Another sunny morning, but with some mist over the New Forest as I passed on my way to Blashford. Ian joined me as we drove down the hill to the Ringwood turn and we headed for the main car park. However walking to the Tern hide we had to wade through a small flood, not too deep for wellies but enough for the reserve to close the Tern Hide.
Still the Lapwing and Goosander hides were still open so we headed there along the road. A Goldcrest was searching the lichen on the dead branches by the side of the road.
At the gate that leads to the Lapwing and Goosander hide there was a good number of Redwing in the holly bushes, the red berries the main attraction.
The walk to the Goosander hide was quiet, but as we entered the hide I noticed two Goldeneye close in.
They were both adult females, the light pink markings on the nail of the bill giving this away.
Not the impressive male, but still wonderful to get some good close views.
One dived leaving the other to keep swimming past.
The two then disappeared, buty came back along with another female.
But the original pair stayed loyal together.
Once again they went away to the right hand side out of view, then all three came out flying across the lake to the centre.
The view from the hide across Ibsley Water with some impressive clouds in the background.
Does it look better in black and white?
uite a frw Pochard about, but this is the only one that came close enough for a photograph.
All the duck and gulls went up on the far side of the lake and I picked up a bird of prey being chased by a Herring Gull, the raptor shook the gull off and I could see it was a Peregrine. It finally settled in one of the trees on far side.
A surprise was the appearance of a Green Sandpiper, but it quickly dropped out of sight, there was then another surprise with a Grey Wagtail dropping in.
We left the Lapwing hide and walked around to the Goosander. On the way we stopped for a Treecreeper on the birch trees.
For once the bay in front of the Goosander hide it was quite busy, this Redhead female Goosander in close.
A Buzzard was settled preening on one of the vent pipes to the left of the hide.
Wigeon were settled on the water around the old submerged branches close to the shore.
A pair of Tufted Duck close in.
Ian picked up a very distant White-tailed Eagle over the trees straight out in front of the hide. Unmistakeable as it soared above the trees and being mobbed by what looked like a Buzzard.
All the duck came off the island in front of the hide, the reason a male Marsh Harrier coming over the land to the left.
There were three Redhead Goosanders at the back of the bay, but they stared to swim towards us. I liken this to the old photographs of the Royal Navy destroyers in World War II.
Coming closer they were snorkelling around the submerged branches looking for any fish hiding there.
The three Redheads together.
Eventually quite close for an intimate portrait.
A single Green Sandpiper had appeared on the branches on the left hand bank, but the reflections in the water made focusing on it almost impossible. Then three appeared together and it became a little easier.
One on its own.
They were mobile moving from log to log.
I lope the reflections and the markings on the old silver birch log in these two photographs.
After some lunch we headed in to the New Forest. The hope was that we could watch the Hen Harriers coming into roost. However by 15:30there wasn't any sign of them and it was getting gloomy as the clouds rolled in from the west.
Before that we had walked around the area and a sign that it wasn't going to be a successful afternoon should have been the complete lack of birds. We counted six! Still the scenery was stunning as always.
A distant black and white view of the famous (here anyway) tree.
A look along the valley.
A lovely view from the bottom of the valley.
Plenty of ponies around the area.
Walking to the view point a much closer view of the famous "tree".
A really good morning, but a disappointing afternoon.
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