short while to locate the Black-necked Grebe, but when we did it was a little closer than before.

It was frequently diving and would come a little closer but never as close as we wished for.

Here the classic shape of the head red eye and upturned bill.

There were Wigeon, Tufted Duck and Teal in front of the hide and of course plenty of Coot.  On the left hand side a Great Egret was standing on the edge of the lake.

We moved on and walked around to the Goosander Hide which overlooks the bay that in Winter usually has Goosander.  But on arrival there wasn't any sign of one, but the sun coming out was welcome.

After awhile I picked up a drake Goosander coming across the lake and heading into the bay.  Gradually it made its way to the shore before turning and heading towards us in the hide.

Much closer.

A break from swimming to have a preen.

A very smart duck, but not one that is easy to photograph.

Just before we left the hide three Roe Deer appeared on the bank.

After lunch we walked around to the Woodland Hide.  I can not recall it ever being so quiet in there, the feeders were full, but there were no birds.  From the Woodland Hide we walked towards the Ivy Lake South Hide.  A Kingfisher showed well on the perches positioned in the pond.

We kept seeing the Kingfisher, it didn't seem to go very far, remaining around the pond.  We left and headed into the hide.  Not much about from the hide.  Distant Wigeon and Pintail and a few Tufted Duck.  A Lesser Black-backed Gull was on one of the rafts and was joined by a female Tufted Duck.  The highlight was a Green Sandpiper that flew around the reeds but was to quick for the camera.

Just before we were about to leave all the Wigeon were spooked from the reeds and swam past the hide.  Here a smart drake.

By now it was even gloomier than in the morning and we decided on calling it a day.  It could have been a disaster, but the company and the Grebe and Goosander rescued it

28th November - Titchfield Haven, Hill Head and Posbrook Floods, Hampshire

After the dullness and cold of Wednesday I headed to Titchfield in early morning sunshine and a frost.  Parking along Cliff Road I could see the tide was high down by the Sailing Club.  After checking in I walked around to the west side of the reserve and to the Meon Shore Hide once again.

There was an rainbow cloud to the left of the sun.  A rainbow cloud can occur because of something called cloud iridescence. It usually happens in altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular and cirrus clouds. Iridescent clouds happen because of diffraction – a phenomenon that occurs when small water droplets or small ice crystals scatter the sun's light.

The water levels on the scrape were even higher today, rain on Tuesday evening having filled the scrape once more.  As a result very few duck close to the hide.  There was a Marsh Harrier sat in one of the trees in the middle of the reeds.

The Snipe island was struggling and the Snipe themselves hanging on to dry land.

There were two Avocet on the scrape and one came close to the hide.

Lapwing were almost on every island and this individual was stood on the wooden perches to the right of the hide.

The Marsh Harriers both female and male patrol the east side of the scrape using the dark shadows of the trees as cover as they come low over the reeds to surprise the occupants of the scrape.  I watched this female come over the reeds and as it came into the sunshine managed to get these shots.  I love the dark background providing the emphasis of the harrier, the sun catching the golden brown plumage.

It didn't cross the scrape though, pulling up to investigate something in the reeds.

I walked to the Spurgin Hide where it was very quiet, the only bird of interest a Kingfisher that flew past the hide.  I walked out and headed to the sea wall to look for the previously report Red-necked Grebe.  This Carrion Crow looked quite splendid sat on a post in the sunshine.

Walking towards the sailing Club there was a flock of 36 Eider out on the sea.

The males were displaying and their calls could be heard from the sea wall.

I walked to the view point.  There was a good number of Shoveler displaying around the reeds.

There was an adult Mediterranean Gull on the water and five Common Gulls, this being one of them.

I walked around the sea wall and past the Sailing Club.  The tide was out and there were waders feeding amongst the shingle.  Turnstones of course and Sanderling and Ringed Plover.

I walked down to the beach and out to the tide line.  Two Sanderling were amongst the Turnstones and I couldn't resist them.

With plenty of sunshine I wanted to try and find the Glossy Ibis at Posbrook.  After parking I first tried the horse fields off Bridge Street.  No Ibis present, but there were three Stock Dove feeding in the horse paddock.  Its not often you can get close to them on the ground like this.

There was no Barn Owl in the split tree, and I haven't seen it for some time now, perhaps it has finally gone.  Chiffchaff were busy in the willows and close to the water of the canal.  This one though was feeding around the lichen on the branches of this willow.

A surprise was this male Marsh Harrier hunting over Posbrook.  Despite it coming close to the water, the duck, Wigeon, Pintail, Gadwall and Teal did not go up.

There wasn't any sign of the Glossy Ibis and I started to make my way back.  There were a pair of Herring Gulls in the field and every so often they would both call.

The Marsh Harrier was still around and I can only think it flushed the Glossy Ibis and the three appeared from the south and flew past me and proceeded to fly around the flooded area.

The Ibis dropped on to a flooded area between the Posbrook and Bridge Street floods, but unfortunately they were out of clear view.  I watched them feeding with obscured views, the sun catching the plumage giving flashes of green and pink, but they never provided an opportunity for an photograph.

The sun was falling and there were cirrus clouds over the sky, it wasn't as cold as previous days

A lovely day in the winter sunshine.  I was pleased with the Marsh Harrier today