A pair of Ring Ouzel have been on the Leaden Hall Plateau in the New Forest for the last few days and Ian and I decided, despite the clear overnight conditions to start there today. We met just after sun rise and on what was probably the coldest morning of the season, walked down the slope towards Black Gutter Bottom. Away on the horizon, the famous tree of Black Gutter Bottom.
As we reached the bottom of the valley there was frost on the grass, so it was a very cold night. We walked up the slope to Leaden Hall having crossed a bone dry stream. Up on the plateau there were a few birders already there but there hadn't been any sign of the Ring Ouzel. However away to the south west, distantly in a conifer was a White-tailed Eagle. Unmistakeable.
After trying to chase after the eagle, which decided to fly off towards the south west, we walked back to the plateau and decided rather than stand around waiting for the Ring Ouzel to show we would go looking for them. Walking around the back of the Whitebeam trees I flushed a female from the bracken. We searched but unfortunately could not relocate it, or any other.
So we could stand around again or move on, we opted for the latter and headed to Blashford Lakes. First up was a visit to the Tern hide. Two White-tailed Eagles have been seen every morning of the past week and their presence had clearly had an effect on the duck on the lake, there was very few and what were there were all up on the north shore sheltering from the wind.
There were good numbers of Coot and Great Crested Grebes, with a few Tufted Duck mixed in. A Green Sandpiper flew past the hide calling but in keeping with much of what this day was it stayed well out of sight.
So we decided to walk around to the Goosander hide, where it was a little more interesting. A red head male Goosander, identified by the large white wing panel.
There were also twelve Goosander on the far side of the lake, eleven redheads and smart male.
A Little Gull appeared just off the spit but again always stayed distant. This is a second winter bird.
I seem to be tripping over Grey Wagtails this month. Here there were three feeding around the exposed mud below the hide.
But one came up on to the top of the Sand Martin wall, here perched on the Kingfisher perch.
Then replaced by a Chiffchaff.
We then walked around to the Lapwing hide, with the guttural calls of a stag Fallow Deer. It is currently the the middle of the rut and we were able to find the stag, and a very impressive animal. A wonderful set of palmate antlers, and you can see the thick set neck which is so vital in it's involvement in the rut. You can also see that there are plenty of scars on that neck signalling plenty of fights and these must have been successful because it had a full hareem of does with him
In front of the Lapwing hide was a large raft of Coot, but on the edge were two red head Goldeneye, probably newly arrived for the winter.
These may be a pair with the bird on the right possibly still in eclipse.
In amongst the Coot raft were Tufted Duck, a couple of Wigeon and good to see at least six Pochard.
We counted eight Great Egrets around Ibsley Water. They were quite mobile, flying back and forth along the west shore of the lake. This one though flew across the lake and dropped on to the shore to the left of the hide.
With nothing else of much note this Great Crested Grebe caught the eye. It had caught what looks like a sizeable Tench. IT was trying to swallow it but having difficulty due to the size of the fish.
The Grebe eventually gave up and released the fish.
And we gave up too, walking back to the cars for lunch. After which we walked to the Ivy Lake south hide. The hide was packed and quite noisy. We had to wait for a seat at the window, nothing in front of the hide, but there was a very distant Kingfisher on the left hand side. It stayed well away from the hide, probably due to the noise and activity.
We should have stayed, an Otter was seen later in the afternoon, but we didn't, we headed to the Ivy Lake North hide, stopping on the way to watch a collection of birds coming to seed spread on some logs. There were Blue, Great and Coal Tits, Song THrush and Blackbird and a couple of Nuthatch.
The reeds were high in front of the hide and the water in the lake low. The only bird on show was a Moorhen along with distant Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Teal. Once again we ran out of patience and once again if we had stayed then maybe we would have seen a Bittern fly up from the reedmace. But we didn't, we started to try for the Ring Ouzel once again.
It was a beautiful afternoon and as always the New Forest and Black Gutter Bottom was looking spectacular. Walking down the slope to the stream the tree was prominent on the slope with the clouds emphasised in the black and white photograph.
I took this one standing in the middle of the stream bed, totally dry.
THere were absolutely no birds seen on the plateau, definitely no Ring Ouzel. We decided to walk around the area coming back along Ashley Walk. I had noticed that the bracken this year were very short, normally growing as high as my waist or more. As you can see they are very stunted reaching as high as my calves, all as a result of the drought conditions we have experienced this summer.
A black and white view of the distant clouds beyond the bracken.
Back at the plateau we were rewarded when Ian picked up a distant Goshawk, but aside from that and several Stonechat it was very quiet. We walked back up the hill to the main road and the cars with a final black and white view of the tree once more. What would I do without that tree on visits here!
When you look at what was seen today you quickly realise it was quite impressive. The problem was it was a day for photographing them. Once again we seemed to be missing some good stuff by moving on. There is something to be said for maybe sitting it out.
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