5th May - Fishlake Meadows, Hampshire

Back to the birds today and just before I left home in the morning I still wasn't sure where I was going, but as I pulled off the drive, I decided on Fishlake Meadows.  There had been reports of Osprey and Tawny Owl the day before and there was always the chance of some good Hobby activity

From the car park I headed north along the canal path and immediately came across a singing Garden Warbler/.  It also didn't take long to find the bird in a willow tree.

It seemed that there were two, the bird singing flying between bushes and appearing to display to the other which was either a female or another male.

I walked on to the second viewing platform and was pointed out an Osprey on the top of the dead trees away in the distance.  Apparently it had been there for most of the morning so far and the wait was on to see if it would fly.

I decided to wait a while on this platform as there was the best view if it did fly.  In front a Sedge Warbler sang from the old twigs and logs in front of the platform.

And once the Sedge Warbler had flown off, it was replaced by a male Whitethroat that struck out with a different song.

A couple 0f us decided to walk down to the roadside view points.  The Osprey was visible from the first point, but of course distant.  The sun came out briefly which helped a little with the definition.

We couldn't see it from the bust stop view point and walking down the road only managed to see it through a tangle of branches.  Back at he bus stop view point a Great Egret flew past and a Common Tern was circling the lake.

I headed back to the canal path, keen to see if I could locate the Tawny Owls, apparently they hadn't been seen so far this morning.  A pair of Long-tailed Tits looked a little weary in the bushes alongside the canal.

I walked past the first viewing platform and carried on towards the second.  Looking out over the reeds I noticed a large bird that at first I thought was a Great Black-backed Gull, but the flight seemed all wrong.  I then realised that it was the Osprey and it was looking to gain height by circling, but in doing so it headed straight for me and eventually over my head.

There were no signs of any rings on the legs and with the lack of a dark tail band and the lighter breast band I think this was an immature bird.

This spring has seen a n increase in the reports of Osprey in Hampshire, not an unusual bird these days but more so in the autumn, however with the number now breeding around Poole harbour there must be a few more wanderers and it seems like we are the luck recipients.

It continued to circle looking for thermals to gain height.

Despite being classed with eagles and hawks, the Osprey is its own unique bird of prey that belongs to its own family.  It specialises in eating only fish and has a number of adaptations to help in hunting them.  The nostrils close to keep water out when diving and backwards facing scales and sharp little spines on the talons and toes help them hold on to slippery fish, while they have a reversible outer toe that allows them to switch their grip for better purchase on the fish.

In the early 1600s they were plentiful enough for James I to attempt to train them to catch fish for human benefit along the banks of the Thames at Westminster.  This didn't amount to much and to this day the Osprey is the one bird of prey that cannot be tamed for a life in captivity.

During Victorian times they were ruthlessly hunted for their eggs and skins to stop it from taking fish stocks.  By 1840 it was extinct from England and in 1916 became extinct from Scotland.

The Ospreys were determined though and made efforts to re-colonise Scotland in 1954 at Loch Garten.  Intense efforts to protect nests from egg collectors and the Ospreys started to spread.  This along we introduction programmes has helped the population what it is today.

I couldn't believe watching this Osprey above my head, some of the best views I have ever had of one.

It continued to circle but was now gaining height and attracting the attention of large gulls.

Up it went and without any effort drifted away to the south, probably towards Redbridge and Southampton Water where the tide was coming in.

After the thrill of the Osprey I continued the walk and stopped at the area where I had been told the owls had been seen.  In front of me was a large Oak Tree.  With the help of my thermal camera it didn't take long to find the adult Tawny Owl

I was able to zoom in for a closer look.

There had also been reports of branching Owlets and another scan with the thermal found one Owlet at the top of the oak tree.

The adult was quite large and the general opinion was that this was a female.  The Owlet was also the larger of two seen yesterday, but I couldn't locate a second owlet.  

Before fledging, the young, known as owlets, will leave the nest and spend several days in the surrounding branches – a process that is called ‘branching’. The parents will continue to care for the young for a few weeks after fledging, with the owlets fully independent by the end of autumn.  The previous day both adult and two owlets were on the other side of the canal path.  One Owlet had made it across but there was some concern as to the welfare of the other.

After managing to get many others on to the owls I left the crowd and walked on.  A Song Thrush flew across the path and on to a branch over the canal.

A Cuckoo called from across the reed bed and as I walked along the centre path it appeared on the power lines.

It sat there singing for some time, I waited hoping to catch it in flight, but when it eventually did fly it headed north!

I walked to the screens negotiating the flooded path. Sedge and Reed Warblers sang from the reeds and Cetti's from the bushes.  At the screens there was a female Marsh Harrier and a couple of Buzzards and some very high Hobby.

After eating my lunch I made my way back down the path.  I saw a grey bird in one of the dead trees and having seen a cuckoo there earlier assumed it was another, but as I got closer I could see it was a Hobby.

Eventually it took off and flew across the path and away to the west.

I made my way along the centre path, stopping to watch some Hairy Hawker dragonflies that would not settle.  Back on the canal path I reached the spot where the owls were and learnt that there had been some activity.  A crow had shown some interest in the Owlet and the adult intervened.  As a result the adult had moved to the centre of the tree but the Owlet remained at the top as can be seen by the red circles.

The Owlet was not as easy to see now, covered by leaves, but the adult was showing well in the centre of the tree.

The eyes were opened partially, keeping an eye on what was going on around the tree.

A pair of Chaffinches had found the owl and were scolding it, the owl just watched them and they soon left.

A real privilege to see this lovely Tawny Owl framed by some oak leaves, it helps to reinforce the wise old owl look, which of course they really aren't.

I walked to the viewing platform to watch for Hobby, but they remained distant.  After the frustration of the Hairy Hawker dragonflies not stopping earlier I was pleased to find this one resting in a bush by the side of the canal.

The UK's smallest hawker, it is the earliest dragonfly to emerge in the UK, it is on the wing from May to July.  The Hairy Hawker dragonfly is mostly black in colour. The male has pale blue, pear-shaped spots all along the body, blue eyes and broad, lime-green patches on the thorax. The female has yellowish spots and brownish eyes. If seen well, the short hairs all over the body make the hairy dragonfly unmistakeable.  It can be found around waterbodies with plenty of different plants; ditches in grazing marshes, gravel pits and canals are particularly good spots to look for this species.

Clouds were building all around and the sun was going along with the Hobby.  I decided it was time to head home on what had been a day when I made the right decision on where to go!

26th January - Ibsley Water, Blashford Lakes, Hampshire

After leaving Ripley I was intending to go into the forest to look for Brambling, but a message came in saying there was a Black-necked Grebe in front of the Goosander Hide at Blashford.  I was close so wanted to take the opportunity to get these elusive grebes close, so I changed plans and headed there.  I parked by the gate and walked around to the Lapwing hide, but looking out there was nothing in the bay except a pair of Gadwall.  I was then informed that all the duck and the grebe had been spooked and had flown away to the north.  I decided to wait to see if they drifted back.  Some did but never close and there wasn't any sign of the Black-necked Grebe, so I took some shots of the drake Gadwall below the hide before walking around to the Lapwing hide to chance my luck there.

Things were a lot better from the Lapwing hide, plenty of duck, Wigeon, Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Teal out on the water and quite close once again were three female Goldeneye.

There were four in total, here three.

Then the one I had been wanting a drake Goldeneye and close.

It was diving with the female and coming up closer and closer to the hide.

Goldeneye are a frustrating duck to photograph, they are usually far away in deep water or the light is poor and the black and white plumage seems to affect the focus.  But today the light was good and for some reason they were staying close to the shore in front of the hide.

It was diving with the females, then decided it was a time for a preen.

The calm before the obligatory wing flap.

Then settling down once more.

Before a little bity of sky pointing, more of which later.

Moving from the Goldeneye the Shoveler were flying around a little further out over the water.

The Goldeneye moved away to the left of the hide and were replaced by a determined Black-necked Grebe, the bird I had hoped to see by coming here.  It swam towards the area the Goldeneye had been diving around so there must be an attraction.

Getting closer.

This was the closest I have been to this little Grebe, similar in size to the Slavonian Grebe it is larger than the Little Grebe but as a similar profile, the red eye, upturned bill and black cap with a white cheek stand it out.

Black-necked Grebe is a rare breeding species in Britain with around 55 pairs nesting, this small population largely restricted to central and eastern England. During the winter months the species may be found more widely on both inland and coastal sites.

The numbers of wintering Black-necked Grebes suggests that our breeding population is joined by individuals from elsewhere during the winter months.  The hope is that this one stays long enough to change to its breeding plumage of black and golden ear tufts, the ear tufts giving it the name of Eared Grebe in North America.

It hung around diving and at one point joined the Goldeneye to dive.

I am really please with these images, at last I can include close views of this grebe with the three others, only Red-necked Grebe remains to be included.

The Four female Goldeneyes started to drift towards the hide once more and with them came the male and it was quickly joined by another.

This my favourite photograph of the session.

The two males then started to display to each other and the females, sky pointing and stretching their necks.

The Sky pointing involves the duck throwing its head back and pointing the bill skywards.  At the same time they utter a gutteral call.

Their appeared to be a pairing with both pairs engaging in display.

Then one male broke away and started to display to the female in the other pair.

Then back to the lone female who didn't seem to be too interested.

They then drifted away together.  Here is a small video of the two males displaying.

The Goldeneye moved away once more and I found myself watching a flock of Long-tailed Tits that were feeding in front of the hide, spending time on the low bramble and even on the grass.

With my time beginning to run out I decided to try the Goosander hide once more and this time there were Goosander close to the hide.

The wooden platform providing an ideal place to preen and wing flap.

But not all wanted to get out of the water.

A nice view of a female "red head" Goosander.

Just as I was preparing to leave a Great Crested Grebe came close to the hide.

It started diving on the left hand side of the hide around the old trees that were lying in the water.  It came up with what looks like a nice sized Rudd, that was dispatched without any difficulty.

I was than left with some nice views of the grebe, it is showing breeding plumage so very soon will be displaying to a potential mate.

A quick shake of the wings.

I think I made the right decision to come here with some great opportunities to photograph water birds that have pretty much avoided me over the years.  A great day overall with the UK and county lifer in the Killdeer and the Goldeneye and Black-necked Grebe showing superbly.