7th January - Mercer Way, Romsey, Hampshire

After the gloom and storms of last week, it was welcoming on Sunday morning to wake to blue skies and sunshine despite the very cold north easterly wind.  I had hoped for sunshine today as I had wanted to take the opportunity to visit Mercer Way in Romsey, a reliable site for wintering Hawfinches over the years, but this winter they have been much more reliable in their sightings due to the national influx of Hawfinches.

I set off mid morning in the sunshine, and arrived in Romsey, parking at the end of Mercer Way.  This is one of those unlikely settings for a wildlife experience, a small park situated in a housing estate, and wandering around with binoculars and camera attracts strange looks from the locals either walking dogs or playing with their children.

As I walked into the park I passed a female Bullfinch calling in the tree above me.  I stopped to check the tree tops, and a Hawfinch flew in, but almost immediately flew off again, at least I had seen one.  I walked around to stand looking into the trees and a path where there were several puddles, the sun was behind me giving some wonderful light.  I was not alone there were several others in attendance, some standing like myself, others sat on the ground with huge lenses aimed at the puddle.

A pair of Robins entertained as we waited, coming to feed around the edge of the puddle, the water throwing some excellent reflections.

Despite being in such close proximity, they appeared to tolerate each other, allowing one at a time to come to the water.

Chaffinches and a single Siskin kept coming to the puddles at the back of the path.  A pair of female Bullfinches briefly dropped down to the puddle, but were better seen in the branches above us, munching through the emerging buds.

Then a small flock of Goldfinches appeared, and for some reason I considered this a good sign, and I was right as almost immediately after a Hawfinch appeared.  Unfortunately not at the front puddle, which meant all the lenses had to adjust there position, but it was a start.

Then another appeared at the edge of the closest and largest puddle.

The grey on the secondary feathers, lack of a distinct black around the yes and lores and the pale and dull plumage colour identifies this as a female.

It was wonderful light that added to the scene.

While adding to the scene the light was also a challenge as it brightened areas of dark brown mud.  In order to get the right image I was photographing the Hawfinch by under exposing the image by one stop.

Then she was gone, and replaced quickly by a male at the puddle a little behind the first.  here you can see the black lores, brighter plumage, with more defined colour.  The secondaries being all bluish black.

Then as quickly as they appeared they were both gone.  I stood and waited with the others in the hope that they would return.  As we waited a Blue Tit came to the puddle to drink and bathe.

Always on the look out.

 A flock of Long-tailed Tits flew through, but no further sign of the Hawfinches coming back.  I decided to go for a walk along the canal path up to Fishlake Meadows.  The view point not being too far away.

At the first canal bridge, a small bird flew from the bramble onto the bridge, then dropped off the other side.  At first I thought Goldcrest, but once I picked it up again it was clear it was a Chiffchaff.

I watched it as it crawled through the bramble, then lost it, but found it again on the other side of the bank.

Constantly looking for food around the leaves, and close to the water.

Then another bird flew from the bramble and it was clear that there were actually two birds present.  As they disappeared into the bank, I decided to walk on.

At the viewpoint over Fishlake Meadows there was plenty to see on the water as a large congregation of all the common gulls were present.  Mostly Black-headed and Common Gulls there were one or two Herring Gulls, and one apiece of Lesser and Great Blacked Gulls.

In amongst the gulls, the dominant duck were the Tufted Ducks, but I could also find Gadwall, Wigeon, mallard and a few Teal.  Cormorants could also be seen perched in the far dead trees.

I had hoped for a Raptor around the lake, but scanning the trees there was nothing present.  Time was tight so and I wanted one more go at the Hawfinches so I decided to head back.  As I reached the canal path I met a couple inquiring about how to get into Fishlake Meadows as they had read about it in the HIOW Wildlife trust magazine, I explained the viewing point and they were not impressed, and when I told them about the Hawfinches they decided to come back with me.

Walking back into the park, there was a small group looking down into ivy under the tree.  As I walked up I could see movement in the ivy, and then a Hawfinch appeared.

Again a male, the more defined colours and the dark secondary wing panel evident

Here you can see the rounded throat bib, and the black lores leading to around the eyes

It quite happily moved through the ivy.

In breeding plumage the bill is blue-black in colour, in winter though it is more ivory in colour.  Another feature of the male bird is on the ends of the secondary feathers, they are splayed and twisted to form a curious end to the feathers, it is thought they are used for display in the breeding season.  They can just be seen in this picture.

Not sure what it was finding to eat, but it did so regularly using the huge bill to crack the seeds.

Apparently like a small parrot the Hawfinch can exert up to 150 pounds per square inch with its jaw muscles and huge bill, no doubt a bird ringers nightmare.

Then a Robin alarm call went off, and the Hawfinch flew up immediately into the trees and out of sight.  I looked around for the possible danger but could find nothing.  Looking around I could also see that the couple I had met earlier had managed to see the bird too.

It looks like the Hawfinch will be this year's Waxwing.  At last I had been able to get some excellent views of a really superb bird.

31st December - A Review of the Year 2017

At this time of year we all look back on the events of the past year, some of which are memorable, while others are those you choose to forget.  Much has gone on throughout the year, not least in my travels around Hampshire, the country and further afield around the world.  Here is a summary of the year along with a highlight from each month.

January saw our regular trip to Pagham Harbour, and once again we were treated to some lovely weather, there was also a visit to Titchfield Haven and the Lower Test Marshes.  However the highlight was a visit to Eyeworth Pond in the New Forest on the 2nd.  The primary purpose was to photograph Mandarin Ducks, but there were also a group of Goosanders.  The drakes always pose a challenge with their white plumage, and on this visit it was made even more difficult by the dark water of the pond.  I was pleased with this shot of a pair as they swam towards me.

February is one of those doldrum months at the start of the year, the bad dash to get the year ticks eases.  There were visits to the New Forest, and Titchfield Haven when there was the need to shelter in a hide.  Mid month saw a flock of Waxwings turn up at Whiteley Shopping Centre, and as a result a catalogue of photographs.  But it is not to the Waxwings that I turn for this month, but a picture of a pair of drake Tufted Ducks asleep on Fishtail Lagoon at Pennington.  The black and white plumage stands out against the milky grey water, and for Ian and I they are an instant attraction for the camera, we can't resist any photo opportunity, and it has become a running joke.

March saw Ian and I up to our usual quest to find the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers in the New Forest, once again we heard them, and had the shortest glimpse but never good enough, so we will probably return again in 2018.  As well as the New Forest we spent time at Blashford Lakes and on Farlington Marshes where a Short-eared Owl provided a lovely subject.

However it was another owl that stands out in March.  While at Alresford Lake waiting to catch the roosting Hen Harrier, we were entertained by a Barn Owl that flew around the pond and past us at the view point giving some excellent views.

April saw trips further afield, I finally managed to catch up with a Long-eared Owl at Dungeness, my first for a very long while, and there was our almost annual trip to Minsmere at the end of the month, where the usual suspects performed.

The weather was unseasonably warm at the start of April, and this coincided with a short break in north-east Norfolk.  Once again the Bearded Tits were on good form along the sea wall path.

At the end of May, we visited Northumberland, primarily for a trip to the Farne Islands, they didn't disappoint with really close encounters with the Arctic Terns, cliff nesting sea birds and of course the Puffins.  The New Forest at this time of year is also very productive with Wood Warblers and Redstarts, but the highlight this month was not a bird, but a lifer in the form of a March Fritillary on Martin Down.  A sunny afternoon there produced well over twenty of this delightful butterfly in Bokerly Ditch.

The end of our trip to Northumberland saw us into June and we headed south to spend some time in Weardale, County Durham, and there we had a close encounter with Black Grouse, a bird I was catching up.  The butterfly season was probably a few weeks earlier this year, so a trip to Gosport was necessary to catch up with the White-letter Hairstreaks.  At the same time Ian and I visited Fort Brockhurst  and came across these aerobatic Four-spot Chasers.

July is butterfly time, and as has been the case over previous years Ian and I were frustrated by Purple Emperor, once again this enigmatic butterfly evaded our attempts to see it, we spent the time staring at leaves instead.

Another frustration was our attempt to catch up with the Osprey at Fishlake Meadows.  Two trips drew a blank coupled with the frustration to find that the bird appeared after we left.  On one of those blanks we headed off to Shatterford Bottom, in the New Forest and encountered clouds of Silver-studded Blue butterflies amongst the bell heather, an amazing experience.

There were more butterfly lifers in August with Brown Hairstreak at Shipton Bellinger, and Silver Spotted Skipper at Broughton Down.  The month though was dominated by our holiday in Costa Rica.  This was our second visit, the last time five years ago, and it din't disappoint.

We had some incredible hummingbird experiences in El Silencio, and Monteverde, unfortunately Resplendent Quetzel avoided us (a good reason to return once again!), but we caught up once again with the spectacular Scarlet Macaws on the Pacific coast, King Vultures and Swallow-tailed Kites in Uvita, and with Humpback whales off Cano Island. 

There are plenty of wonderful Hummingbird pictures, but one that pleased me the most was of this Red-winged Giant Grasshopper, just a lovely composition

Back in the UK, September saw Ian and I visiting Keyhaven and Pennington at the start and end of the month.  At the start of the month we were chasing Clouded Yellow butterflies up and down the sea wall, and encountered a pair of Spoonbill that have become a regular sighting here.

October was very grey and overcast, one trip to Farlington had to be aborted for heavy rain.  Later in the month Ian and I were chasing Ring Ouzel at Leaden Hall in the New Forest.  But the highlight of the month was the trip to India, where we finally caught up with the magnificent Tiger.  In all we saw at least five individuals, being treated to some incredible experiences as these incredible cats walk and sat close to our safari jeep.

 

Back home in November Ian and I spent time at Keyhaven Marshes and Testwood Lakes, while Helen and I had another trip to Pagham Harbour.

Keyhaven saw more Spoonbill, and on Oxey lagoon a very confiding Grey Phalerope.  At Testwood we caught up with the Hawfinches, and on Meadow Lake four Great White Egrets.  This one spending time preening.

 

In December a visit to Needs Ore produced eight Spoonbill, and four Scaup.  The highlight of the month though was a very tame Barred Warbler that stayed in the garden behind the visitor centre at Titchfield Haven.  It had been around for a while before I managed to catch up with it, and even then had to wait a couple of hours before it appeared.  But when it did it showed very well eating cotoneaster berries.

So as the year comes to an end we start to plan the new year's travels, some are already planned, while others will take place in good time

Happy New Year to all.

28th December - Titchfield Haven Canal Path, Hampshire

Snow the day before was still around as we left Four Marks, but as we headed south it soon faded away and we were left with frost.  We parked in the car park at the top of the canal path in Titchfield and the headed south into the glare of the low winter sun.  About 200 metres from the car park a power line crosses the path, looking to the right there is a line of trees, and in one of the trees we could just make out a roosting Barn Owl, tucked down in the middle of the old tree.

To our left there was a flooded patch that was frozen, on the edge of the ice there were several Pied Wagtail searching for food, and a Robin flew out into the middle of the ice and slipped to produce a Bambi moment.

A Kestrel flew over and settled in a tree to scan the grass, while a Buzzard sat on one of the fence posts waiting for an opportunity.

At first the walk was pleasant despite the low sun, the path being gravel.  However a little further along it became very sticky, not muddy as the ground beneath the sticky surface was hard, but walking was not easy, and it was very slippery.

In addition to the mud, the canal was almost full, and in places was spilling out across the path.  What with the mud and the low sun that made seeing in front of us difficult the walk was not to pleasant.  We stopped in places to scan the fields, but there was little about.

At Posbrook floods, the water was again frozen, but there was a small patch clear, and here there was a large flock of Black-headed Gulls.

Of the path to the right a pair of Roe Deer were laid down in the sunshine.

We passed another pair a little further on, this time though on the shadow side of the sunshine.  Finally we made it to firmer ground, and then out on to the road, and the beach, where the tide was well out.  Oystercatchers could be seen feeding on the edge of the water, but with so many people about on the beach there was very little else.  Still it looked lovely in the winter sunshine.

We walked around the the visitor centre and had a coffee in the cafe before turning around and heading back.  We decided to leave entering the reserve, just took in the view across the reed beds.

From the road we walked back on to the Canal path.  With the sun behind us it felt much easier walking, even with the mud.

Movement in a branch that stretched out across the water of the ditch stopped us.    I thought at first it was a Wren, but a flash of white told it was something worth stopping for.  After a short wait it appeared again, a smart Firecrest.

Bizarrely, even with the frost having come out of the path and there being more mud, the walk was a lot easier, and we were able to scan the fields with the sun behind us.  A Marsh Harrier flew north over the reeds, and two Buzzards flew from the trees alongside the path.  A little further on as I watched a soaring Buzzard, and Sparrowhawk joined it circling higher over the reeds.

At the Posbrook floods the water had melted, the flock of Black-headed Gulls were still there.  The was only one duck, a drake Pintail, up close to the reds at the back.

Closer to us hiding by the side of some grass in the shallow water was a single Snipe.

As we approached the car park once more we walked past the field where we had seen the owl earlier.  Scanning the tree once again the Barn Owl was sitting more prominently in the open part of the tree.  Eyes closed it was appearing to be asleep, but I bet it was totally aware of its surroundings.

While Helen showed the owl another couple, I walked a little further along the path to see if I could get a better view.  This then revealed the fact that there were actually two owls roosting in the tree.  

The bird tucked away to the left looks like the one we saw earlier in the morning, as it is in the same position.  The other bird, probably appearing from within the tree.

A typical end of year walk, with the added bonus of the Barn Owls and a smart Firecrest.