2020 - A Year Like No Other

 As 2020 comes to an end it is time to look back on the high points of the year from a wildlife perspective.  This was a year like no other for me, the first time I can say that I have not left the country, or been on an aeroplane!  This can be seen in my review of the year.  The plans I made at the start of the year for holidays on the Isle of Mull and in Madagascar all put on hold due to some invisible enemy that has reeked havoc through out the United Kingdoms people and economy.

However back at the start of the year all was normal and nobody had even dreamed of using words like "lockdown", "pandemic" or "covid-19".  Prime Minister briefings were done at times of elections and the concern we all had was would we "Get Brexit Done"  So it is in January I start my review of my adventures in the natural world in 2020.

January

 The year started in Somerset, at the RSPB Reserve at Ham Wall.  A glorious evening provided a wonderful back drop to the Starling murmaration once again.  No matter how many times you see this spectacle it never fails to impress.  Other highlights on the reserve were Bittern and Great and Cattle Egret.

Back in Hampshire it was the customary trip to Southsea for Purple Sandpipers.  These waders are extremely photogenic as they forage around the rocks at the base of the sea wall around Southsea Castle.  A little later we were peering through a hedge in Warblington to try and get good views of Cattle Egret.

Towards the end of the month it was a trip to Keyhaven and Pennington, here the star of the show was the weather, a glorious day proving wonderful light and still water reflections.  Supporting cast were the waders, a very close Spoonbill and all the wildfowl in wonderful light.  But the undoubted star was a group of four Slavonian Grebes that allowed to get close to along the sea wall.

February

By now we were aware of virus that was infecting people in China and some parts of Asia but for now that was all, life continued.  The month started with a trip outside of Hampshire.  Ian and I headed east to Pulborough Brooks.  Early morning we had a very pleasant surprise as a Barn Owl hunted around the Winpenny Hide.

A Hen Harrier also put in a distant appearance from the West Mead Hide, but later after leaving Pulborough for Amberley Wildbrooks we had a wonderful encounter with maybe the same bird.

The following week we were chasing year ticks.  A smart male Black Redstart at Daedalus in Lee-on-the Solent was quickly found.

Then it was off to the New Forest for a long staying Hoopoe at Badminston Gravel Pits.  This wasn't as easy for us but we eventually caught up with it as it fed in one of the horse fields.

The rest of day we spent around the various sites in the New Forest ending up with the Mandarins at Eyeworth Pond.

With warnings of torrential rain the next weekend I decided to head east again in the hope of avoiding it for a lot of the daylight hours.  I was also after a duck I hadn't seen for a longtime, a drake Smew one of which was being seen regularly on the pits at RSPB Dungeness.  After a couple of circuits I finally managed a scope view of it distantly at the back of a pool close to the entrance.  Sadly the photographs did not do this spectacular duck justice.  One bonus was a Stoat that showed very well on the path in front of me.

The middle of the month saw us in the New Forest once again.  Starting at Acres Down we managed to find Hawfinch and Woodlark, a trip then to Toyd Down where we were able to find Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer and a Great Bustard.  The bustard was one of the introduction scheme on Salisbury but none the less a wonderful bird to see.

With 2020 being a Leap Year there was one extra days birding in February and we headed to Hayling Island where we were after the Great Northern Divers that were present on the east side between Sandy Point and West Head in West Sussex.

During the afternoon we spent time around Northney Marina and the Oyster Beds where this drake Red-breasted Merganser came close.

March

It would be true to say that there was by early March a lot of awareness of the virus with reports of many deaths in Italy and Spain, but we were still not appreciating the critical situation we were facing up until the middle of the month life was still very much as normal as could be expected.  The middle of the month saw a trip to Acres Down once again.  We managed to find the resident specialists, Crossbill, Firecrest, Lesser Redpolls and Woodlark.  But the highlight was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, but still it was not possible to get the photograph we craved.  A very distant Goshawk made a good visit.  From there it was to Blashford and the Woodland Hide that provided some great photos of the commoner woodland birds.

Events were brought closer to home on the 18th March.  BOC decided to make all staff work from home and so would start nine and a half months working from my home office, although I didn't know this at the time.  I could still get out though and on the 21st started at Hill Head and the Canal path.  The first singing Chiffchaffs of the year and the resident birds nesting.  Back at Hill Head the high tide had forced the Sanderling up on to the beach, the first of many Sanderling photos this year.

But the highlight was a walk around Browndown, there were Dartford Warblers, singing Greenfinch and the first butterflies of the year, Peacock and Comma, but the highlight were some amazing encounters with up to four Adder.

The following Monday the announcement was made that the whole country would go on a hard lockdown with restrictions on travel and the time you could spend outdoors.  Fortunately, living in the countryside, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it meant my travels around the county would stop and it was a return to "Around Four Marks"

The garden was busy, the regulars, Blackbird and Robin starting breeding already and the first Peacock butterfly of the year.  On my exercise walks in the last week of March there was encounters with Red Kite, a bird a really appreciate locally.

One piece of wonderful news at the end of the month amidst the gloom and despair was the birth of my first grandson Freddie

April

There was a routine for working from home, work up to just after 4:00pm and then take ourselves off for a walk through the village.  The clocks had just gone back and the weather had decided it was going to behave.  Weekends I ventured further for longer but never leaving the boundaries of the Four Marks patch and always on foot, the car staying on the drive for six weeks.  The common migrants arrived around the village, Chiffchaff song was joined by the Blackcap and, eventually at the end of the month the Whitethroat.

The Tawny Owl I have seen for the last eight years was present in the same tree once again, wonderful to catch up with it for yet another year.

Swallows took a while to arrive and when they did around the third week of the month it was not in the numbers we have been used to in previous years.

The end of the month saw glorious weather and this heralded the arrival of Wheatear and many butterflies the pick of which at this time of year is always the Orange Tip.

Six weeks into lockdown and at the start of the month I ventured away from the village.  First was a trip to Noar Hill and the Duke of Burgundy butterflies and then to Magdalen Hill, a week later.  With the weather playing its part the butterflies were very uplifting.

The bird of the lockdown for me though was the Firecrest.  I managed to find at least ten individuals locally of this gorgeous little bird.

The third week of the month is typically the time to visit the New Forest.  We caught up with the Redstarts and other locally special birds.  From Acres Down we spent the afternoon at Martin Down with huge numbers of butterflies, stand out was 51 Marsh Fritillaries, 77 Small Heath and 48 Brimstone.

I am normally away at the end of the May, this year it was meant to be the Isle of Mull, but was not to be.  So at the end of the month I found myself at Pennington and the New Forest.  Avocets and Swifts were the stars at Pennington while Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were found in the Forest.

The last weekend it was another glorious day, starting at Bentley Wood and then Stockbridge Common and Fishlake Meadows.  Managed to catch up with a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, they are becoming scarce now in Hampshire, the first Dark-green Fritillary at Stockbridge and some Demoiselles at Fishlake Meadows.

June

At the start of the month we went out of the county, this time heading west into Dorset and Durlston Country Park.  The target bird was Puffin, Dancing Ledge is the furthest Puffin colony east along the south coast.  Views were distant but very acceptable.  A Peregrine put in an appearance on the cliffs and the whole park was alive with wild flowers including many Bee Orchids.

Another visit to Martin Down in the middle of the month was a fantastic day with me having to split my blog into two separate posts, the first Birds and Orchids, the second, Butterflies.  Butterfly, Fragrant and Pyramid orchids all along the dyke and  Turtle Dove, Corn Bunting and Lesser Whitethroat the stand out birds.  Of the butterflies, many Marbled Whites, Dark Green and Silver-washed Fritillary.  In the afternoon a trip to Shatterford produced Silver-studded Blues.  For me though the highlight of the day was early morning views of Martin Down, a stunning place.

A trip to Gosport, Browndown and Portsdown Hill later in the month was all about the butterflies.  Disappointingly it was only very brief views of White-letter Hairstreak, but Marbled White, and Purple Hairstreak more than made up for it.

End of the month we were heading west, this time into West Sussex and Tugley Woods.  We managed to get views of Purple Emperor and also White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary, unfortunately we didn't find Wood White.

July

A trip to Fishlake Meadows at the start of the year to try and catch up with an Osprey had the predictable result, however the afternoon spent in West Wood just outside Winchester was much more productive with some great butterflies, including brief glimpses of the sought after Purple Emperor.  A first visit here produced great views of Dark-green and Silver-washed Fritillary, while the Brimstone put on an amazing light show.

Middle of the month it was a long day starting at Keyhaven and making my way back home via the New Forest, Browndown and Old Winchester Hill.  Little Ringed Plover was the stand out bird at Keyhaven, there was no Grayling in the New Forest, but they were plentiful at Browndown.  Old Winchester Hill was covered in Chalkhill Blues and a great collection of Marbled Whites, Dark-green Fritillaries and many of the commoner butterflies.

On the last day of July we set off for a week away in Devon.  First stop was Labrador Bay just outside.  It had been a long while since I had seen Cirl Bunting in the UK and it didn't take long to find one.  From there it was into Dunsford Wood for Dipper, a great start to the week.

August

Weather wise it was an indifferent week, but we did manage to find my first Wood White for sometime at Meeth Quarry and capture on the trip cam an otter on the river alongside the cottage we were staying in.

We drew a blank with Wall Brown and Brown Hairstreak at Shipton Belinger on an appalling day and the only highlight was a Water Rail at Titchfield Haven.

The end of August we spent a week in Suffolk which had its own story to tell.  A couple of trips to Minsmere did not produce much of interest, it was just lovely to visit.  The bird of the trip was a Spotted Flycatcher family outside the cottage.

On the way back from Suffolk I had the opportunity to spend a nostalgic couple of hours at East Tilbury in Essex, nothing of note to report just some wonderful memories.

September

Back in Hampshire the month started at Titchfield and then on to Farlington Marshes.  At the Haven we started up the canal path where there were migrant warblers and a nice female Redstart.  Once the reserve opened we were treated to a wader show from the Meon Shore Hide.  Little Stint, Curlew, Green and Common Sandpiper, Knot and Ruff.  At Farlington it was Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear, plus another six Curlew Sandpiper.

Mid month it was back to Farlington where the Curlew Sandpipers were still about but I missed the star turns of Osprey and Pectoral Sandpiper.  From Farlington I went to Old Winchester Hill where I didn't expect too much but turned out to be pleasantly surprised.  A Redstart when I arrived and later in the day a fly over Osprey.  In between some wonderful views of Kestrel and Red Kite.  But it was the butterflies that were the highlight, Small Copper, a second brood of Adonis Blue, Clouded Yellow and  Silver-spotted Skipper.

The end of the month saw another walk along the Titchfield Canal Path, this time a lot quieter with just a Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.  On the reserve the numbers of waders was much reduced although there were some great views of Snipe and Black-tailed Godwit.

October

Through the summer there were signs that just maybe the virus was on the run, but gradually from September it started to make a comeback, mostly in the north but enough to have the government set up a three tier system with there being varied restrictions depending on the tier.  For now we were in the lowest tier, but there was always the threat of lockdown in the media.

The start of the month saw some horrendous weather with heavy rain so much so that the first outing of the month was restricted to an afternoon at Farlington.  The trip though did produce two Little Stint in amongst the high tide roost.  As its Farlington there was always a Kestrel to entertain.

News broke on Friday the 9th of a Wilson's Phalarope at Fishtail.  Anticipating a large crowd we arrived very early and made our way in the dark across the old tip to the sea wall.  We passed a Grey Phalarope to get to the south west corner where the Wilson's put on an amazing display all day. There were two Grey Phalaropes as well that were so photogenic.  Both phalaropes must have consumed thousands of megabytes of disc space during their stays. A trip in the afternoon to Leaden Hall failed to find the hoped for Ring Ouzel.

The following weekend we were back at Leaden Hall for the annual Ring Ouzel pilgrimage.  This time though there was not the partial glimpses and flight shots, three birds showed very well.  The afternoon was spent at Warsash where we finally managed to catch up with the Workman Lane Little Owl, two in fact.

On the 24th we were back at Farlington, once again the forecast was not good and we were looking to make the most of the dry weather.  An early Short-eared Owl was a lift although it was in the gloom and no photographs.  The afternoon was spent at Titchfield in the hide until the high winds closed the reserve early.

The last day of the month saw more bad weather forecast.  We were into Titchfield early, camped out in the Spurgin Hide while the wind and rain battered the reserve.  Once the rain cleared the sun came out and we had some wonderful views of Penduline Tits.

November

Increasing cases of covid saw the whole country go into a month long lockdown.  It was not as severe as earlier in the year with schools still open.  We were also allowed to meet one person outside so I was able to continue birding with Ian.

On the 7th we started at Farlington where there was no early Short-eared Owl but some wonderful early morning light that worked so well with the Pintail on the lake.

A short trip to Oyster Beds at Hayling saw eight Black-necked Grebe and a late Clouded Yellow butterfly.  We returned to Farlington in the afternoon to be greeted with all the car parks fulls and many people walking the sea wall, they had no shops to go to!  Despite this we were treated to some wonderful views of a Short-eared Owl that came across the reed bed, over our heads and across the water and up to Portsdown Hill.

The middle of the month saw yet another atrocious weather forecast which restricted us to about three hours of birding at Hill Head.  In the time though I did get some wonderful views of the Sanderling on the beach.  With the reserve closed due to lockdown the day came to a quick end.

The following weekend we were in the New Forest in search of shrike, merlin and harriers.  We saw neither but enjoyed a nice walk around a new area of the Forest for us and did get some good views of Crossbill.  There was also someone watching us.

On the Sunday a walk along the beach at Hill Head provided some wonderful light for black and white photography.

At the end of the month we were once again back at Titchfield Haven, early morning it was very misty with a light easterly that delivered a surprise in the form of a Great Skua.  A distinctive bird in that it would perform 360 degree rolls which to start with we thought was in response to mobbing but turned out it was just doing this all the time.  When the sun came through there were distant views of Great Northern and Red-throated Diver from Brownwich and  great views of Marsh Harrier over the reserve, the Sanderling on the beach and three entertaining Little Grebes from the bridge.

December

Another awful weather forecast on Saturday the 5th saw us change plans at the last moment and meet at Hill Head.  The conditions there were a little better but with a strong easterly.  The hope was for something on the sea as I watched the Sanderling on the beach.  What I didn't expect was a smart male Snow Bunting to appear which it did for 45 minutes before heading south west high.  After that it was left to the Sanderling to entertain and a single Red-throated Diver heading east.

The next weekend we finally got back to Pennington, arriving at first light with huge numbers of wildfowl on the high tide and lagoons, and we caught up with nine Barnacle Geese in the field along the lane.  There was some wonderful light that lit up the Pintail and there was also a pair of Kingfisher, the first for some time.  But the highlight of the day were four Tundra Bean Geese on Pennington Marsh and then over our heads in the early afternoon.

The last Saturday before Christmas we were back at Hill Head once again.  It was the usual fare first thing in the morning, and later we walked a very muddy canal path where we had a great encounter with a Sparrowhawk and finally caught up with the nine White-fronted Geese
that had been in the fields south of Posbrook farm for ten days.

19th December - Titchfield Haven Canal Path, Hampshire

It was back to Hill head this weekend, an indifferent weather forecast had meant that we had booked to enter the reserve at Titchfield Haven, but with the tier changes and the fact that Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant were now tier 3, it meant Ian couldn't go in!  However we started by the sea wall watching the sea nd the ever reliable Eider were about, this one close to shore in the gloom before sun rise.

The forecast was for showers and looking out across the Solent there were dark clouds on either side of us and a clear patch that we were hoping would mean we stay dry, for now any way. 

A pair of drake Eider flew past heading to the exposed shingle bar opposite the sailing club.

The Lapwing were once again flying up from the Scrape on the reserve.  The numbers increasing as it became lighter.  Th separate groups would all meet up to create a large flock that would move backwards and forwards over the reserve.

 When I arrived there were no gulls on the Meon and also no sign of any Brent Geese on the sea.  The gulls started to appear as did the geese coming in from Chilling.  It was still gloomy but by taking the geese in black and white made it look acceptable.

The patch of clear sky did indeed make its way across us and this produced some spectacular clouds to the east, lit up also by the sun that was now rising.

The sun finally broke above the clouds producing a splash of wonderful light across the reed bed of the reserve.

With the sunshine came the birds.  Both male and female Marsh Harriers could be seen hunting over the reserve and this upset the Lapwing even more.  To make matters worse once the harriers had gone a Peregrine appeared and made two unsuccessful attacks on the Lapwings before heading off north.

The sun now was bursting shards of light out across the Solent and the Isle of Wight.

We decided to walk down to the beach at the back of the harbour.  The tide was out and the gulls were collecting in the shallow water to feed, bathe and just rest in safety from the marauding dogs on the beach.

With the sun low it cast different light across the small waves rippling in across the shingle and sand giving the look of gold in the water.

In the week there had been an adult Ring-billed Gull and Kittiwake just off the beach here so we started to go through the gulls.  The easy ones first though a very smart adult Great Black-backed Gull.

The Common Gulls were inspected closely but you know immediately that they are not Ring-billed if they have that "nice" look, almost dove like.  Ring-billed are quite an scary looking gull, a bit like a smaller Herring Gull.

The Eider were still offshore, and three males went back and forth.

Sanderling were about, but I had managed to resist them until this single bird came close to the beach.

When a Sanderling flock flew around off shore and made a couple of aborted attempts to land on the beach we decided to make our way back up the beach and around to the harbour to leave them able to land. 

There was no sign of the Kingfisher, in fact it has been a while since I have seen it from the bridge.  Turnstone and a single Dunlin were on the mud in the harbour, this Turnstone though preferring the bladder wrack on the groyne.

From the harbour we walked back to the cars, from there we decided to walk the canal path, we were after the Russian White-fronted Geese that have been around for ten days.  The path was extremely muddy but this means that not too many people walk the path.  After passing through the gate we came across a gathering of tits, a couple of jays, Redwing and this single Great Spotted Woodpecker that just about showed itself.

It was quiet and we had to endure a quick hail storm, the storm passing over and heading away to the north east.

A familiar call in the willows alongside the canal had us stop and wait to see if the owner would show and sure enough it did, a Chiffchaff.

Behind the branches at first scurrying around catching flies and midges that had appeared in the sunshine, but then it came out into the open.

The floods were high, but there was little wildfowl about.  In fact the only duck to see at first were four drake Tufted Duck, not that common here.  However scanning the edge of the flood the duck started to appear, Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal and Pintail.  The Wigeon coming off the dry land and into the water.

One or two Pintail in the open, deeper water.

Rather than head for the fields close to Posbrook Farm for the geese we carried on to see if the Barn Owl was in its tree.  Further evidence of a showery day was a Rainbow in the north east sky.

As I reached an open part of the canal a bird flew at me and then into the tree alongside the path.  With rain threatening I had covered up the camera.  The bird was a Sparrowhawk and it was sitting alongside me.  I struggled to get the cover off as it was about six feet away, but just as I managed to get the camera out it was off.  It half flew half walked through the branches, as it did so the alarm calls rang out, then we lost it in the scrub.

There was no sign of the Barn Owl in the split tree so we turned back, intending to head for the geese, but as we passed the area where the hawk had been there were still alarm calls.  Thinking the Sparrowhawk must still be close by I stopped, then saw it it on a small branch at the back of a willow.  The view was not very good, a large bough above it and I was having to focus through many branches.

It was fanning the tail feathers to help balance on the branch as the wind was quite fresh, but it was also preening so I would imagine it had bathed in the canal and was now finishing off its ablutions.

Here using the bill to straighten out the wing feathers.

But all the time the yellow eyes were watchful.

Sexing and aging the bird was difficult, you default to calling it a she due to the brown plumage, but it wasn't a particularly large bird, however it lacked the extensive barring that you see on first yea sparrowhawks.  I would plump for an adult female unless I am todl any different.

The view wasn't that good and it was frustrating that the twigs and branches go in the way.  The large bough too would mean sometimes you could not see the head.  I moved to the right where there was a little bit more of a window in the branches and also some blue sky in the background.  She gave me a look as if to say you are disturbing me as she straightened out the tail feathers.

The preening continued.

The tail constantly fanned to aid balance in what was a strong wind now.

Alert to the sound of the camera but not concerned enough to stop what she was doing

Here some lovely views of the preening process, again running the bill over the feather to set the barbs.

I then let Ian get to use the window and returned to the original position shooting through the branches.

Then she was off, to a chorus of alarm call, around the back of the tree and then over our heads and out across the field to the reed bed where she flew low across the top of the the reeds in what looked like hunting mode.

Finally we were off to find the geese walking up the track from the bridge to the footpath that runs parallel with the canal path.  On the east side an arable field while on the west a stubble field that was once maize, this was where the geese had been seen.

Walking south with the sun being low it was difficult to see clearly.  I scanned the field and on a second past picked out a couple of shapes that had to be geese.  As I watched more heads appeared with a white forehead and then the bodies.  

I called to Ian and he got on them too.  However I wanted to see them in better light so decided to walk on and get beyond them so they were lit by the sun.  But as we did this is the view we were scanning and we had lost them.

Frustratingly we could not find them, we were both scanning but there was no sign.  A little further along there was a a set of tracks that led through the field and was all mud.  We decided to walk down this.  A lot of Skylark and Meadow Pipits came out of the stubble but no geese.  I scanned all the way around as did Ian but nothing.  I was just beginning to feel I had imagined seeing them when I turned to look down one of the wheel tracks.

It would appear they had been watching us!

Since the beginning of December there has been a considerable influx of Russian White-fronts and the Tundra Bean Geese we saw last week.  They have arrived along the east coast and headed across the country.  There were nine here in amongstthe stubble, seven adults and two juvenile birds.

There are two subspecies, originating from Siberia or Russia and Greenland.  The Russian White-fronts have pink bills compared to the orange bills of the Greenland birds.  These birds moved from the wheel ruts to the stubble and immediately would disappear.

WE decided to walk back along the canal path rather than continuing on the footpath.  We were always hoping for something across the fields but it never happened.  We stopped for a couple of Roe Deer in the filed that we would expect to see Water Pipit in.

It was sunny then, but very quickly a heavy rain shower hit us and it really came down.  It was still going as we reached the sea wall and the wind was whipping up the high tide and sending the waves over the sea wall.  We re-positioned the cars and they were able to act as cover as we waited to see what to so.

The rain eased but there were dark clouds out in the Solent that looked very threatening.  The break though did produce a single Golden Plover and a full rainbow over the Haven.  At one moment I decided to look out at the sea from the shelter of Ian's van and I picked up almost immediately an adult Kittiwake heading east quite close in.  Frustratingly I had put the camera in the car to keep it out of the rain, but there we go that's life!

And that was the last activity of the day.  Rain was clearly coming and with only forty five minutes to sun set we decided to call it a day.  What we were not aware was that the country once again was about to be turned upside down by more restrictions which amounted to the cancelling of Christmas.  Fortunately getting home early allowed us to be able to meet Katie at Chobham Services on the M25 to exchange presents before the majority of the south east was locked down in much tougher restrictions.

Merry Christmas everybody wherever you are and what ever you are doing!