Blashford Lakes

Saturday 2 March

The sun presently shining but with the promise of rain later so took a chance and headed over to Blashford Lakes in the New Forest were, at least if the worst came to the worst, there was some shelter available.  In the end, no rain and a lovely sunny morning.  

All rather quiet on Ibsley Water as I was welcomed by a small number of Jackdaws in the tall trees overlooking the car park.  Lots of Tufted Duck to be seen on the water but most birds at a distance.  Checking the nearby spit to my right I found at least seven foraging Meadow Pipits and on the next protrusion a mass of resting Pintail.  A closer look through the scope also revealed a number of Wigeon and Shoveler (with many more of the latter at the back of the water) a pair of Canada Geese and a little further away a couple of Greylag Geese.

Mainly Pintail Anas acuta with a few Wigeon Anas penelope and Canada Geese Branta canadenis

Scoping further away I found a distant Mute Swan and at least five Goldeneye, On the far bank to my left a Magpie and to its left a Great White Egret. A few resting Cormorants but not a single Coot on show.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Time to move across to the main reserve and straight to the Ivy North Hide where I had been informed a pair of Bittern were hiding in the dense reeds close to the hide.  Not to be, one had moved away to the right less than thirty minutes ago and the other had completely disappeared in the dense reeds.  On the way to the hide I had recorded both Robin and Goldcrest and once inside was able to add teal more Cormorants, Shovelers and Wigeon along with both a Great Crested Grebe and a Moorhen.  Finally a pair of Gadwall and a flighty Cetti's Warbler with a Carrion Crow flying past over the water.  On the far side a foraging Green Sandpiper and to me right a Heron.

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus

Through the trees to the Woodland Hide and numerous Siskins on show before I even entered the hide. once inside views of plenty of Chaffinches and Siskins along with a few Greenfinch and Goldfinches pus Robin, Blackbird and Dunnock.  No shortage of either Blue or Great Tits but just the one Long-tailed Tit but then the sudden flash of of a Sparrowhawk landing immediately in front of us in search of a meal but up and gone, all within two seconds.  Very exciting experience.

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis (left) with Siskin Carduelis spinus

Arriving at the Ivy South Hide just the two Black-headed and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull but plenty of Wigeon on show along with the resting Cormorants.  Again, no Coots to be seen but a few Shoveler.  As I returned to Woodland Hide, where I managed to locate the resting Kestrel and a pair of Woodpigeons, a Kingfisher flashed across the water on my left and came to rest in a tree to the right.

Three of the resting Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo

And to round the morning's tally up to 40 a small flock of feeding Rooks as I made my way through the new Forest towards the main road and home.

A few of the many Wigeon Anas penelope on Ivy Water

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Great White Egret, Heron, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Log-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis (left) with Siskin Carduelis spinus

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 

Mute Swan Cygnus olor

Teal Anas crecca (male in front)

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

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.