Saturday, 31 May 2025

31st May - Acres Down New Forest, Hampshire

After seeing the Honey Buzzards yesterday at Woolbeding I decided to go after a Hampshire Honey Buzzard and I decided on Acres Down as I hadn't been there for them yet this year.  The traffic was building up as I came off the motorway, but there was space in the car park.  I gathered up my equipment and lunch and walked up the hill and through th ecopse to the viewing point looking out over the forest towards the west.

I came across a Woodlark on the path and it allowed me to get close, but with all my stuff I couldn't reach the camera in time, and it flew across in front of me and over the back of the trees.  As I approached the viewing point I could hear Woodlark singing as well as Redstart and Tree Pipit.

First raptor to show not surprisingly was a Common Buzzard, quickly followed by several more.  There was cloud about, but it looked like it was breaking up as the sun started to warm things up.

Later the view was as spectacular as ever.

The first Honey Buzzard sighting cae from the south west area, appearing over the trees and immediately looking completely different from the Buzzards that you think are Honeys.  The first thing that hits you are the longer wings, then it is the length of the tail.  Finally the head appears to protrude more than a Buzzard.  As it turned you can see it gliding and soaring on flat wings, the Common Buzzard will hold them in more of a "V" shape, plus head on the Honey has a smooth down curving of the wings.

It was always too far to get a decent photograph once again, but I tried.

Another or possibly the same bird was picked up later and this came overhead but at an incredible height, turning out to be just a speck in the sky.

As well as the Goshawks there were at least two Goshawks, one coming into range of the camera, just.

After three hours and a quiet spell from the last Honey I decided to call it a day and walked back to the care.  A Painted Lady flew past me, never stopping.  

The view from the top of the slope that leads down to the car park.

In the car park there was a singing Firecrest, not something unusual these days.


So more Honey Buzzard sightings, but again all distant.  I am not sure if I will get another opportunity this year, although once their chicks have hatched and fledged apparently they show well then, we shall have to see.

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