There had been a lot of publicity for the Lunar eclipse that would take place early morning on the 14th, but as we got closer to the day, it became clear that maybe we would not see the full event. In fact the moon would set before it was completely blood red.
I was awake at 5.45 and decided to have a look, the moon was showing the partial eclipse and a little bed of orange, clouds were also obscuring a clear view.
Over the last few weeks the Water Pipits had been reported from the watercress beds around Alresford. Every time I go west to the New Forest or Keyhaven, coming back I think should I go into Alresford, but never do. It is one of the closest birding sites to me, but I hardly ever go there. So this morning I wanted to get Water Pipit and that meant a trip to Alresford.
It was a lovely sunny morning inside the car as I drove, however on arriving at the triangle and getting out it was bitterly cold and there was frost on the vegetation. I walked along the Bighton road towards the Drayton Farm Watercress Beds. There are a few old beds that can be viewed from the road, but these were completely devoid of birds.
On reaching the entrance to the Drayton Farm I wasn't sure if I could go in, so I used the scope and scanned the beds in front of me. There was no watercress in any bed, although the shingle and water could be seen and in the bed close to me were two Green Sandpipers.
After looking at a couple of Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail I noticed another small bird on the central causeway. A closer look and it was indeed a Water Pipit.
The Water Pipit is very similar to the Rock PIpit, in this case it would be quite unusual if a Rock Pipit was here, the confusing bird would more likely be a Meadow Pipit. With pale and browner grey above and the almost all white underparts. Dark legs and a clear supercillium, this is not a Meadow Pipit. I am though yet to get a good photograph of a Water Pipit.
I met some other birders and they said it was OK to walk around the beds along as you stay on the north side. I walked up and down, but couldn't find anymore pipits. The Green Sandpipers were in the west corner, so I walked over, but they flew off. As I walked back one of the birders told me that there was a Barn Owl sitting on the fence.
Over the last few years the Barn Owl in the split tree along the titchfield Canal path had been the "gimmee" for a year tick. This year the Barn Owl was found dead and I was beginning to wonder where I would get the year tick. In addition it had=s been a while since I have been able to get good views and photographs of a Hampshire Barn Owl. So I carefully took myself over to a leylandi hedge that could provide some cover and a good spot to photograph the owl.
It was taking the time to look around the area.
The fence adds some perspective to the shot.
I agreed with the other birders to walk out and get a different angle.
But then it flew from the post and I thought that was it.
But it started to hunt over the rough ground at just after 9.00am.
There were several hovers and drops into the grass, but it didn't seem to catch anything.
I couldn't believe my luck, here a hunting Barn Owl, something I haven't seen for a long time.
This is a male Barn Owl, the female has more markings and streaks on the breast and breast. Apparently there is a box in the grounds of the house on the other side from the farm and the pair have been very prolific in raising young, so it could be that this male was looking to feed young.
It flew away from me, but then came back and from the far side of the field flew towards me with a lovely dark background.
One of my favourites of the portfolio.
The Barn Owl then flew out of sight along the hedgerow. I waited but it looked like it wasn't going to return, so I walked back to the watercress beds to look for the Green Sandpipers. They were on the far side of the westly beds and one was stood on the bank with the concrete wall behind it.
Looking back, the Barn Owl had returned and was sitting on the fence once again. I went back and managed to get a couple on the fence before a dog walker flushed it and it was gone for good.
I then decided to walk around to the Alresford Pond.
Out on the water were thirty Mute Swans, Teal, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Mallard. On the right hand side was a gull roost, Black-headed Gulls were everywhere, but also in good numbers were Common Gulls, I counted 46 and Mediterranean Gulls of which there were 56.
There were not so many larger gulls, but there were 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and amongst them an adult Yellow-legged Gull.
At the back of the pond were four Red Kites, a couple of Buzzards and a single Sparrowhawk. Amazingly there were four Marsh Harriers, two pairs and one male Marsh Harrier was displaying, here up high and around the reed bed.
I walked back and then around to the Pinglestone Beds, there was very little here other than this Red Kite being mobbed by Jackdaws.
Back in the eighties I had a book on where to watch birds, it had sites by counties and various walks with symbols telling you what you could see. I always remember a walk at Cheesefoot Head, another site close to home, which walked through fields and around Longford Warren, the birds on offer were winter thrushes, Yellowhammer and Short-eared Owl. I have never walked it, but I could remember the route, so I decided to give it a go. There is a car park at Cheesefoot Head and as I prepared to set off a Red Kite was circling overhead.
Kites joined by a Buzzard.
Walking along the footpath the view was amazing, you could see all the way around to Portslade Hill in the east and then the city of Winchester in the west. In front, Fawley and Southampton Docks.
While the wind was cold the sun was warm and welcome and this was producing some incredible skies.
Is it more dramatic in black and white.
The colours in the field.
Another Black and White image.
There were more Red Kites about and you could hear the calls of Buzzards. Meadow Pipits flew over and Skylarks sang up high. Along the hedges on either side of the path were several Dunnocks.
On the final path back to the car park, there were good numbers of Skylark, the birds rising from the winter cereal crops to burst into song above me.
Any day you watch a Barn Owl hunting just has to be a good day, I was hoping for Water Pipit and was pleased with that, but the Barn Owl was the icing on the cake. I didn't know what to expect from Cheesefoot Head, but it was a lovely walk with incredible views despite the lack of birds.
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