5th September - Oxey Marsh to Keyhaven Lagoon, Hampshire

If it has been awhile since visiting Farlington, it seemed even longer to come all the way to the Keyhaven - Lymington reserve.  To be honest I have been wanting to go for a while now but the fire and closure of the A31 has kept me away.

So this morning I was meeting Ian, not at the usual car park, but this time Normandy Lane.  From there we walked out to the marsh and were greeted with an almost empty Eight Acre Pond.  Where there was water there were Little Egret and quite a few Redshank, plus one Greenshank.

In places the shadows created some dark water so we walked up to the sea wall to try and get the egrets with their reflections.  Ian was watching an egret when it looked up and so did Ian and above us was an Osprey high and heading west.

It drifted away and it was back to the Little Egrets, there were fifteen around the pond, most of them in the water but also some in the trees.

So some time for the reflections.  First in the blue water.

Then in the dark water.

On the other side of the sea wall was a Greenshank.  Th elight wasn't perfect but the greenshank was close enough to overcome any problems from the light.

Feeding around the exposed bladder wrack.

Walking on a Redshank stood on a rock at Salterns again with a nice reflection.

We walked across the marsh in the hope of finding some migrants around the bushes but it was very quiet.  Coming up on to the sea wall there was a lovely scene out in the Solent created by the sun behind a cloud.

All three hirundines were hawking insects along the sea wall over the bushes.  Of the swallows they were mainly immature birds lacking the tail streamers seen in the adults.

A warbler was showing in the gorse, any thoughts on what it might be from this shot?  The long wings might be a clue.

Easier from this view, long primary projection and light coloured legs.

A Willow Warbler.

Offshore there was a single Eider, it looked like a male in eclipse.

The tide was at its lowest, but there was water in Butts Bay.  Turnstone and Ringed Plover fed on the exposed sea weed.  This Curlew moved slowly away from us.

Moving out into the deeper water, but still walking, never swimming.

Fishtail Lagoon was almost completely dry and there were only a few Pied Wagtails on the mud.  Keyhaven Lagoon was quiet with no sign of the recent Ruff,. the only bird of interest being a distant Wheatear.

We came back to the Old Tip and walked through the bushes, again with very few migrants about.  Walking down to the car park there were cattle in the corner by the gate and with them were Yellow Wagtail.

As usual they were feeding amongst the feet of the cattle.

As we were watching the Yellow Wagtail, another birder came up to us and told us that there was an eagle coming towards us from the sea.  Sure enough, there it was at first coming low.

At this point we were willing it to come towards us.

But it then moved a little away from us and started to circle which indicated it was looking to gain height.

There is a lot of feather wear, in the primaries and the tail.  Aging is difficult, but I don't think this was an adult, probably second or third year bird.

Better views of the tail here, its gaining the white feathers that give the eagle its name so maybe it is moulting into an adult.

Great views here of the shape of the huge wing span.  It has the name of the flying barn door.  It is the largest bird of prey found in this country, the wingspan a little longer than that of the Golden Eagle.

Fantastic to watch as it circle above us and eventually became a speck amongst the clouds

We decoded to walk back along the footpath off Pennington Lane and returned to the marsh at Oxey Creek.  A Raven was calling endlessly and eventually it showed with another.  It continued to call as it flew around us.

Nice to be able to get some good flight views of Raven.

This is in blacjk and white.

As we watched the Raven, Ian picked up a Sparrowhawk and it was being mobbed by hirundines as it circled above.  Incredible reduction in size compared to the White-tailed Eagle!

We had made our way back to Oxey Marsh and it feels right to pause the account of the day here, part two will take us from Oxey Marsh to Normandy Marsh.

12th May - Broxhead Common and Noar Hill

I was keen to find a Tree Pipit today, and with not too much time I decided to try Broxhead Common, only a short twenty minute drive from home, after that it was a nother short drive to Noar Hill for something special.

I walked on to the heath with a Chiffchaff singing amongst the birch trees.  A bird at the top of a dead tree turned out to be a Stonechat, but as I walked around the gorse I heard a Dartford Warbler singing.  The Dartford Warbler moved amongst the gorse and eventually showed, and it showed very well.

Light was difficult but the Dartford stayed in close range.

Great views of the male above the gorse.

I walked around the paths and heard a Tree Pipit singing in the distance.  As I walked around the pond I flushed a Woodlark from the ground, it was joined by another and flew up to the overhead cables.

This view showing off the very long hind claws.

I managed to get a long distance view of a singing Tree Pipit, but couldn't get close enough for an acceptable photograph.  Deciding to walk on as I approached where I had parked the car I disturbed two Small Heath butterflies, a first for the year.

Next stop was another twenty minute drive to Noar Hill.  As I walked on to the reserve it was in glorious sunshine, the reserve sheltered from the cool wind.  I walked into the first chalk pit and found a Duke of Burgundy.

Having seen the dukes earlier in spring, what I was hoping to find was a Dingy Skipper and it didn't take long to find one in the same pit.

Perched oon the Cowslips that are now just going over.

There were still a lot of Early Purple Orchids in bloom, and it was orchids I was over, but not these ones.

Walking through the other pits I disturbed a Holly Blue and then a couple of Common Blues, another first butterfly for the year.  Here the two unusually sitting together in the sunshine.

Another Duke of Burgundy, in total I saw twelve all around the reserve, a very good number at this time of year considering they emerged early in April.  Most of them were males and in quite good condition.

A Painted Lady flew through, of course not stopping, there were also Brimstone and Orange Tip on the wing.  I came by a couple of Juniper bushes and on a Hazel close by were three Green Hairstreak, all immaculate.

I was looking for a particular orchid and headed to the area where I had seen them last year.  I had heard they were showing and again like everything this year they were early, maybe two weeks early.  As I searched the area I found this Common Twayblade, with petals just starting to show.

It took a few sweeps but eventually I found a short flower stem of a Fly Orchid.

The fly orchid has a tall, green spike growing from shiny, oval leaves. The flowers are well spaced and resemble flies. They're dark reddish-brown, with a shiny silver-blue patch in the middle that looks like a pair of wings - they even seem to have tiny antennae!

Fly orchids grow in chalk and limestone soils, from woodland glades and rides to open grassland. They can also be found in quarries, on roadside banks, and sometimes in fens. The flowers that grow from their tall, green spikes in late spring resemble flies.

Despite the flowers looking like flies, they actually attract digger wasps. They release a scent which mimics a female wasp's pheromones, luring in males that attempt to mate with them. The male wasps get a dusting of pollen, which they carry on to the next flower that fools them, hopefully pollinating the plant.

After some more searching I found a spike that was yet to flower.

No doubt there will be more over the next few days and weeks, last year I found a white form of this orchid, so maybe we will see one this year.

Walking on it was back to the butterflies and more Dukes and this Orange Tip that actually stopped and I was able to get a different angle on the butterfly.

Then down the main path this Holly Brown on the meadow sweet with a lovely dark background.

As I walked out of the reserve to the car I heard a Raven calling close by and it then came out over the fields.

Success in getting the targets I went for although a shame I couldn't get a photograph of the tree Pipit, Orchids are now back, three species seen today, some lovely butterflies including a good count of Dukes for the time of year and a great Dartford experience.