11th January - Martin Down and the New Forest, Hampshire

Another very cold night saw the snow still around at home.  The morning dawned clear with the lovely winter colours of pink and grey as the sun came up.  I was meeting Ian at Martin Down and crossing the Forest there were signs of snow, but on arriving at the car park at the end of Sillen Lane, you could see snow on the north facing slopes of Martin Down.

We set off towards the Dyke in the same way we would do in the summer when looking for butterflies and orchids, but this was new ground once again for Martin Down, the first visit in January and the first in snow.

As we neared the Dyke, the low winter sun was breaking through the dappled clouds.

We reached the Dyke and looked back in the same way we would in the summer, today though a very different landscape.

We made our way along the Dyke with very little about.  A Red Kite appeared from behind the Dyke.

Gliding over the top of the Dyke and out of sight.

Then another appeared, this time away below us along the hedgerow that leads from the car park, the new crops providing an interesting background.

There is an area penned off for the sheep, it is here we were searching for Short-eared Owl, we were using thermal cameras, but unfortunately there was no heat source that matched what we were looking for.  The view of the sheep in the area with the snow and clouds.

We walked through the scrub looking for the other possible owl here, the Long-eared Owl.  The area is perfect with the scrub and the open grassland they like at this time of year, but again there was no sign of anything with the thermal cameras.

We walked up to the footpath that leads alongside the woodland and headed into the wood, searching again with the thermal cameras.  This time we did find a heat source, close to the base of a tree.  A closer look and this is what we saw.

A Brown Hare, and I moved around to get another view.

We were very careful not to disturb the Hare as it was cold and it looked very snug amongst the leaf litter.

The field alongside the footpath would have Hare in the spring and summer, but today it was covered in winter thrushes.  It was Redwing mostly and they were feeding on the sun lit area and in amongst them were a few Fieldfare, quite a rarity this winter.

We came back out and on to the Down once more, this time walking around the scrub, through the gorse and long grass.  It was in the gorse that I caught a very brief glimpse of an owl as it flew up.  I couldn't identify but it was either a Short-eared or Long-eared Owl.

Walking down to the bottom footpath the Red Kite was about again.  The line of hedgerow being of great interest to the Red Kite.

We stopped at the gate and watched the Song Thrushes feeding in the field, also present were several Roe Deer.  The thrushes would fly back into the hedge and the deer would look around wondering what was going on.  Then a Sparrowhawk came out of the hedge carrying prey, but went back intot he hedge and shortly came out once again this time with no prey.  It was then followed by a Buzzard that flew after it, but returned to go back to the hedge.

We had lunch and then a short walk around the area once again, but quickly realised that we were not going to see anymore, so we headed off to a special place in the New Forest.  We walked down the slope and crossed a frozen stream.  We stood around watching the scene that was emerging around us, blue skies and a low sun.

Around 14.00 we walked up to the view point where we settled in to wait for the main event.  

First up was a distant Merlin on a dead branch.

It took awhile but around 15.30 I picked up a male Hen Harrier coming over the ridge.

It flew along the ridge and seemed to drop into the gorse where I lost it because attention turned to a Goshawk that flew across in front of us.

Then another Merlin was found on what is known as the Merlin tree.  They arrive here as a pre-roost perch before going into the full roost.  It was very dark now so no prizes for this photograph.

We hung around to see if there would be any more harriers and we treated to some lovely scenery.

We decided to leave, but walked to get a little closer to the Merlin, although the picture wasn't much better.

Not a day for photography but some great birds and I reached 100 for the year with the Hen Harrier.

26th October - Farlington Marshes and Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

My plan as I set off this morning changed as I left the house.  My plan was Titchfield first and then try Farlington in the afternoon, but as I drove I thought there had been a lot of overnight rain so I changed the plan and headed to the A3 and down to Farlington.

This turned out to be an inspired decision and for once I will give some notice on what to expect in this post.  There is going to be a lot of photographs with very little commentary, it was down to the way the day unfolded and the birds came.

I left the car park and headed towards the Lake, it was a lovely morning, blue skies all around with hardly any wind, the tide was high but with the light wind it was gently lapping against the sea wall.

As I reached the Lake the water was very high, the base of the reeds completely under water and the surrounding grass flooded.  Here Pintail could be seen feeding amongst the grass, and s few were out on the water close in.  This particular Pintail was busy preening in the morning sunshine.

I know I say it all the time but they are a beautiful duck, love the white "Starsky and Hutch" flash on the neck.

And the blue and black markings on the bill.

There was notice of the Short-eared Owls showing already in the morning which had vindicated my change of plan, So having stopped to see if there were any Beardies in the reeds, which there weren't so I am then walked on with some others towards Point Field.

There had been a count of four Short-eared Owls reported the day before and this is a little early for continued day time viewing.  As we approached the east side of Point Field I could see one Short-eared Owl flying above the bramble and as we reached the gate there were two flying around the field and over the bramble.

Now you will get some idea of what I meant about lots of photographs that really don't need the words to describe them.  I give you the Short-eared Owl.

I do like this one, the yellow eyes.

The light was a problem as we were on the east side of the field, the sun back lighting the wings.

Head on coming at you.

The general opinion is that when the owls arrive they will usually hunt in the night, coming out to hunt during the day more into winter.  To see them like this in good light was something special.

One down side of this is of course they become a target for the Crows and both birds were driven out over the water and high above us but they would always look to return.

Watchful for the mobbing crows, but he owls would give as good as they get and would sometimes go after the crows with talons.

Such a distinctive flight action slow with strong beats on long broad wings.

THe Shortie being escorted over the field by a Crow.

Coming back into Point Field.

Both birds then dropped down out of sight amongst the bramble.  I walked around to the west side to see if there was any sign of them around the ant hills but I couldn't see any.  This view across Point Field shows what a lovely morning it was.

And this dog Fox was enjoying the morning sunshine.

I walked back to the south side of Point Field and stood and waited.  There was one brief view of an owl as the crows seemed to find it in the bramble, but it almost immediately dropped back down.  A check of the radar showed a storm coming and with two hours since the owls had shown I decided to walk back to the Lake and to see if there was any chance of the Bearded Tits, but there was no sign of them and with the threat of rain I decided to get back to the car and head off for Titchfield.

Again, the right decision as the skies opened and it rained very heavily as I drove to the Haven.  When I arrived the rain eased and I checked in, then headed to the west side.  I stopped at the harbour bridge and was amazed to see how high the water was, the branch for the Kingfisher was completely covered.

With the tide was still very high and I checked the spit behind the Sailing Club and on the groyne there were quite a few Sanderling.

I couldn't turn down the opportunity and took the chance to try some different views.

Leaving the Sanderling, I walked towards the west entrance, like the harbour bridge the water in Duck Bay was also very high, the island completely covered and this platform just showing.

It was pretty much the same from the Meon Shore Hide with the south scrape pretty much under water.

The Oystercatcher struggling to find somewhere to roost (note the new letter signs)

No island in front of the hide and the duck were struggling to reach the bottom.

The owner of the DA, a drake Gadwall.

A Little Grebe swam past below the hide.

I felt the best chance of anything special might be at the Spurgin Hide and made my way there and again was greeted with a lot of water.

I settled in to wait, I seem to have come to terms with some patience over the last few weeks and this soon paid off when a Kingfisher arrived, although it did insist on staying at the back of the mere.

Then moved through a selection of perches before landing on the tall branch in about the middle of the mere.

It is a female Kingfisher and it would make several sorties around the mere, at times hovering over the water.

This was the closest she came, hiding in the reeds.

Then across to the reedmace.

Finally catches a fish that is quickly dispatched.

A little earlier I had seen what I considered was a Sparrowhawk fly past the right hand side of the hide.  While the Kingfisher was sat at the top of the tall branch it suddenly called and flew straight at the hide and then away to the left side.  Somebody then said there was a Sparrowhawk on the branch where the Kingfisher had been, when I got on the branch this is what I saw.

Not a Sparrowhawk but a Merlin, I couldn't believe it.  It sat motion less on the branch

In the morning I had been discussing the opportunity to be able to photograph Merlin and not just see them dash past you, so I really couldn't believe this.

It then jumped along the branch, finally settling down at the tip of the branch.

The merlin is our smallest falcon, not much bigger than a blackbird. They feed on small birds, especially meadow pipits which they chase in flight, low to the ground. Their small size also allows them to 'hang' in the breeze as they pursue their prey. In the winter, our merlin population increases as breeding birds are joined by migrants from Iceland in search of warmer climes.

The plumage indicates this to be a female bird, but the size of the bird and then its behaviour over the rest of the day and into the next makes me wonder if it was an immature male.

The position doesn't change that much, but this is a Merlin and this opportunity may never rise again.

Then it was gone, flying pastthe left hand side of the hide and away towards the canal path.  It was later reported along the canal path hunting Meadow Pipits and then around the sailing club at the sea wall.  The following day it was roosting in a Scots Pine outside the visitor centre and this allowed many to see and photograph it, but this was my bird.

With the time approaching closing the heaven's opened again and this was the scene looking out of the hide.

And as it stopped and the dark clouds drifted away rainbows appeared in the sky.

Storm clouds had never been very far away all afternoon and as I walked back to the car this was the scene over the Isle of Wight.

What a day!  A day where Short-eared Owls were almost forgotten with the arrival of a Merlin in the afternoon.  I still can't believe it, a wonderful day that will remain in the memory for a long time.