TheFinancialBirder

I had a late appointment this evening on the outskirts of Southampton, Hythe, and so I spent the day in the New Forest notching up as many month ticks as possible. First stop was Eyeworth Pond where I was hoping for some woodland species and the Mandarins. Weather was looking good despite the threat of rain from the weatherman. But when are they ever right?

Arriving around 11am, I was pleased to see just the one car in the car park so it felt like I had the place to myself. As expected, the Mandarins were not on show but my first Nuthatch of the month flew overhead and into woodland on the opposite side of the Pond. Better still was a Grey Wagtail which flew low over the water and landed somewhere on the shoreline. It's so nice to get something so unexpected.
Within the woodland, several species decided not to reveal themselves notably a calling Marsh Tit and some Treecreepers. However, Nuthatches were in good numbers with at least three more being seen low in the trees.
The footpath leading out of the wood produced a family flock of Redstarts within a small copse, which included a female with a juvenile and a spanking singing male. A Willow Warbler was eventually seen perched high within an Oak with other singing birds all around. Things got even better when the distinctive call of a Hawfinch, my first of the year, was heard and two birds flew overhead and landed in trees on the opposite side of the footpath. Two fellow birders joined me for a quick chat, but the Hawfinches just disappeared. Also from the footpath, looking north, I counted at least 20 Mistle Thrushes on the ground or flying through the trees in the distance. Was this a communal gathering? Overhead, the mewing call of Common Buzzards were heard with two birds seen soaring high overhead. The walk back to the car was rather quiet, though a Cockchafer beetle just dropped out of the sky and landed on the footpath. I put it on my scope to take a couple of photos and then headed back to the car.

My next quest was for Firecrest and Wood Warbler and Boldrewood was a good location for both. The car park was very full with a couple of coaches in the car park, but the woods were relatively free from people.
I kept to the main footpath and walked down into the woodland where I got cracking views of at least two Firecrests. To be surrounded by singing Firecrests was something magical as these tiny birds flew overhead or perched within the trees high up. Their song, a soft rising trill, was so different from its close cousins, the Goldcrests. Unfortunatley, there was no sight or sound of any Wood Warblers but a juvenile Hawfinch was a nice surprise as I watched it calling high up on a tree then flying off into the distance. A Garden Warbler was heard singing in the distance as well as a Blackcap, but both remained elusive.
I got several more month ticks under my belt which included a Chiffchaff and a family flock of Coal Tits. I passed a bramble bush which was laden with honey bees which reverberated with their humming.

I wanted to see the Dartford Warblers at Black gutter Bottom but they were not showing today. Instead, I made do with a cracking male Stonechat and a fleeting glimpse of a male Reed Bunting diving into think cover. But, apart from them, very little else of note so I headed to, firstly, the garage for ‘tons of giant’, then Ibsley Bridge.
After I had my lunch, I then had a look from the bridge. North of the bridge, a Garden Warbler was in full song and eventually, the bird was seen well flitting in and out of riverside bushes and occasionally chasing a passing insect. It then flew over the river Avon and flew into a bush close by for me to get a good view of this lovely songster. Last month, a Gadwall was seen on the water and a brood of young ducks further up the river could of possibly been its offspring. A male Reed Bunting was in full song nearby, perched on a fence post behind the river. Below, on the water, Banded Demoiselle damselflies were dancing everywhere, easily the most numerous speices in the area.

Next stop before I headed to Lyndhurst, was Blashford Lakes. Theres been a few good birds seen here recently, so I was a little optimistic. It started well with a Little Ringed Plover seen along the shoreline.The usual Tufted Ducks and Great Crested Grebes were in good numbers and a Common Tern fished the Lake. I did get my first Little Grebe of the month but, overall, it was relatively quiet.

I had a few minutes doze in the car but it was too warm. The sun broke through a couple of times which made the car temperature inside become unbearable, so a walk was a must. My appointment was at 6.30pm so I now had a couple of hours to spare and so I took the footpath through the wood to see what I could find.
It was very quiet at first with hardly a sound but as I came out on the side of the wood I could hear a Tree Pipit calling in the near distance. I soon found the bird perched high up on a tree singing away, my first of the month. A Cuckoo flew low over the heathland heading west. Retracing my steps, I walked along the edge of the woodland then back into the woodland within a glade for there was a lot of noise going on within the tree tops. I was hoping for Spotted Flycatcher but again there was no sign of any. Instead, I got stonking views of Treecreeper as at least three birds were seen on branches just feet from where I stood, which was another month tick. Literally seconds later, the familiar but beautiful song of the Woodlark was heard so I rushed out of the woodland, looked skywards, and found the bird circling very high in the sky. I then walked back to the car, pleased that I notched up another three more month ticks.

Piczo