Saturday 27th June 2026.
Our first juvenile Cuckoo actually being fed by a host parent, a Meadow Pipit out on the heath at Pig Bush this afternoon.
Thankfully, it was not as hot as it was yesterday as Geoff Farwell, Andy Fisher and myself took a trip back into the New Forest, to take a good long walk through Pig Bush and the neighbouring heath and woodland. Not only Andy and myself got to see our first Spotted Flycatcher in Hampshire, but we all got to see our first juvenile Cuckoo being fed by its parent hosts, a pair of Meadow Pipits. We have all seen this action on the telly, but what a buzz to see it in real life.
As mentioned, the weather was a bit kinder to us today and although it got up to the high twenties, there was a bit of high cloud cover overhead and occasionally a nice breeze came through when the sun went behind the clouds. The wildlife here was amazing, whether it was the birdlife, insects, plants and even fish! But first, there was the task of checking the two Moth Boxes this morning.
My Moth Box:
This stunning Small Elephant Hawk-moth was a great surprise to my Moth Box this morning despite the overnight showers.
I am now getting so used to getting up early, that I am waking up around 20 minutes before the alarm goes off! I slept a lot better overnight and so got up and let the dogs out into the garden while I made coffee. There was another 100+ haul of Moths this morning, 102 moths to be exact of 33 species and despite a big drop from yesterday’s total, I believe the reason was a) I didn't put out any egg trays outside the Moth Box and b) because of the overnight rain showers.
Above, Cypress Gelechia was a new micro moth for the year. Below, my first Small Blood-vein moth of the year.
Despite the fewer Moths, there were three more Moths added to my year list; a superb Small Elephant Hawk-moth, which was surprisingly at the bottom of the Moth Box and better late than never, a Small Blood-vein. I normally get several each summer of this species and finally, one actually arrived in my garden. The new micro moth for the year was a Cypress Gelechia (Gelechia senticetella), which was only my second ever. The most numerous Moth, however, was the Lackey, with an incredible 21 individuals present today. The Moths present this morning included the following:
Insects this morning seen from my Moth Box were several Lacewing and a couple of Marmalade Hoverflies. However, it paled into insignificance when a male Sparrowhawk flew into my garden while I was eating my Muesli! The House Sparrows came down to my Moth Box in search of a 'Mothy' breakfast and the Sparrowhawk must have seen them. It flew into my garden, landed on my Moth Box for all of 10 seconds and then flew off just as quick; 'Sparrowless' I might add! Another rare sighting from my garden was a Coal Tit, which was heard calling in a nearby garden and I actually saw the bird fly out of a nearby tree. Though it was not a garden ‘tick’, they are still incredibly rare from my garden.
Geoff’s Moth Box, Cowplain Marsh:
One of two Black Arches moths by Geoff's Moth Box.
The weather was still looking good by the time I got to Andy’s house and it didn't take long to check Geoff's MV Moth Box. Geoff said from what he could see, it looked a bit quiet around his Moth Box and so on closer inspection, a total of at least 44 moths of 27 species were present. OK, not as many as my Moth Box this morning, but there is always the chance of something exciting here due to the different location. There had been a bit of rain overnight in Cowplain and probably explains why the smaller number of Moths here, though to be fair, I arrived late to Andy’s house to check the Moths and most likely, a lot of them would have flown by now. Thankfully, there are a lot of outside egg trays to go through and then there is the Box itself.
A Dusky Pearl moth was new for the year.
There were some interesting Moths discovered that included two stunning Black Arches, which, in my opinion, is one of the most striking Moths in the UK and also my first for the year.. A Dusky Pearl (Udea prunalis) was also new for the year and a welcome addition to my year list. Two Dwarf Cream Waves, Heart & Club, Common White Wave and a smart Blood-vein moth. The Moths present from Geoff’s trap this morning included the following:
While checking the Moths and enjoying a couple of cups of coffee, there were a few notable bird sightings that included a Great Spotted Woodpecker flying over, at least 7 very high flying Med Gulls and both Siskin and Nuthatch were heard calling nearby. Andy picked out a superb Red Kite flying over, drifting south fairly high over the garden, but always enjoyable to watch. Geoff explained that a Hedgehog was in the garden here last night as it snuffled its way through the vegetation! Andy’s nephew, Richard, popped in to the garden to say hello and after a good chat and finishing up recording our Moth sightings, it was off the New Forest, for hopefully, a good day’s birding.
Pig Bush, New Forest:
A juvenile Redstart by the first bit of woodland near the main Car Park. Several were seen today.
The trip to Pig Bush produced a good number of Common Buzzards soaring over the M27 and also seen were a Kestrel and Geoff was pretty convinced a Hobby was mobbing one of the Common Buzzards. I got a brief sighting of the smaller raptor, but I had to concentrate on my driving instead of craning my neck further to see the bird! Safety first guys!
Above, one of the male Stonechats on the heath and below, another juvenile Redstart in search of insects.
After paying for 4 hours in the car park, we made our way around the woodland, keeping to the footpath adjacent to the heath and then a quick trip through the woods, we then followed the footpath to the small stream and out the other side. In all, we walked a good five miles there and back through both woodland and heath and along the way, we encountered a wealth of wildlife.
A juvenile Redstart perched up by the main footpath.
Kicking off with the bird sightings, it didn't take too long to pick out our first Hampshire Spotted Flycatcher of the year. Andy found one within the first bit of woodland perched low down and then the bird flew up into the higher branches and sat on a convenient branch for both Geoff and myself to connect with the bird. I had seen a Spotted Flycatcher last month in Devon, but there is always the pleasure in getting your first one in Hampshire, no matter how late in the year. Cracking birds. Another Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the next large bit of woodland as we made our way back to the car.
Above, this female Common Darter gave us the runaround before settling on some Heather. Below, a male Redstart was near its nesting hole and so we hastily made our way out of its territory.
Out on the heath, Stonechats were abundant on the heath. We saw one flying over the heath on the way down here when we neared the Car Park at Pig Bush and then another as we made our way on the start of our trip here. Family flocks seemed to be everywhere, with the more dowdy juveniles perched on the bracken waiting for the calling impatient parents to arrive with their food. A very vocal Kestrel was consistently calling some distance away within the tall trees and later seen displaying to a possible female somewhere in the trees with its quivering flight. It was later to be seen (probably the same bird) mobbing a Common Buzzard back into the woods. After seeing a Honey Buzzard here last year, our hopes were high for repeating that sighting, but sadly, no sightings of his gorgeous raptor today.
Above, the juvenile Cuckoo at Pig Bush and below, a Treecreeper within one of the woods.
However, we got great views of the Redstarts here today, with both adult males and a several juveniles within the woods including one adult male with a beak full of food, ready to go back into its nest hole. Overhead, a few Siskins were seen as was a juvenile Bullfinch that briefly flew over the heath by the woods. Both Blackcaps and Willow Warblers were singing in various parts of the woodland and a Treecreeper showed well too, creeping up a large bough of a Beech Tree.
Above, the juvenile Cuckoo flew over to another perch, still calling loudly to be fed by the foster Meadow Pipits and below, this Wren was singing within its territory in the woods.
However, undoubtedly, the star sighting today was the juvenile Cuckoo. After exiting another tract of woodland to walk out on the footpath over the heath again (not far from Wood Fidley and the railway line nearby), something was calling consistently in the distance. A few Meadow Pipits were flying into a small clump of trees and then something much larger flew out. I thought it was a raptor at first, being dark and having long wings and as I followed it flying into trees further away, I realised I was watching a juvenile Cuckoo! It took some finding again, but we saw it perched up within some Silver Birch trees; but what was feeding it. Now we knew what was making that consistent calling, for we had never heard a juvenile Cuckoo calling before (I agreed with Geoff when he said it sounded like a group of chicks calling to be fed) and eventually, we found out that it was a pair of Meadow Pipits that was now feeding the bird. As mentioned, this was our first ever sighting of a juvenile Cuckoo being fed by its co-hosts. A truly memorable experience.
Two male Silver-studded Blue butterflies on one of the footpaths at Pig Bush. Below, we saw several Painted Ladies on the heath. This one was nectaring on the Bramble flowers.
We got even better views once we exited another tract of woodland and watched the Cuckoo being fed several times by its adopted parents, this time in a tall conifer until the juvenile Cuckoo flew off over the heath again, only to land not too far away in another small clump of trees and started calling again. Its true parents would have now flown off back to Africa by now, leaving behind the youngsters to fend for themselves should they reach adulthood. Again, we were so lucky to witness something that will remain in our memories throughout the rest of our birding days.
Above, a Meadow Brown nectaring on a Bramble flower and below, we found our first Heath Spotted Orchids.
Away from the birds, the insects were exciting too. Being in the New Forest, there is always the chance of coming across some good Butterflies and there were good numbers of Silver-studded Blue’s flying around over the footpaths and after seeing our first ones last week at Woolmer Pond, it was still good to see so many here too. We even saw our first Silver-washed Fritillaries today, with at least two sightings of individuals; one over the bracken upon the heath and another within a bit of woodland near the Railway Line. Meadow Browns were everywhere, as expected, plus sightings of Brimstone, Small Heath, Painted Lady and Holly Blue on our walk.
Geoff pointed out this Coral Necklace growing in exactly the same place as last year. Well found Geoff.
Both Geoff and myself have acute hearing (not bad for us in our 60’s!) as we picked out calling Wood Crickets deep within vegetation. They remind me of calling Grasshopper Warblers, but much quieter! A few Dragonflies were seen on the wing that included a female Common Darter, a probable Emperor Dragonfly (it was fast and big!), a Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly that lingered briefly by the small stream and best of all, our first sighting of a Golden-ringed Dragonfly, although it was brief; within the woodland near the Railway Line.
Open up! The foster parent Meadow Pipit was seen feeding the juvenile Cuckoo. A 'first' for us.
Geoff is always good in identifying plants as we came across a few specialities on our walk that included our first few spikes of Heath Spotted Orchid and the delightful Coral Necklace and a variety of other plants growing on the heath and a Bolete species of Toadstool was found growing on one of the footpaths. To actually get a true ID would require breaking up the said Toadstool to see what colour it is on the inside of which I was not in favour for. Just let the ‘shroom' grow I say!
Above, a stationary male Silver-studded Blue butterfly on the footpath and below, one of several Common Buzzards over the site.
So the trip finished with another bird ‘year-tick’ under our belt and our first sighting of a juvenile Cuckoo being fed by its foster parents, a pair of Meadow Pipits. The vast variety of other wildlife plus superb weather along with it truly makes today an unforgettable experience and not to forget some superb Moths earlier this morning. Happy Days indeed.
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In Hampshire today:
Yesterday evening, one of the ‘Lazee Birders’, Andy Friend, found an odd wader that he filmed on Farlington Marshes and sent off his film footage of the bird to local birder Jason Crook, it was confirmed that it was an adult White-rumped Sandpiper! The bird was seen again briefly in the evening, but soon disappeared from view. A superb find, nonetheless, and hopefully will linger today for the rest of the ‘Lazee’s’ to add to their year lists.
Those old Funky Warden albums keep on coming.
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