New Forest Birding

Monday 27 May

With probably at least three hours to go before the rain id expected, time to drive into the New Forest and visit Blashford Lakes via Eyeworth Pond. Lovely country road route and on site at Eyeworth, passing a couple of Starlings as I approached, by 11.30 but what a disappointment.  Other than a lone Mallard duck not a bird in sight! A slight walk u the track just past the barrier and look back to the pond and a sudden movement caught my eye and revealed a Nuthatch foraging low down.  Then a Blue Tit followed by a handful of House Sparrows.  There were birds about!  

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus

Soon a few Chaffinches and a Robin with a Song Thrush behind me as a Blackbird flew in. Then , looking at the shaded area of the water below me I realised that a moulting Mandarin Duck had paddled close in.  Moving back out into the (still) sunshine the Madarin was now moving off towards the centre of the pond and looking most bedraggled as it worked its way through the moulting situation.

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

At the same time, a second Mallard duck ha appeared in font of me with their respective 5 and 6 well-grown ducklings.  Finally, as I made my departure, a Pied Wagtail put in an appearance.

Mallard Anas platyrhnchos with her ducklings

Then it was on to Blashford Lakes via Fordingbridge arriving at the Tern Hide at 12.15 to be welcomed by both House Sparrow and Greenfinch.  Not too much on the water other than raft of Lesser Black-tailed and Herring Gulls towards the back with more Black-headed Gulls, many still with nests either on the shore or rafts, towards the front. A Tufted Duck flew in from the other side of the road to join the handful of Mallards present on site. In the meantime, overhead, a handful of fishing Common Tern and a small number of Sand Martins. A dozen Mute Swans were spread along the back of the water plus a couple of resting Cormorant and a few Canada Geese.

Off to my right a couple of Lapwing and a few foraging Jackdaw, one of the latter disturbing the Little Ringed Plover which gave a few brief appearances.  Whilst a Carrion Crow flew over I noticed the quintet of Egyptian Geese on the bank and a few more on the distant edges of the water.

Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca

Moving over the road to the main reserve I headed off to Ivy Lake North Hide but little if anything to be seen so made my way through the trees to the Woodland Hide. Wren, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush and Blackbird recorded then, checking the feeders before entering the hide, I found a feeding Great Spotted Woodpecker on the nearest.

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major

Once inside the hide I soon added Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch but, mainly, feeding Siskins. On the ground both Dunnock and Robin and ere long a continuous movement of both Blue and Great Tits. As an added bonus, a very brief visit from both a Nuthatch and the Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Siskins Carduelis spinus (female in the middle)

Next it was down to the Ivy South Hide, noting the sing Reed Warblers in the reeds on the small pond to my right, where just a few Black-headed Gulls and a couple of Common Terns seemed to be present.  Finally, a Great Crested Grebe was seen off to my left and then, almost out f the blue, a handful of sand martins accompanied by a quartet of Barn Swallows arrived to feed over the water.  Above the trees on the far side a couple of Swifts were noted in the sky and a Heron made its leisurely flight over the water.  Finally, a young Little Grebe paddled by in front of the hide painfully calling its parents, which were nowhere to be seen.

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Mallard, Mandarin Duck, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Heron, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin.

Other birds identified by "Merlin":

Collared Dove, Long-tailed Tit.

Male Chaffinch Fingilla coelebs

Dunnock Prunella modularis

The moulting Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

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.