21st May - Pig Bush, New Forest, Hampshire

Back from Suffolk, I thought long and hard about where to go today, in the end I opted for the New Forest to look for Spotted Flycatcher, the last real common migrant I needed to see this spring.  It was a glorious day, not too hot and hopefully it would stay dry.  From the car park I walked through the wood and as I came out on to the heath a female Redstart flew from the ground to an oak tree.  I scanned the dead trees close by and immediately saw my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year at the top of the branches.

It was calling from the branches, a very thin wispy squeak, completely un hearable from below, but the bill was moving so I had to assume it was calling.

I walked across the heath and over the stream and out towards the main wood by the Rowbarrow.  There has been some rain recently and the ruts were full of water.

As I came into the wood a male Redstart dropped from a low branch to pick up something on the ground.

It then returned to the tree and sat.  it wa quite gloomy and there was the need for an high ISO.

I reached the Nightjar trees but couldn't find any Nightjars, but there were a pair of Redstart and plenty of calling.  Both adults were carrying food and it looked like there was a juvenile close by.

Some views of the female Redstart for a change.

I walked on and started to hear Redstart calling once more and they were joined by Chaffinch, and a Blackbird.  As I looked I saw a brown largish bird fly across the path and into a tree close by.  I walked down the path and found a Tawny Owl on a branch close to the trunk.

Turning to check me out.

But not that bothered with me as it started to close its eyes.

I walked around to the other side to see if the view was better.  The owl snoozing having fought off the attention of the small birds.

This was one of three Tawny Owls I have seen this year, one of my better years.

I set off out of the wood and across the heath, I was surprised to see a tractor and four by four coming along the path.  It turns out they were going on to the bog to retrieve a burnt out car that had been dumped and torched.  The funny thing though was that the cows followed the tractor out and later I saw them following it back.

Just before the small wood by the railway line, I stopped for a Willow Warbler singing and in front of me there were two Dartford Warblers calling in a small hawthorn bush.  The male was showing well.

I wa;lkled around the wood but there were hardly any Redstart, I found a pair but they were elusive.  Last year there were several Spotted Flycatchers around the cattle pens and as I walked around the area I could hear them calling, but they were very difficult to locate.  Finally I found one that had dropped to almost eye level.

I mentioned earlier the flycatcher's squeaky call and here i could hear it and you have to wonder why it needs such an open beak to deliver it.

It then moved to a closer bush, showing well.

Continued to call

Then to a branch in an area where you are likely to see a Flycatcher sitting in th eopen under an open canopy where the insects get.

Still singing.

Leaving the Spotted Flycatcher I found a male Firecrest singing close by and he also showed well.

Nice against the dark background.

Then it did this, almost lying on the branch and stretching out its wings.  Maybe sunbathing, I am not sure, but the only thing I could consider.

I walked around the wood looking fro Redstart, but without any luck.  I did come across this Song Thrush, singing from a very convenient branch.

Still images will capture the beauty of the bird, but there is a lot of beauty in the song of the Song Thrush, so I captured this with this video clip.

I walked back towards the car park with Cuckoo calling in the distance and Stonechats calling, probably feeding young.

In the wood Redstart sang and as I approached the Nightjar tree a pair of Woodlark dropped on to the path in front of me.  I don't recall ever seeing Woodlark inside a wood before.

I decided to settle in around the Redstart pair I had seen earlier feeding young.  Sitting down amongst the bracken I ate my lunch and watched the pair as they caught insects.  The male liked a particular spot on the oak tree opposite and returned regularly.

A lovely morning in the forest and I managed to find my target bird and a little bit more.