New Forest Birding with a Grackle

Thursday 1 January 2026

Beautiful sunny start to the day with limited broken cloud and the present temperature of 2 quickly climbed to 7C, so giving a wonderful day's birding in the New Forest. First day of the year and what a way to start with the Greater-tailed Grackle sitting on the wire above its adopted home in Holbury.  Also seen in the rea 30 Starlings, 8 Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Caron Crow and Woodpigeon.

Greater-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus

Then it was straight on down to Leep Country Park on the Solent coast, arriving at 10.30.  Walking from the car park to the woodland entry Song Thrush, Dunnock and Blackbird seen and once in the hide a multitude of small birds making use of the two feeders.  Lots of Blue Tits plus Coal, Long-tailed, Great and Marsh Tit.  A Moorhen was wandering around at the side before the arrival of the Great Spotted Woodpecker and female Pheasant, the latter keenly watched by a very observant Robin.  Back in front of the hide a couple of Water Rail wandered in from the adjacent reeds giving excellent close views, albeit very dark below.

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

Out on the water a couple of Mute Swans and on the far banks a small group of Lapwing along with a trio of both Redshank and Greenshank. Just the pair of both Mallard and Shelduck with a handful of resting Black-headed Gulls and a solitary Cormorant.  Nearer the hide on the edge of the water a lone Heron and up above a circling Buzzard.

Male Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

Making our way back up the slope to the exit and car park more Robins, Blackbirds and tits when a small flock of Redwing passed overhead with one noted taking a rest at the top of a distant tree.  And as we crossed the road to the car park we noted two Song Thrushes had now arrived at the well-berried holly tree where the first had been recorded as we entered the park.

Very distant Redwing Turdus iliacus

There followed a forty minute drive north through the New Forest to Blashford Lakes north of Ringwood where we spent an enjoyable couple of hours, starting at the bridge over the River Avon on the Harbridge road in Ibsley.  Almost a score of Mute Swans in the meadow and at the far end a pair of Egyptian Geese in the company of a single Greylag.  A pair of Stonechats were hovering round the bushes at the side of the stream along with a passing Carrion Crow.

Greylag Goose Anser anser

Back to Blashford Lakes and a first stop at Tern Hide overlooking Ibsley Water which presented very many Coot along with a good number of Tufted Duck.  A Great Crested Grebe and a couple of Goldeneye seen and at the far end the bulk of the gulls, mainly Black-headed but also herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  Lots of Wigeon sheltering under the far bank along with a few Shoveler and Mallards.  Even a few Canada Geese, many resting Cormorants and a single Heron.

Teal Anas crecca

Over to the main reserve and first to Ivy North Hide where I found the Teal flock and more Mallards and Cormorants plus a quartet of Gadwall.  In mid-water a pair of Pochard and in the reeds below the hide a Chiffchaff.

Pochard Aythya ferina

Through the trees to the Woodland Hide where the tits were very active feeding on the three feeders provided.  Mainly Blue but also a number of Great and a few Long-tailed Tits.  A good number of Chaffinches and a single Goldfinch plus Robins, Dunnocks and Blackbirds.  In addition, good to see the return of the Siskins with five males and a female recorded.  On the table the visit of a Stock Dove.

Siskins Carduelis spinus

Walking down to Ivy South Hide a Jay flew across the path in front of us and once in the hide mainly Cormorants and Tufted Ducks along with Black-headed Gulls, a Great Crested Grebe and a few more Gadwall.  Returning to the car a Nuthatch was seen and as we made our departure we managed to see another Buzzard and a flock of about forty Starlings.

Marsh Tit Parus palustris (centre bottom) alongside Blue Tit Parus caeruleus with Blue and Great Tit Parus major above

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Pheasant, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Heron, Buzzard, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Redshank, Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Blue tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, Greater-tailed Grackle,  House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Siskin.

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major

Great Tit Parus major

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

Hen Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

Robin Erithacus rubecula

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

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New Forest Birding

Tuesday 30 December

A beautiful sunny morning with clear blue skies and a very light wind as I set out to spend a morning in the New Forest.  And as the morning progressed the temperature rose from zero to 7C by noon as the wind eased to make for perfect birding conditions.   Passing through Lyndhurst I started with Starling, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove and Carrion Crow and then on to Normandy Lagoon where I arrived at 8.55 to be greeted by the local Magpies, Woodpigeon and a resting Kestrel.

Female Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Arriving at the lagoon a Little Egret and couple of Mallards in the side canal and on the main and surrounds water very many Wigeon, Teal and Lapwing plus many Canada Geese.  A Cormorant flew over and a Meadow Pipit perched on the nearby fence before I started the scan of the area and noted many Shoveler along with good number of Pintail, Tufted Duck and Shelduck.  Further away seven resting Spoonbill and a handful of Avocet.

Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia with Shelduck Tadorna tadorna (above) and Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta (right)

A Stonechat "popped up" before I reached the end of the first straight to get the sun behind me and I quickly noted two Spotted Redshank and single Black-tailed Godwit before the two Bar-tailed Godwits put in an appearance with the barred tail showing very clearly as they moved on.

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica

Once on the front sea wall more easy to see and identify the many Teal and Pintails along with the scores of Brent Geese. Amongst the Brent Geese on the stony island in front of me a handful of Dunlin along with a few Ringed Plover and about a dozen Turnstone.  A Kingfisher flashed past me just above the canal and I was to later regain sight of the bird as it rested on a bush at the far end.  More Little Egrets feeding in and near the canal along with a handful of Redshank and, having noted both Herring and Black-headed Gulls along with a couple of Curlew, I took a closer look at the Spoonbills before continuing on to the far end to check the smaller pools before returning on the lower path alongside the canal.   Good job I did as it gave a chance to watch the busy-feeding Dartford Warbler in amongst the small gorse bushes next to me but often too close to get the bird in focus.

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

Continuing on back towards the starting point I noted not only a pair of Mute Swans on the water but also a small flock of Rock Doves (Feral Pigeons) on the nearest island.  Passing by Maiden Dock a number of Oystercatchers and  a very large resting flock of Canada Geese.  More Redshanks in the almost empty Acre Pond.  Blackbird, Robin and Dunnock recorded as I walked back along the road to the car and upon arrival a couple of Chaffinches in the nearby trees.

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus

So on to the Penningon Marshes at the bottom of Lower Pennington Lane.  At the western corner of Pennington Marsh itself a the entrance gate I stopped to check the present Lapwings, Magpie, Shelduck and Shoveler and resting Canada Geese and found the lone Bean Goose, sleeping slightly away from the Canada Geese flock, that has been resent for the past couple of days.  Further away I found feeding Oystercatchers and a foraging Pied Wagtail along with many Teal.   As I drove on to park the car at the end of the lane both a Blackbird and pair of Carrion Crows flew away from the neighbouring field.

Distant, sleeping Bean Goose Anser fabalis

Once off towards Fishtail Lagoon it was obvious that there was noshortage of Canada Geese, Teal, Shelduck and Brent Geese; they seemed to be everywhere.   Also present very many resting Black-headed Gulls, Mallard and Wigeon.  Even both a Coot and Moorhen along with a couple of Little Egrets to round the whole.    

Teal Anas crecca

Leaving the Robin sitting on the fence I climbed up to the sea wall and noted the many Dunlin and Redshank along with a few Oystercatchers and a single Grey plover feeding in the now exposed mud left by the receding tide.  A pair of Curlew joined the group as I made my way past Butts, with its quartet of Gadwall, to Pennington Lagoon.  Here I found very many Shoveler and Teal along with a pair of Mute Swans and more Pintail and Wigeon.  

Mainly Shoveler Anas clypeata with Pintail Anas acuta

On the other side of the sea wall the receding tide had attracted a number of Oystercatchers and Herring Gulls to the muddy shore along with a Heron and handful of Turnstone.  So, time to head back to the car and make the journey inland towards Fritham in order to see what might be about at both Cadman's Pool and Janesmoor Pond.

Turnstones Arenaria interpres

The ten minutes at Cadman's Pond produced a handful of Mallard on the water but feeding near the car park, where food had been left on top of the posts and some fallen logs, a regular supply of small birds plus a couple of Blackbirds.  Mainly Blue but also Great, Coal and Marsh Tits.

Coal Tit Parus ater

Janesmoor Pond was very quiet and a stop of five minutes only produced a Robin, couple of Blackbirds and a Song Thrush.  Nevertheless, a lovely morning's birding that produced a final tally of 54 species.

Little Egret Egretta gatrzetta surrounded by Wigeon Anas penelope

Birds seen:

Bean Goose, Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Spoonbill, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Kingfisher, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Dartford Warbler, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch.

Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta

Brent Geese Branta bernicla

Part of the Dunlin Calidris alpina flock with a Curlew

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus

Just the shadow of the Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata!

Little Egret with Wigeon Anas penelope

Pintail Anas acuta

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula with 2 Turnstone (right)

Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

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Blashford Lakes, New Forest

Saturday 27 December

Heavy overnight frost but clear blue skies all morning as I drove over to the New Forest to visit Blashford Lakes near Ringwood.  But first a thirty-minutes stop at nearby Harbridge to look over the meadow from the river bridge to check the distant feeding flock of mixed geese.  It looked like mainly Canada with the odd Greylag but also featured 34 White-fronted Geese. Also present more than a dozen Mute Swans.  Turning the car near the far corner I came across a flight of eight Pheasants.

the distant flock of White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons

On to Blashford itself and first a stop at the Tern Hide overlooking Ibsley Water. Lots of Coot and Tufted Duck with many gulls, especially Lesser Black-backs but also Shoveler at the back and Wigeon to my right and close by a pair of Goldeneye.  A distant Great White Egret was recorded plus a few Great Crested Grebe but not too many Mute Swans on this occasion.

Female Goldeneye Bucephala clangula

On to the main reserve with Blackbird, Robin and the first Long-tailed Tits on the way to Ivy North Hide where I found Mallards and Teal along with a number of Cormorant and a nearby Cetti's Warbler.  Once inside the Woodland Hide chance to see the many tits, mainly Blue, but also Long-tailed, Coal and Great.  Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Robins, Goldfinches and Chaffinches also present plus a visiting Jay and a Magpie at the back of the trees.  The visiting Nuthatch was also a pleasant addition.

Coal Tit Parus ater

Before departing I took a first ever walk through the trees to the path running alongside the nearby Rockfort Lake.  Lots more Long-tailed Tits and a Goldcrest noted before reaching the screen overlooking Ivy North but all the water birds seemed to have moved away from where first sighted form the hide on the opposite bank.  On the lake itself hundreds of Wigeon accompanied by many Tufted Ducks, Mallards and Coots plus a few Great Crested Grebe and a couple of Mute Swans.  But nearer to me and almost masked the the hedge, I found not only a pair of Shelduck but also a drake Goosander.

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

A most enjoyable, if somewhat cold, morning that finally produced a total of 40 species.

the Teal Anas cretta flock on the move

Birds seen:

White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Goosander, Pheasant, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Great White Egret, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Goldcrest,  Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Goldfinch.

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus

Great Tit Parus major

Dunnock Prunella modularis

Very distant Great White Egret Ardea alba

Robin Erithacus rubecula

Mute Swan Cygnus olor

For the latest news follow the Axarquia Birds and Wildlife Facebook page for more photos and comments and the opportunity to share with the wider birding world.