Saturday 22nd March 2025.
Another Saturday already here and it was going to be another good one. The weather looked good too, with some sunshine but mostly overcast throughout the day and a shower or two on the way home. The Moth Boxes were relatively busy, especially Andy’s and a real surprise first thing in the morning too before picking the guys up and heading off back into the New Forest and Blashford Lakes. Later in the day, we were to meet up with both Emma and Matt Parkes at Blashford.
The Moth Boxes:
My Moth Box attracted just the three moths this morning that included two Double-striped Pugs, but best of all, my first Herald moth of the year. This early moth is irregular to my Box, but always most welcome with its rusty upper wing and unique looking shape. It was clinging upside down on the white sheet by the Box as I carefully potted it and took some photos of the moth inside the Kitchen.
While checking the moths, I thought I had heard a Ring-necked Parakeet give off one of their distinctive squawks! I looked up but nothing was seen. Then it did it again around ten minutes later and this time, I clocked two birds flying high over the houses heading east towards Highland Road Cemetery! That was totally unexpected and represented an excellent ‘Garden Tick’!
Meanwhile, over at Andy’s Moth Box, there was a bit more activity regarding the moths. A good total of 6 Hebrew Characters, 2 Early Greys, 2 Small Quakers, a Common Plume and then my first Brindled Pug and Twenty-plume Moth of the year to round off a good number here. As per usual, Andy’s garden gets some nice bird life that includes a Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock and singing Coal Tits nearby.
Blashford Lakes, nr Fordingbridge, Hampshire:
We were hoping to see both Little Ringed Plovers and Sand Martins today, seeing they were reported yesterday on Going Birding website and who knows what other migrants might be present. Thankfully, both species were present for us, adding to our ever growing Hampshire Year List and I have to say, the site was awash with singing Chiffchaffs!
Arriving at the site around 9.15am, we kicked off in the Tern Hide first of all and it didn't take long for me to pick out the Little Ringed Plovers (a pair) sitting on the small island in front of the Hide. A little later, both Geoff and Andy were outside the Hide within the Car Park and then Geoff called me outside to say that a flock of Sand Martins were hawking over the trees to the east of the Car Park. I quickly went outside to see for myself and sure enough, up to 6 birds were seen distantly; however, we were to get better views of them later in the day.
Back on Ibsley Water from the Tern Hide, the whole area still had a very large number of wildfowl present that included mostly Wigeon, but there were also up to 6 Goldeneye (including three drakes) of which some were displaying to the females; Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Teal, Pintail and Shoveler. A couple of Egyptian Geese were on the grassy spit while at least three noisy Grey Lags flew over the water and headed off east. A small flock of Canada Geese held one individual with a near all white face and most likely a hybrid bird. It was good to hear some young ladies getting excited about some of the birds being shown to them by a more experienced birder through his telescope. Took me back when we first started down Farlington Marshes and seeing species of birds for the first time.
There were plenty of Great Crested Grebes on the water and still some showing signs of Winter plumage still. There was just the one Black-necked Grebe present, which was now in full summer plumage but always remained a bit distant to get a really good photo. I believe there were two here yesterday, but only one bird could be found.
The waders present here today not only included the Little Ringed Plovers, but also several Oystercatchers, a few Lapwing (some were displaying), a lone Black-tailed Godwit and an amazingly showy Common Snipe right in front of the Tern Hide which entertained the birders and ‘toggers’ alike. Checking the skies above the tree line for the White-tailed Eagle that was seen yesterday here, we came across at least three Red Kites and at least two Common Buzzards. Up to 6 Meadow Pipits were on the grassy / stony area to the left of the Hide and from the Car Park, there were sightings of both a male Reed Bunting and a female Stonechat in the hedgerows. At least three singing Chiffchaffs were heard singing by the Car Park.
We then took a long walk to the Woodland Hide, hoping for possible Brambling and Redpoll, but again, the feeders were all put away due to the outbreak of Bird Flu in the area and so, we made our way to the Ivy South Hide. Nearing the Hide, we came across an obliging Kingfisher perched on the water opposite the Hide and allowed me to grab a few photos of this beautiful bird. A few Siskins flew high over our heads, but no Redpolls were seen despite a good walk around the area. The Ivy South Hide was fairly quiet today, with plenty of Herring and Black-headed Gulls seen and the usual large number of Cormorants resting in the trees. The walk back to the Car Park was fairly quiet, but a Treecreeper collecting nesting material and then flying back into a nearby Oak tree was entertaining.
We made our way back to the Tern Hide again and soon met up with both Emma & Matt Parkes (and his two daughters). It reminded me of when I used to take my two boys birding with me, which brought back a lot of happy memories. All this morning's birds were still present and after half an hour or so, we decided to make our way to the Goosander Hide to hopefully get better views of the Sand Martins. On arrival, we saw a female Goosander some distance out and a male Pochard was present also among the many Tufted Ducks (though Geoff saw at least 4 Pochard). A flock of Sand Martins then came in from the north, quite high and a count of at least a dozen birds were seen, but none came down to the man-made nesting site for them like they did earlier in the week.
We said Goodbye to Matt & Emma as they went off with the kids to Eyeworth Pond as Geoff, Andy and myself made our way to the Lapwing Hide. I was especially looking for Adders along the path where I had seen them in previous years, but none were to be seen. Overhead, a gathering of NINE Common Buzzards were swirling about high and along the path, we found our second singing Blackcap of the year. More and more Gulls were coming into the Lakes as the afternoon wore on and a good number of them were Mediterranean Gulls. Before entering the Lapwing Hide, a quick look through one of the screens overlooking a large pool covered in weed, held a single Little Grebe (now in summer plumage) and a single Gadwall, but little else. The Lapwing Hide was somewhat quiet and so we didn't spend too long there. The return journey back to the car produced large numbers of singing Chiffchaffs along the way and Andy found my second lot of Bullfinches for the year, with two males and a female in attendance and showing very well too.
On the way back along Roger Penny Way through the Forest, I decided to give it another try from a well-known site here for raptors. Merlin was our target bird, but during the 45 minutes there, sadly, none were to be seen. However, we did see a Red Kite, Common Buzzard and up to two hunting Kestrels. My second Dartford Warbler of the year was seen singing on one of the Gorse bushes and though distant, it showed well. A few Meadow Pipits were in the area and a pair of Stonechats were down in the gully below of which, incidentally, the male bird with its striking white shoulder patch was most certainly reminiscent of a Continental bird. Finally, a Curlew was heard doing its ‘bubbling’ call over the heath somewhere; then we saw it flying high over the heath to round off another superb day's birding.
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