Saturday 9th November 2024.
Today was a chance to get my 200th Hampshire bird species for the year and although I had a lovely offer to go to Staines Reservoir for the showy Lapland Bunting with both Matt & Emma Parkes, I decided to keep it fairly local for personal reasons. Again, this anticyclonic weather we are having at the moment (and I have read and heard the explanation for it by a number of experts), which is causing the continuous low cloud and still weather conditions, carried on into Saturday. So, today, Geoff, Andy and myself travelled west to the Hampshire border to Blashford Lakes to hopefully catch up with the long staying female Red-crested Pochard. Afterwards, a visit to Black Gutter Bottom for raptors and then home.
The Moth Boxes:
To put it mildly, it was a very poor day for moths with just two in my Moth Box; one Black Rustic and the micro moth, Lead-coloured Tortrix. It was even worse in Andy’s Moth Box where there was nothing at all! Despite all the egg trays scattered all around his Box, there was complete zilch! A Goldcrest was calling nearby as Geoff and I got out of the car by Andy’s house, but nothing more exciting in or around his garden this morning.
Blashford Lakes, nr Ringwood:
Obviously, the first stop was to be the Tern Hide at Blashford Lakes and on a very still Ibsley Water, it took just a few minutes to see my 200th bird species in Hampshire, just seconds before Andy and therefore the race to 200 was won! Actually, Geoff found the female Red-crested Pochard at first, swimming quietly not too far away, surrounded by a few Wigeon, Coots and a Great Crested Grebe. OK, not the most exciting bird out there, but always nice to get it on your year list anyway.
We spent a good hour here searching through the many wildfowl, gulls and waders present and even a few notable passerines too. At least one Great White Egret was seen by the waters edge, albeit distantly, with at least four Grey Herons in the area. The usual wildfowl were present that included Mallard, Shoveler, Gadwall, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Pintail; though numbers of each have nowhere near reached the maximum yet. There was just the one Goldeneye present which was in the female type plumage fishing some distance from the Hide. The usual Egyptian Geese were on the islands and banks of Ibsley Water in good numbers and a single Grey Lag Goose grazing the western side of the grassy bank. Great Crested Grebes were in double figures here, with some still in summer plumage too.
A small number of both Lapwing (15) and Black-tailed Godwit (20) were resting on the islands with the Black-headed, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls; but I couldn't find a Yellow-legged Gull to add to Andy’s Hampshire year list. On the shoreline directly in front of the Tern Hide, we had amazing views of several Meadow Pipits going about their business looking for insects among the pebbles and plants. A pair of Grey Wagtails popped in briefly with the Pipits, as did a single Pied Wagtail and a few Chaffinches. Outside the Hide, a small flock of Redwing flew over and a Bullfinch was heard but not seen. I was sure that a Ringed Plover was flying over the lake somewhere, for I could hear one calling, but I did not locate the bird.
After a brief look in the Park Centre, we made our way to the Ivy North Hide where there was an outside chance of a Bittern. Once in there, for we had the place to ourselves most of the time, Andy and myself were conveniently sitting at the ‘right place right time’ to watch at least two Water Rails crossing between two reedbeds. The birds were calling a lot of the time deep within the reeds, but at least we got to see them this time! Sadly, no photos of the birds because they were too quick to get from one reedbed to the other! A skulking Cetti’s Warbler showed itself briefly in the reedbed in front of us, but again, too quick to grab a photo. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew off southbound over the trees, but apart from a few ducks and a Grey Heron flying over, all was relatively quiet here.
Our next stop was to be Ivy South Hide and on the way there, we had sightings of a large flock of Siskins flying over the treetops. A brief look at the feeders by the Woodland Hide produced sightings of a Jay, Coal Tits and a Nuthatch and some interesting Toadstools were seen along the way, that included Turkeytail fungus, Trooping Funnel and what we think was Sordid Blewit; a very pale purple coloured toadstool.
From Ivy South Hide, Ivy Lake produced a few ducks that included Wigeon, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Mallard. Several Great Crested Grebes swam on the water some distance from the Hide and several Cormorants were present also. Two Kingfishers flew past together at pace in front of the Hide, but little else to be seen here during our 30 minute stay here. Walking back to the car, the lake opposite Ivy Lake held a Little Grebe by the edge of the reeds and a drake Mallard swam on the same lake. Overhead, a Goldcrest was calling and eventually seen in the trees while near the Woodland Hide, a large flock of Long-tailed Tits had a Chiffchaff, Nuthatch and a Treecreeper among them to round off our trip here to the superb Blashford Lakes.
Black Gutter Bottom, New Forest:
It certainly looked bleak looking over the expanse of heathland from Black Gutter Bottom; with the low cloud cover not helping. On the positive side, there was no wind and it was dry as we made our way to the Gorse Bushes that were just west of the small car park. From here, we spent the next cold hour searching the heath and sky for raptors of which just a Common Buzzard and a male Kestrel were seen. Sadly, no Hen-harriers or Merlins to liven things up and remarkably, not a single Redwing or Fieldfare seen either! I scanned the distant trees and bushes consistently, but all we noted were a few Song Thrushes and Blackbirds during our time here.
A few small flocks of Meadow Pipits flew over the heath and a distant Raven was seen also flying over the heath, but no Stonechats either! A Dartford Warbler was heard calling twice, but no sightings of the bird as we entertained ourselves by talking about 70’s and 80’s comedy programmes and where the actors/actresses are now. A couple of birders also arrived and started looking out for the Harriers as we eventually got back into the car and made our way home. Another great day’s birding with Geoff and Andy as always.
In Hampshire today, fellow ‘Lazee’ Mark Francis found a very late Whinchat north of Posbrook Floods and a possible Amur Stonechat was found at the southern end of Titchfield Haven. Two Black-necked Grebes were in the harbour entrance off Sandy Point, Hayling Island and a Short-eared Owl was seen in the north of the County. Emma and Matt Parkes successfully saw the Lapland Bunting at Staines Reservoir (a ‘lifer’ for them) and were going on afterwards to Seaford, in East Sussex, for the female Pied Wheatear that had been reported there for its second day! However, the bird disappeared in the afternoon.
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