An unforgettable day!

Saturday 13th April 2024.

One of many Red Kites soaring over our superb County today. This one was over Bransbury Common.

What a blinder of a day! Not only did I get to see some excellent moths in both mine and Andy Fisher's moth box, but to pick up 5 new bird ‘year-ticks’ for my year list (six for Andy) on what was a gorgeous Spring day with the guys, made today very special. We first headed back to the north-west corner of Hampshire and this time we were successful on our quest and then onto a new location for both me and Andy, Bransbury Common, near Winchester. There was some good birds being found in Hampshire today; notably a Hoopoe in a Basingstoke garden, a Ring Ouzel in Eversley Common and a pair of Garganey at Posbrook Floods; but we were more than happy with our haul of some very special birds to grace our expanding Year lists.

Above, the Brindled Beauty and below, Oak-tree Pugs. Two excellent moths seen this morning by Andy's moth box and both new for the year.

The Moth Boxes:

There was a notable number of moths within my moth box this morning and though there was nothing new for the year, I was more than pleased with the following moths:

• 2 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Bloxworth Snout
• 2 Double-striped Pug
• 1 Twenty-plume Moth
• 4 Ruddy Streak
• 8 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Narrow-winged Grey
• 3 Common Plume
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth  

23 moths of 9 species was easily the highest total I have had this year in my garden. There was also a huge Crane Fly within the moth box, of which I had to take a photo of as it took me by surprise. Also in the garden, a Willow Warbler had dropped in and sang briefly around the trees and bushes at the back of mine and my neighbours gardens. A flock of four Linnets flew over the rooftops heading west and a single Goldfinch flew south. I could hear some Mediterranean Gulls calling in the distance; a common occurrence now in Spring. All these bird sightings were noted while checking out the moths. When Geoff Farwell and I got to Andy’s house in Cowplain, I wasted no time in checking his moth box and the surrounding area as we found the following moths:

• 1 Brindled Beauty (New For Year)
• 1 Oak-tree Pug (NFY)
• 2 Double-striped Pug 
• 1 Brindled Pug
• 2 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Hebrew Character
• 1 White-shoudered House Moth
• 1 Twenty-plume Moth

Two new moths for the year in Andy’s garden, that included a superb Brindled Beauty and an Oak-tree Pug and again 10 moths of 8 species wasn’t too bad either; considering that probably a lot of the moths would have flown from the egg trays that surround the moth box.

Enough said!!!

Above, one of the Stone-curlews seen in the north-west of the County and below. a Corn Bunting seen singing nearby.

The Stone-curlew we saw this morning.

North-west Hampshire:

Instead of going to our usual site to see the Stone-curlews, we went to the place that was recommended by a fellow ‘Lazee Birder’. We had tried this site last week, but the wind was so strong, we think the birds were hunkered down out of the wind and therefore ‘dipped’ on seeing the birds. This time, they were there! When we pulled over, we were surprised to see three ‘Birders’ already there. I will not mention any names because of the sensitivity of the location, but they kindly pointed out where the birds were and it took us no time in checking the Stone-curlews in this specially designated area for them. Even as we got out of the car, we were greeted with a singing Corn Bunting nearby and Yellowhammers were ‘ticking’ in nearby hedges. Despite struggling at times to get my mobile phone adapter to work on my scope, I finally managed to grab a few photos of the birds and even some film footage. They really are such odd looking birds, but beautiful nonetheless as we enjoyed the plumage pattern of the birds including the large yellow eye. But when they settled on the ground, they virtually became invisible and no wonder we could not see them last week. A male Wheatear was also present in the same field, just like last Saturday when we saw one there plus a few Lapwing and Skylarks were literally everywhere! Very happy with our sighting of the Stone-curlews, we then made our way back to the car and all agreed to go to Bransbury Common as our next destination, some 20 minutes away.

Above, Common Buzzards soaring overhead on the outskirts of Bransbury Common. Below, the River Test. We stood over a bridge here and saw not only a pair of Gadwall on the river but also a Brown Trout!

Above, my first Bee Fly of the year and below, a Common Banded Hoverfly. Both were seen along the footpath leading to the Common.

Above, our first Green-veined White butterfly of the year on a Dandelion and below, 'The Footballer' Hoverfly with a Six-spotted Ladybird.

Bransbury Common, nr Winchester.

For the past few days, a Great Grey Shrike had been seen at this location and although I had seen one in Dorset recently, it would have been nice to have one on my Hampshire list for this year. They really have been scarce this year and even the New Forest has been void of this superb species, which is most unusual. However, despite a damn good search throughout the area, there was no sign of the bird. However, for a support act, up to three Grasshopper Warblers were also noted here earlier in the week and this time, we got lucky. This is a tricky bird to see (unless you're ‘ringing’ at Titchfield Haven in the Autumn, it seems!!) and we eventually got to see this delightful warbler well through the scope. Watching it sing its ‘reeling’ song and noticing how much the whole body of the bird shakes while doing so is a memory I will not forget in a hurry. I only wished I had digiscoped it singing, but made do with my camera instead. We spent a good hour searching for the bird, but the tall grass and sedges virtually made the bird invisible, but I got a better view and eventually discovered it perched on a large tuft of grass where it sang its heart out. I quickly got the guys on it as we enjoyed the bird singing for the next twenty minutes or so.

Above and below, this Red Kite was soaring over Bransbury Common.

Above, one of several Sedge Warblers present on the Common. Below, a Little Egret flew past with a Common Buzzard soaring in the background.

The weather was simply glorious, though being a right numpty, I forgot to bring any head attire and so I was at the mercy of the very warm sun on my shiny bonce! Not only the Grasshopper Warbler climbed on my year list, but also Sedge Warblers. In fact, there were probably four to five birds in the area, of which some showed very well singing from various locations and even displaying as well. Andy still needed Willow Warbler for his year list and the birds duly obliged with at least two to three singing birds present. Other warblers here included Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Cetti’s Warblers, who kept us entertained throughout the three hours or so we were here. A male Stonechat was seen distantly gleaming in the sunshine on a fence post near the River Test and the occasional Linnet and Reed Bunting would drop in too. A Short-eared Owl was present here yesterday evening (apparently, a good site for them), but no sign of the bird today, but we were treated to both Red Kites and Common Buzzards overhead. This is a site I must come back to again and although very wet underfoot (probably Wellington's might have been better attire?) Due to the excessive rain of late, it certainly produced some superb birds including several Swallows flying over the River Test nearby.

The singing Grasshopper Warbler at Bransbury Common.

Above, spot the Grasshopper Warbler! Yes, it was very hard to see and took over an hour to spot, but eventually, it showed very well through the scope.

Above, a Brimstone butterfly and below, the Green-veined White butterfly.

It wasn't to end there either; for when we got back to the car, I finally had the chance to have my lunch and while enjoying a sandwich and a cold drink, overhead, I spotted a very large raptor overhead and amazingly, it turned out to be a White-tailed Eagle!!!! I noticed it had a pair of birds soaring with it that turned out to be a Red Kite and a Common Buzzard and you could clearly see the huge size difference between the Raptors. I even managed to film the Eagle sailing high overhead. I saw one sailing over Portsmouth a few years ago, so this was only my second ever one I have seen in Hampshire. No doubt, one of the Isle of Wight introduction scheme birds, but what a bird. After enjoying that, I then spotted a pair of Hirundines flying over a nearby house and it turned out to be a Swallow flying around with our first House Martin of the year!! Incredible! With Blackcaps, Dunnocks, Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Long-tailed Tits flitting about the vegetation around us, the place was simply idyllic.

Above and below, the White-tailed Eagle high over Bransbury Common with a Red Kite alongside.

That was the birdlife seen here at this site and now for the insects. Butterflies were abundant and a good variety too. This included many Orange-tips, Green-veined White (new for the year), Small White, Comma, Peacock and numerous Brimstone’s making the most of the gorgeous sunshine and the many plants in flower that included Hedge Mustard and Dandelions. The Nettles along the footpath leading to the Common held a variety of insects, that included many Hoverflies. This included my first ‘The Footballer’ Hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) and Common Banded Hoverfly (Syrphus ribessi) and several other commoner species. I even pointed out a Nursery Spider to the guys that were resting on a Nettle leaf. If I wasn't into birds, I could have spent many hours here checking out the insect life! Again, what a place and will most certainly come back again.

The White-tailed Eagle over Bransbury Common.

The list of birds of unusual birds seen in Hampshire today just seemed to go on as a pair of Purple Herons were discovered in the evening at Winchester Sewage Farm, roosting in reeds by a lake there. We passed this site as we made our way to see the Stone-curlews, but Geoff told us that it was a private site and can only be viewed using a scope. Whatever next?