Red-footed Falcon over Old Winchester Hill.

 Saturday 9th May 2026.

A Four-spotted Chaser at Woolmer Pond this afternoon.

Yet another incredible day where one had to expect the unexpected. After a report of a Red-footed Falcon earlier this week near Romsey and several more in the UK seen, I never expected to see one over Old Winchester Hill today. Andy Fisher and I were making good use of the new benches by the entrance of the Iron Age Fort overlooking the gully and the Hill, watching Common Buzzards and Red Kites soaring above when a Hobby like falcon flew in from the east. Yes, it was distant, but at first I could see a pale face on the bird and then suddenly it hovered. First Kestrel was ruled out immediately and secondly a Hobby-like bird was then dismissed. We were watching a female Red-footed Falcon. I was too busy trying to ID the bird, but thinking quickly, I tried to get as many photos as possible of the bird, but it flew fast south and out of sight. Hoping my photos were sufficient, I was a bit dismayed and with someone saying it was a Kestrel due to the poor photos of the bird (which got my back up to be honest), but both Andy and I were convinced it was a Red-footed Falcon and with previous experience of this species in the past; it was a damn good ‘year-tick’.

This fine male Yellowhammer perched nicely on Old Winchester Hill.

Both Andy’s and my Moth Boxes were busy with Moths this morning, though all the ‘year-ticks’ were in my garden. Again, it was just Andy and myself that first made our way to Old Winchester Hill to kick off another superb day's birding. Then we made our way to Woolmer Pond where not only some nice birds were seen, but we found a superb Downy Emerald dragonfly; a ‘lifer’ for both of us.  

My Moth Box:

My first Buff Ermine of the year (right) with a Garden Mompha next to it.

Three more ‘year-ticks’ were added to my year list this morning with both Buff and White Ermine found among the 19 moths of 12 species. The Buff Ermine was actually within the Moth Box, while the White Ermine was perched on the back Kitchen wall. The last moth new for the year was a micro moth, Garden Mompha (Mompha subbistrigella), of which all three were regulars to my Moth Box every year. The following moths were recorded this morning:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Double-striped Pug x3	Ruddy Streak x3
White Ermine * x1	White-shouldered House Moth x1
Buff Ermine * x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x1
Pale Mottled Willow x1	Garden Mompha * x1
Treble-lines x2	Hourglass Mompha x1
Garden Carpet x1
Shuttle-shaped Dart x2

This little number included two Treble-lines, a Shuttle-shaped Dart and a Buff Ermine.

Cowplain Marsh (Andy’s Moth Box):

Another nice moth in Andy's garden, the Waved Umber.

There were no new moths for the year in Andy’s garden this morning, but a good variety including a cracking Waved Umber, which was, I think, only my 4th ever. Three species of Pug including two Freyer’s Pugs was notable and my second Knot Grass of the week as well. Very nice. Up to three Cockchafer Beetles were attracted to the Moth Box overnight. The Moths recorded here included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Freyer’s Pug x2	Ruddy Streak x2
Double-striped Pug x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Common Pug x1
Treble-lines x3
Willow Beauty x1
Knot Grass x1
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
Waved Umber x1

One of three Cockchafer Beetles here this morning.

Old Winchester Hill, Meon Valley:

Sadly, this was the best of a bad lot of the female Red-footed Falcon we saw today at Old Winchester Hill.

The weather was on our side with a bright blue sky overhead and a light easterly breeze. We both had flasks of coffee and both the birds and butterflies were showing well today. Even when we parked within the near empty car park, the place was alive with singing birds including Skylarks, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs as we made our way to the viewing area looking west over the countryside. As per usual, the view from here was nothing short of spectacular and from the nearby bench for our first ‘comfy bench pit stop’, it was time for a quick cup of coffee. From here, we had sightings of at least two Yellowhammers close by and also a singing male Common Whitethroat. I was checking out some plants while Andy had seen a pair of Bullfinches fly past. Both Chiffchaff and a Song Thrush were singing their hearts out and a cracking Green Woodpecker flew south along the brow of the Hill and landed in a small tree. You could hear the lambs below in the Sheep field; such a wonderful sound of Spring.

Above, a panoramic photo of Old Winchester Hill with Andy. below, the tiny Common Milkwort growing on the south slope.

Above, a Queen Common Wasp gathering up wood pulp to make its nest and below, a Green Woodpecker passed us while we were having coffee.

Making our way to the footpath leading to the Fort area, I found our first Dingy Skipper butterfly for the year sitting on some low Bramble leaves and quickly took a photo. It was going to be a good day for butterflies, one of six species that were new for the year!  A lone Swallow flew over, but surprisingly, no other Hirundines were seen here today. A female Kestrel also flew over and over the gully and a Raven was seen distantly high over the countryside. It was fairly quiet for birds along the footpath and all I could really hear was people joining us along the footpath, though the Paragliders nearby were quite entertaining and how they avoided those trees was lucky!

Crosswort plants were prolific on the Hill and below, a few Cowslips were growing on the northern area of the Hill.

Above, our first Dingy Skipper butterfly of the year and below, a Common Whitethroat was holding territory.

Our next 'pitstop' was to be the new benches by the Fort entrance. Again, the view was amazing as the temperature started to rise and with the sun beaming down over a cup of coffee, we watched and counted the superb Red Kites and Common Buzzards soaring over the countryside. Skylarks were singing over the Fort and with more Lambs calling down in the fields by the south slope and after enjoying our coffee, we took the footpath onto the Hill and then walked down the south slope. I knew from past visits that Lesser Whitethroats were a regular visitor here in the spring and so we tried our luck down the bottom of the slope.

Crosswort plants dominated in the north area of the Hill and below, a Chiffchaff greeted us by the entrance gate to the site.

Above, this male Linnet perched on the trough and below, a male Brimstone butterfly on the main footpath leading to the Fort.

On the way there, Andy found our first Small Heath butterfly of the year and so another photo was taken of this tiny butterfly. More were seen later this morning. Shortly afterwards, we found our first Common Blue butterfly of the year sitting on the short turf to add to our growing butterfly list for the day. It got better still when a Large White flew through (another ‘year-tick’), while good numbers of Brimstones, both male and females, were abundant throughout the site.

Above, our first Small Copper butterfly of the year and below, another cracking view from Old Winchester Hill.

Above, a Red Kite soaring over the Hill and below, the two new benches we sat on to watch the raptors.

We sat on the short turf and waited to see what would turn up as both Common Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs sang in the bushes and trees in front of us. Red-legged Partridges were calling somewhere by the Sheep fields and several Red Kites were seen soaring over the field of which one landed and watched another two birds flying over. A male Kestrel then flew over and landed in a nearby bush and then I heard a Lesser Whitethroat singing its familiar ‘rattling’ song. However, to see the bird, as Andy’s hearing is not quite as good as mine, we had to climb the Hill and rejoin the footpath leading north. From here, we waited and the bird then flew out and headed down back into the bushes below and sang again. Another ‘year-tick’ for both Andy and myself.

Above, a male Kestrel at the bottom of the south slope and below, this male Chaffinch wasn't too far away from the Kestrel.

Above, one of the Sheep on the Fort hill and below, a Chiffchaff singing down at the bottom of the south slope.

We made our way around the northern end of the Hill where we were amazed to see literally a sea of Cowslips. I thought someone had spread seeds of the Cowslips to attract Duke of Burgundy butterflies to the site, but Andy’s conclusion was much more conclusive; the whole area had an electric fence put up to stop the sheep from grazing on this area hence the large display of Cowslips. I quickly checked the Cowslips for any butterflies and I came across my first Grizzled Skipper of the year and quickly put Andy onto the butterfly.

A Red Kite soaring over the Hill and below, one of around 30+ Mediterranean Gulls flying east past the Hill.

Above, a Common Blue butterfly on the south slope and below, Andy within a panoramic photo of the Cowslip field.

Above, the Grizzled Skipper on the northern end of the Hill among the Cowslips.

Moving on around the Fort, a Bullfinch was heard calling in the trees below and as we made our way to the benches by the entrance, both Peacock, Orange-tip and Painted Lady butterflies were seen. We gave the slope below a good search for a Ring Ouzel, but no luck there. Then, while enjoying watching the raptors over another coffee, cue the Red-foot!

Above another Med Gull passing the Hill and below, a male Kestrel perched in one of the trees at the bottom of the south slope.

Above, a male Yellowhammer searching for food below the Fort and below, a singing Common Whitethroat at the bottom of the south slope.

The walk back to the car park held more Common Whitethroat and Yellowhammers as we passed more and more people out for a lovely walk in one of Hampshire’s finest settings. A gorgeous Small Copper butterfly was playing around our feet (yet another ‘year-tick') as we made our way to the car and picked up our lunch in the village of Clanfield. It has been several years since I last saw a Red-footed Falcon and I knew I had to get my story straight before putting it on the ‘Lazee’s Whatsapp’ site, but I think I put my case strongly enough. Just a shame my photos turned out not so great.

Woolmer Pond, nr Bordon:

By the time we got to the small car park by Woolmer Pond, it was around 1pm and making our way across the very busy A325 (it's a bloody lethal crossing!), we walked into the woodland where Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler were singing. Sadly, the red flags were up and therefore no walking all the way around the Pond, but we slowly made our way first to the southern end of the perimeter fence where we came across at least one singing Garden Warbler and a distant singing Tree Pipit. Andy picked up our first Hobby of the day, soaring low over the water and then rising into the air to then disappear behind the trees.

There were a cluster of Garden Star of Bethlehem plants growing in the Cottage Garden.

A Red Kite lazily flew over and on the Pond (it really should be called a lake), there were two Grey Herons, a small flock of Tufted Duck and overhead, around 8 Sand Martins flew over. As expected, there was a lot of Dragonflies and Damselflies on the wing that included good numbers of Common Blue Damselflies on the footpath and over the Pond, close to the footpath, we saw at least four Hairy Dragonflies and about the same number of Four-spotted Chasers!

Above, a Four-spotted Chaser dragonfly and below, a Hobby flying over the Pond.

Above, a Brown Silver-line Moth and below, the singing Tree Pipit.

Making our way to the Cottage Garden, it was fairly quiet though we did see the Hobby several times. An Orange-tip butterfly, our second of the day, flew over the path and a couple of distant Common Buzzards were seen soaring over the woodland to the east. Within the garden, we made our way to the fallen Oak tree to finish off my recently bought bottle of water. From here, our footfall flushed several Brown Silver-line Moths (my first of the year) and a Four-spotted Chaser sat nicely on a Bracken stem. We even flushed our first Cinnabar Moths of the year, but would the buggers sit still for a photo? No chance.

Above, the Downy Emerald dragonfly and below, the Hobby over the Pond.

Above, a Common Blue Damselfly. One of many on the footpath and below, another photo of our first ever Downy Emerald.

As we left the garden, I caught sight of a Woodlark singing over the wasteland to the north. I had thought I had heard one earlier when we were in the garden and now there was proof that I was right. On our way back to the car, an interesting Dragonfly flew past us and conveniently landed on the ground nearby. As we approached, I could see a shiny green body to the insect and I then realised we were looking at our first ever Downy Emerald Dragonfly. One of the upper wings was slightly damaged and it even allowed me to pick it up gently before it flew off back over the Pond. Before we re-entered the woods, a last look over the Pond produced up to possibly three Hobbies hawking over this superb site to round off a good trip.