New Forest Birding

Marsh Tit Parus palustris

Sunday 27 October

One day to recover from the long drive home from the south of Spain then off birding again to visit the New Forest on Sunday morning.  taking advantage of the clocks going back an hour during the night I managed to arrive at Blashford Lakes by 9 o'clock and encountered a Blackbird as I entered the Tern Hide overlooking Ibsley Water. An overcrowded water both near and far with scores of Coots and very many Wigeon.  To the far left a number of Mute Swans and resting flocks of Lesser Black-backed  and the odd Great Black-backed Gull.  A few close by Mallard but more to be found on the island in front of the hide.  On the edge of the bay just beyond not just a dozen or more Egyptian Geese but also a few newly-arrived Pintail, the first for me this autumn.  Just beyond a Cormorant rested on a pole in the water and a few others were resting alongside the gulls to my left.

Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca but note the Pintails Anas acuta resting centre right

Closer inspection revealed a number of Shoveler with far more at the back of the water and resting on the "nesting platform" on the far bank a lone Buzzard.  By now I was checking the many Coots and soon found a number of Tufted Duck along with a single Black-necked Grebe.

Very distant Buzzard Buteo buteo

Time to resort to the scope for more detail and I had soon found a lone Greylag Goose on the bank to the far left.  Just below a Heron and a second arrived at the shore just to my right from the hide. At this point a pair of Green Sandpipers flew past the front of the hide and off towards the Goosander Hide. Nearby a Moorhen appeared out of the vegetation and posed a while.

Heron Ardea cinerea

Further concentration led me to find the recently arrived female Red-crested Pochard and after much searching, and not so far away beyond the small island, the visiting female Maccoa Duck, looking so like a female Ruddy Duck, for which it had been originally identified a few days previously.  Having found the latter, I also found a couple of nearby Gadwall.

Distant record shot of female Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina

Distant female Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa 

Time to move on so across the road to the main reserve and walk to the Ivy North Hide which duly provided many more gadwall along with a few Coot and a Cormorant.  Working my way through the trees to the Woodland Hide I recorded both Robin and Great Spotted Woodpecker and once inside the hide most disappointing.  Not so much a couple of birders at the only opening window but the fact that all the other windows were misted up on the outside so preventing any passable observation, not that many birds were about save for the occasional Blue and Great Tit.  However, the outside feeders were attracting Nuthatches and both Blue and Great Tits along with a Chaffinches, Blackbird and a Dunnock.

Robin Erithacus rubecula

Similarly, very little to be seen from the South Ivy Hide other than a number of Great Crested Grebes, Cormorants, a few Black-headed Gulls and a Little Grebe.  Still Cormorants in the tree tops near the nest.  And as I made my way back to the car I noted the dozen Mallards on the silt pond to the left and then added both Carrion Crows and a Goldfinch before departing.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

A lovely drive through the narrow, single track back roads of the Forest to Fritham noting just how many visitors were making us of a warm and dry Sunday morning.  Entering the hamlet a small feeding flock of Rooks plus Blackbird, Starling and House Sparrows as I passed by the few properties. Then, once at Eyeworth Pond and parked up many Mallards were willingly accepting the offered food by visitors.  Not so many small birds at first but once free space in front of the pond the return of Blue, Great and Marsh Tits along with Robins, Dunnock and many House Sparrows. Even a pair of Moorhens on the nearby small island.

Nuthatch Sitta europaea

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Wigeon, Maccoa Duck, Mallard, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Cormorant, Heron, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Marsh Tit, Blue tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus with fishy breakfast

Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo

Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa with nearby Wigeon Anas penelope

Male Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus

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