28th February - Acres Down, New Forest and Browndown South, Hampshire

We had planned to meet at Acres Down car park around 9.00am, not expecting it to be busy, but when I arrived the car park was full and spaces elsewhere were at a premium, I got one but it was touch and go for Ian.  Thankfully there was space.  It turned out everyone was here for one bird.  The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.  There were more people here for this woodpecker than were at the Black-throated Thrush earlier in the week.

Fortunately Ian and I had seen the woodpecker well in January, so we were not under any pressure.  The woodpecker drums on a dead tree a short walk from the car park and as we approached the tree we could hear it drumming.  We walked up and there it was.  On its usual side to start.

But then flew to the other side.

Then to the disappointment of the many watching it flew off.  It is a bird of habit and would return, but everyone walked away.  Having seen it well earlier in the year we walked away.  Checking the owl tree there was no sign of any Tawny.  We carried on up the traill and as the pat would around to the left a Crossbill called above us and I picked it up as it flew across the path and settled in the top of the pines.  It was a case of take photos and then shuffle forward to try and get a better view.

It was a male in its wonderful red plumage.

Walking on there was an oldish Lion's Mane Fungus on the stump branch of an Oak tree.

It was a wonderful day, a little fresh but out of the breeze the sun was warm.  Despite the sun though there wasn't that much bird song, so this Song Thrush singing from a tree stood out.

The plan was to walk around this area and then head up on to the down to find the Woodlarks.  However as we made our way back to the main path we flushed a bird from the path that turned out to be a Woodlark, we were then treated to song and views of a pair of Woodlark, settled in the trees.

There is a crest that is raised and lowered.  Overall the bird has a stubby tail and will fly around singing on the wing.

It was nice to get views of this passerine away from walking on the ground.

Here a chance to appreciate the beautiful song in this video.

Not having to go up on to the down we were able to make our way to our second destination, Browndown South.  This reserve opening is restricted by the MOD and today it was open and with the warm sun there was a chance of Adders.  Every year we search this site, it has become a regular event.

We walked through the Gorse to start with, hoping to find Dartford Warblers.  We had heard them but they were now quiet.  But as we walked around the old branches we flushed the first butterfly of the year, a Peacock and it looked quite smart.

They hibernate over winter so this probably emerged back in October during a warm spell and then found somewhere safe to overwinter in hibernation.

There is a circuit we do to search for the adders and we did this loop twice without any luck, it can be quite difficult walking and looking down staring intot he bracken and gorse in the hope of seeing the black and brown markings.  After the second circuit we decided to go back and look for Dartford Warblers and this time were lucky.  A male showing very well amongst the gorse.

We decided to do one more circuit and our hopes were raised when Ian found this Common Lizard.

It sat in the sun, then slowly moved through bracken and twigs.

But the lizard was the only reptile we would find today.  Maybe it was the early morning frost that held the Adders back, but there would be time to try once more.