29th March - Pig Bush, New Forest, Hampshire

A complete contrast in the afternoon from the blue waters of the Solent to the oranges and browns of the New Forest at Pig Bush.  We were here in the hope that the Redstarts had started to return.  On arrival the car park was full, the sun brings everyone out.

We walked through the wood by the car park and headed down towards the stream.  A Comma butterfly flew past and then settled on the ground in the sunshine.

A little further along we came across a moth, This is an orange underwing and is one of the earliest day-flying moths to appear in spring, taking to the wing on sunny days in March and April. Their caterpillars feed on birch trees, so they're found on woodland edges, in sunny clearings, and in scrubby areas or heathlands with patches of birch. The moths often flutter around the very tops of the birch trees, though they do come down to the ground to drink and bask.

Orange underwings spend the winter as a pupa attached to the bark of a tree, or dug in to rotting wood. The adult moths emerge in March and can be seen into April. They lay their eggs on birch twigs, with the eggs hatching in time for the caterpillars to feed on newly-grown catkins. In later spring, the growing caterpillars feed on the young birch leaves, instead. The caterpillars pupate around June and spend the rest of the year as a pupa.

Walking through the wood there was plenty of sunshine coming through the bare branches.  There were also some very dramatic dead trees, this one covered in ivy.

Plenty of Stock Dove calling, this one settled on a dead bough.

There were at least four Firecrests singing all around us, one showing well.

We made our way to the damp flooded area.  The paths though were almost all dried out.  Disappointingly there were no Woodlark in the open areas, but as we approached the wood by the bridge across the railway line.

A Blackcap was singing from the scrub, the first of the year, but was making it difficult to see.  As I searched for the Blackcap, I came across  a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two more Firecrests and this Treecreeper in the middle of a Hawthorn bush.

I finally managed to find the Blackcap and it stayed still for a brief moment.

There wasn't any sign or sound of Redstart.  A Nuthatch was vocal above us and showed well on the knurled wood.

Another classic pose.

With no Redstart and just a Blackcap migrant we headed for the path to cross the heath.  But as we approached we could see that fences had been put in place and there was a sign stating the path was closed as they were flooding the area to enhance the habitat for wildlife.

We joked how was anyone to know we had walked the path, when directly in front of us a Peregrine flew up in front of us.

It flew around the heath, with some low passes.

It then settled in a tree, perched behind the branches.  Here it preened for a while and we waited to see if it would fly again.

It did and came closer towards us.

From the colour and size we felt that this was an immature male Peregrine.

It spiraled up, gaining height very quickly and in a matter of minutes was just a speck amongst the clouds.

We had to make our way back the way we came.  As we walked across the heath there were Stonechats amongst the bracken, and this male Dartford Warbler.

Walking through the wood I was taken by the oak trees.  the bare branches, now waiting for the leaves to appear provide some wonderful shapes.

So no sign of the hoped for Redstarts, but some interesting stuff and completely different from the morning walk.

29th March - Keyhaven - Lymington Reserve, Hampshire

With the month coming to an end, Ian and I were due a visit to Lower Pennington Lane in the hope of some migrants.  The weather was perfect, some cloud to start with overnight , light winds this morning and wall to wall sunshine.  The temperature when I left home though was around freezing, but had warmed up when I arrived.

As I waited for Ian a Greenfinch was singing from one of the bushes close to the car park.

We walked across the Old Tip towards Fishtail Lagoon.  There was plenty of water at the back of the lagoon and it was mirror calm with Avocet feeding.

There was a count of 46 Avocet on the lagoon and there was plenty of chatter and interaction between the pairs.  Scanning the lagoon there wasn't any sign of any other smaller waders, there were a few Black-tailed Godwits.

Winter wildfowl were still about, several Wigeon and Pintail could be seen around the islands and there was plenty of Teal.  A single Snipe was preening on one of the islands.  We walked towards Keyhaven and two Spoonbill flew over heading west.  On Keyhaven Lagoon a single Spoonbill was standing in the middle.

Coming back towards Butts Bay this Redshank was roosting on the mud.

Looking across the saltmarsh from Butts a Peregrine was sitting on the beach with the Needles in the background.

A nice reflection for this pair of Shoveler on the Jetty Lagoon.

We walked around the sea wall with little about.  There were though plenty of insects coming off the lagoons but no hirundine to feed on them.  High above us Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls were feeding on them.  Off shore there were at least six Great CRested Grebes.

At the Salterns pond there were Black-tailed Godwits in summer plumage feeding in the shallow water.

Avocet were also present, this one taking time for a preen.

It was a stunning morning, the sky an azure blue with wisps of cirrus clouds complementing the blue.

Looking east towards Normandy, appreciated in black and white.

More cirrus above Salterns.

We walked on and on reaching the west end of Normandy Marsh, the view across Oxey Lake.

 

We sat on the bench on the corner of Normandy Marsh and watched a pair of Great Crested Grebes engage in some head shaking and bobbing.

Then on broke away and dived coming up with some weed.  But like last week at Blashford the other grebe made no effort to get any and the weed was dropped and despite the fact they came together for some more head shaking eventually they swam away side by side.

We walked around the marsh to the east side, along the way there were several Linnet on the fence and gorse.  We were looking for a Spotted Redshank, but there wasn't one about.  However this Redshank flew to the fence post.

Known as the "Sentinel of the Marshes" because they will alert everything with their call, usually doing so from a vantage point.  This one was singing from the post to start with.

I edged forward, getting closer and then experimented with different backgrounds.

Adopting a one leg stance.

And a close up portrait.

Close by a pair of roosting Avocet.

A Greenshank was lying completely down on the ground, not something I have seen them do before.

We walked back around the sea wall, over the marsh Lapwing were displaying with their familiar calls as they performed their acrobatics.

An Avocet was feeding in the shallow water close to the path.

Mediterranean Gull could be heard calling overhead all the time, but I hadn't managed to get any shots.  This one came low over our heads as we walked around the sea wall.

The Black-tailed Godwits were in various stages of plumage, but the detail on the body and wings looks superb.

In the north west corner of the marsh a Black-tailed Godwit was feeding in amongst the grass close to the path.

Looking stunning in the morning sunshine.

Back at Salterns there were two pairs of Avocet, and they were joined by another pair which seemed to upset one pair that was the furthest away. 

 The pair then made their way over and as Avocet seem to do, picked a fight which involved jumping and the flapping of wings.

It is amusing to watch because it is not clear why there is the need for the contact.  The pair that flew in were not taking any territory, but clearly they were not welcome.

The Avocet moved away, but stayed closer to the pair that didn't like them than they were when they flew in!

At the west end of the Salterns pond were more Black-tailed Godwits.  Getting down low is the best way to watch these waders as they feed.

W walked back along the lane to Pennington Marsh.  Our hope was that we could find some butterflies, but there wasn't any to be seen.

So the morning that promised so much really did not deliver.  Not sure why the conditions were there, maybe still a little early.  From here we were off to try somewhere in the Forest.