17th October - The New Forest, Hampshire

The middle of October is the time Ring Ouzels are on the move and coming through Hampshire.  I met Ian at the lay by at Black Gutter Bottom.  A pair of Raven were by the side of the road where there was a dead Pheasant, we disturbed them and they flew off to the pines a little back from the road.

We walked to the pines and the Raven flew off, but circled the area calling.  On the grass under the pines there were several Shaggy Parasols that were not yet fully open.

Walking down the slope the warm conditions and morning sunshine had brought the Dartford Warblers out and a few were singing in the gorse.

I counted five Dartfords as we walked down the slope to the Black Gutter.

A young male Red Deer was close to the stream, it stood to watch us.  This is only the second Red Deer I have seen in the Forest.

The plateau on Leaden Hall was flooded, and there were many Meadow Pipits chasing each other around the plateau.  There was also a Mistle Thrush, a couple of Song Thrush and fly over calling Redwing, but no sign of any Ring Ouzels.  The Hawthorn and Whitebeam trees were very devoid of any berries, this year has been very poor for berries almost everywhere.

We walked around the area chasing the birds as they flew around.  A male Chaffinch on the a sprig of Hawthorn.

Two Linnets.

The plateau with quite a bit of water after the recent rains.

Here looking down into Ashley Hole, this is usually a good spot for rutting Fallow Deer at this time of year, but there wasn't any sign of any deer at all.

We walked back to the plateau and scattered the Meadow Pipits that were foraging around the pools of water on the grass.  We decided to walk along Ashley Walk in the opposite direction, we normally come towards Leaden Hall, having skirted around the Ashley Hole first.

There were some more Dartford Warblers, Wrens and Chiffchaff in the bushes and in the Oaks several Goldcrests  We then went off the paths and yomped through the heather and gorse in the general direction of Black Gutter Bottom.  A couple of young male Fallow Deer were feeding around the gorse, maybe a sign that the rut has come and gone this year.

As we walked alongside the stream, my tree was distant on the horizon.  To be honest I had forgotten all about it until I saw it as we walked.

Another grassy area had some more Shaggy Parasols, this time fully emerged and showing the gills.

This just emerged showing the stipe ring where the parasol broke away.

Looking east along Black Gutter towards the tree.

We made our way back up the hill towards the cars.  A Red Kite drifted along the horizon and there were Stonechat and Meadow Pipit in the gorse and heather.  Back at the cars we had lunch.  These trees in the distance were showing some lovely colour.

From Black Gutter we drove the short distance to the car park at Deadman Hill.  Ring Ouzel had also been reported here and we decided to have a walk around.  The Raven were still in the area, this pair were rolling and tussling together overhead.

The view looking north from Deadman Hill.

We walked alongside the stream and then crossed a footbridge and the other side.  We could see Thrushes moving overhead and could hear Redwing.  We picked up a black bird ahead of the Redwing and watched as it flew towards a clump of trees.  As it dropped down with the trees behind the wings turned silver and it flew into a bush.  This could only have been a Ring Ouzel, the bird we had hoped to see, but not the best of views.

We walked to the area and searched the trees, once again there were very few berries on the trees and we could not relocate the ouzel.  Walking around though, there were more Redwing and a surprise appearance of a Goshawk, cruising above the tree tops.

We made our way back across the stream and then climbed the hill towards the car park.  We paused and viewed the distant horizon and found three Buzzards soaring with a Red Kite and the two Raven flew past once more.  As we were about to turn around five Swallow flew through heading south (of course).

Next stop was to be Eyeworth Pond.  It looked beautiful in the afternoon sunshine, the trees surrounding the pond just beginning to change colour.  In about a week the reflections in the water should be spectacular, if we get some sunshine.

The speciality of Eyeworth is the Mandarin Duck, but we couldn't see any out on the water.  A little encouragement brought a quite stunning drake out from the undergrowth on the far side.

It was calling as it cruised across the pond with its sails up.

If the weather is good, i.e., sunshine then these little duck can look quite magnificent in the dark water of the pond and you have to take the opportunity to get quite a few images.

It cruised around the pond moving from the different shades of water colour, here some green reflections from the surrounding reeds.

Then back into the black water of the pond, the best background to show off the amazing plumage.

This one my favourite.

Then to finish it was heading towards the little island and the bay behind it, but had to sail through some heavily reflected reeds which seemed to add to the colourful spectacle.

The other duck on the pond are Mallard, these stay close to the shore as they are fed.  The drakes though were also looking superb in the sunshine.  Because they are so common the Mallard are overlooked, but they are a stunning duck to look at up close.

A ring of bright water.

The perfect reflection.

There have been a few butterflies about during the day, Speckled Woo, Peacock and this nice Red Admiral settled amongst the autumn leaves.

Seed is put out by visitors for the small birds either for photography or just for the enjoyment of seeing the birds up close.  Blue and Great Tits were coming and going frequently, as was this Nuthatch.

The seed was out of sight which made for the opportunity to get some nice portraits shots.

The Nuthatch would take the seed away and we watched it caching the seed in other trees and bushes, not just eating it themselves.

To finish off our colourful time at Eyeworth a Kingfisher appeared at the back of the pond, then came closer, settling on the bush in the middle of the island.

It has been a while since I spent some time in the Forest, at this time of year it can be quite special.  The colour is not yet in full swing but should be in a couple of weeks time.  Great too catch up with a very beautiful Mandarin Duck and to walk somewhere different for once.

13th January - The New Forest, Hampshire

Early starts are reserved for Saturdays, so it was at just before eight I pulled into the car park at Acres Down.  I was meeting Ian to search for some of the New Forest specialities.  It was overcast, but while the thermometer said it was just above freezing, there was no wind and it wasn't horrendously cold.

We set off down the main path with plenty of bird calls around us, we heard the chipping call of Crossbill, but never saw them as we scanned the top of the pines.  The main path bends away to the right and just past the gate is a dead tree.  The reason we were here was because of reports of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in and around the tree, but despite plenty of effort we could not see any.  We thought we heard drumming, but there was also a Great Spotted Woodpecker about and this was drumming too, so we could not be certain.

In the leaf litter below the Beech Trees nearby there were large flocks of Chaffinch and we did manage to find at least two Brambling in amongst them, their white rumps giving them away as they flew out of the leaves.  We spent two hours in the area for very little return.

We decided to walk up to the down and then around to Highland Water  We saw a few Redwing and Fieldfare in a Holly tree, and down at the bottom of the hill we had three Hawfinch fly over, but that was about all.  Walking down to the main path there was a pair of nuthatch in the beech trees.

A Jay was the first photograph taken after about two and a half hours, and that didn't stay around for long.

At Highland Water we hoped for Grey Wagtail, but it wasn't there.

The only bird of note a Redwing.

As we reached the car park there was a Marsh Tit in a Holly Bush.

Whilst we had managed a few year ticks it was a disappointing morning.  So where next?  We decided to go to Mark Ash Wood.  Once again it was quiet, but I did find a Treecreeper, avery poor record shot.

Once again there were a lot of birds in the leaf litter and once again we saw Brambling flying away from us, flashing their white rumps to tease us.  We would use the thermal camera to see where there were birds in the litter, we also would use it on holes in the trees.  One interesting find was in this old branch.  There was a hat source to the left of the hole, and looking into the hole there were leaves and some soil, so we had to presume the heat was coming from a hibernating dormouse.

From Mark Ash we drove around to Eyeworth Pond.  As we turned into the car park I was horrified to see the pond was frozen, there was some open water though near to the place where the ducks are fed.  We were here for the Mandarin Duck, but once again there was no sign.  We scanned the area where the low branches cover the water at the back of the pond and also walked around there, but couldn't find any Mandarin.  We decided to walk along the path, as the stream that feeds the pond winds through areas that Mandarin would like and the water and pools were ice free.  Nothing other than this Song Thrush.

We walked back to the pond and gave it one more go, this time Ian found them, tucked away on the island.

We don't think they were there when we arrived and that they must have decided to move.  Wit a little encouragement they started to come out of the cover.  Drake and duck.

The female, whilst not having the bright colours of the male is quite a smart little duck in its own right.

In this one, the male looks a bit like Gimli, the dwarf warrior from Lord of the Rings.

The pair were standing together.

Then swam out together, the male stretching and bobbing its head while the female seemed to look all around.

While the male continued his bobbing, the female lay stretched out on the water in some kind of submissive pose.

They ten moved apart and went on their own way.

Before we left I had to take this Nuthatch coming to the seed that had been put out, there was also a Coal Tit that evaded my efforts.

We had always intended to finish in one location.  When we arrived we had two hours of light left.  From the cars we walked down the slope and of course I was drawn to the tree on the horizon.

Ian then picked up a male Hen Harrier flying above the ridge, heading west, we lost it as it dropped below the ridge.  However, minutes later another appeared coming from a distant location.  I managed to get onto this one.

It banked and then flew along the ridge to the south of us and eventually out of view.

Then about five minutes later Ian picked up yet another male, this time coming from the direction of where the first harrier had disappeared and came past us a lot closer.

It crossed the valley and over to the ridge south of us and gave some great views.

Over the gorse

The flight is unmistakeable, a few flaps and then a glide as it watches the ground below for possible prey, it appears almost effortless.

It even flew around the tree.

It then turned and was lost to view over the ridge.

We decided to stay in place to see if they returned or the other birds would come into roost later.  Towards sunset the sky started to turn blue as the cloud thinned.

Just before four we had a brief view of a male and assumed it dropped into the bracken on the other side of the ridge.  With the gloom setting in we decided it was time to go.  The morning had not been good, but the afternoon made up for it and seeing male Hen Harriers is always a great day.