Cadmans Pool

Sunday 25th February 2007



We decided to have a look for some Fieldfares today, a bird I have never knowingly seen before.

Last year we saw lots of mistle thrushes at Janesmoor Pond on Stoney Cross in the New Forest, so we thought we would try there for the fieldfares. It wasn’t to be I’m afraid, there wasn’t even one duck on the pond! So we headed on to Cadmans Pool.

As we pulled into the car park a lady was leaving some food for the birds and replenishing the feeders on the tree. How nice of the locals to look after the wee birds. She then threw some food on the pond for the ducks and canada geese.

We had a walk along the track on the car park side but the only thing we saw was a kestrel looking for it’s next meal. So off we went across the road and it wasn’t long before I spied a couple of thrush looking birds in the distance. As I put the binoculars up, another four birds landed beside the first two, and yes, I could see they were all fieldfares. We tried as best we could to get closer to them for a better look, but as we moved a couple of feet nearer, they moved further away and eventually flew off!

84. fieldfare

Oh, and Good Luck to my sister for Wednesday evening, I'm sure it will be a great success!

Frankie, Johnny and some Mandarin Ducks!

24th February 2007



One of my favourite films is Frankie and Johnny starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer, so I was pleased to hear that the stage play, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, by Terrence McNally, was on at The Nuffield Theatre in Southampton.

We went to see it last night and although it wasn't Al Pacino and Michelle Pffeiffer on the stage, the two actors, Victoria Pritchard and Simon Merrells were superb.

I quickly bought into the two characters, and I longed for the two lonely, middle-aged misfits, to end up together. Yes, I know I am a hopeless romantic, but without love (and birds) in our lives, what is the point?

My husband on the other hand said that although he had enjoyed the play, he didn't really get anything out of it and wondered what it was all about!! Need I say anymore!!

So, because of the late night, we didn't get out and about until the afternoon and decided on a quick trip to Eyeworth Pond as I hadn't seen any Mandarin Ducks this year.

When we arrived the Mandarins were our side of the pond, but by the time the camera was out of the bag and ready to use they had gone to the far side and out of sight......so no winter plumage photos. There were a few Goosanders on the pond too.

Some of the locals had put food out for the birds and so we were able to watch various tits, finches and sparrows feeding. Then a beautiful little nuthatch appeared but couldn't get food from the feeder and sat on top of it for what seemed like 5 minutes, then he realised there was more food on the ground and went for that. Three treecreepers were seen in the wood.


mandarin ducks at Eyeworth Pond June 2006

Then we heard a horn being blown and we realised there was a hunt on. Some more horn blowing and three New Forest Ponies came charging down the gravel path towards me, obviously scared by the hounds and all the hunt activity. Having been kicked by a horse when I was young I am very wary of them and so I decided it was time to leave!

83. mandarin ducks

Hook with Warsash

Saturday 17th February 2007


Early blossom in Warsash

It was a bright morning and we decided to head to Warsash, which is about 20 minutes from our house. Warsash lies on the Hamble river and a little pink ferry will take you across the water to Hamble.

It was fairly quiet down there this morning with a few fishermen, birdwatchers and dog walkers.

Well, all was quiet until a large 4x4 towing a very large boat decided to drive up the one way street the wrong way and caused a bit of a traffic jam! Tempers became a little heated between the motorists. Luckily we were on foot and not involved but the guy with the boat was shouting abuse at the other driver, yet he was the one in the wrong!! I had to bite my lip!!


The Pink Ferry from Hamble - Warsash

After all the excitement we set out on our walk which covered part of the shore, woods, reed beds and a nature reserve, and the birds we saw along the way were......

dunnock
blackbird
pied wagtail
rook
robin
starling
buzzard (2)
treecreeper (pair)
dartford warbler
reed bunting
stonechat
magpie
carrion crow
meadow pipit
shelduck
mallard
lapwing
brent geese
mute swans
various gulls
little egret
redshank
great crested grebe
oystercatcher
coot
wigeon
wood pigeon
great tits
long-tailed tits
blue tits
goldcrest
firecrest
wren
jay
water rail (heard)

The highlights were the Firecrest (a new bird for me), and the Jay, as I hadn't seen a Jay since I lived on the Isle-of-Wight years ago.

The markings on the Reed Bunting were absolutely stunning and although we heard a Water Rail, I won't add it to my list as I only list birds I have seen.

Apart from the birds, we saw a couple of Roe Deer wandering near the reed beds and lots of daffodils, crocus, snowdrops and trees with blossom including a Magnolia tree in full bloom!

crocus


80. reed bunting
81. firecrest
82. jay

New Forest

Saturday 10th February 2007



Not much to report today I'm afraid. Weather wasn't great but we managed a couple of hours at Holm Hill / Crab Tree Earth looking for that pesky Shrike. I wish I could say that we had finally seen it, but no such luck. We did see a few goldcrests and some stonechats. Rain stopped play and we headed for home.

On the way home I asked my husband to stop in the carpark at Boltons Bench in Lyndhurst. He wondered what on earth I wanted to stop there for. I asked him to park the car at the far end next to some silver birch trees as I had a feeling we might see something.

Then the rain stopped and lots of little birds appeared. Two song thrushes, quite a few chaffinches, lots of greenfinches, robins, blue tits, great tits, dunnock and my husband spotted a treecreeper! We sat in the car and watched the treecreeper flit from tree to tree for at least 10 minutes - perfect!

Testwood Lakes

Sunday 4th February 2007


great crested grebe

Yesterday was so successful birdwise that we decided to have an easy day today so we just popped to Testwood Lakes about 15 minutes from our house.

Funny it is so close to us and yet we have never been there before! Then again, last year we spent lots of time at Shatterford Bottom but haven't managed to get down there once this year. I guess we are just so lucky to have so many good birding areas in South Hampshire.

At Testwood Lakes there are three lakes, Meadow Lake (with hide), Testwood Lake, and Little Testwood Lake. On Testwood Lake we saw quite a few great crested grebes, coots, tufted ducks and lots of gulls, plus some goldfinches in the trees by the lake. We watched the goldfinches for 10 minutes or more - such beautiful birds always a pleasure to see.

There wasn’t much on Little Testwood Lake, but we did see some stonechats and longtailed tits on the walk.

In the wooded area we saw some meadow pipits, a song thrush and a little warbler, unfortunately I have no idea which warbler it is. All I know is that it was very small with some yellow on it and the photos were no help in identifying it!!

At one point I noticed two buzzards overhead and a couple of flocks of lapwing went past.


gulls at Testwood Lake

78. stock dove
79. song thrush

Normandy Lagoon

Saturday 3rd February 2007


dartford warbler

There has been a Scaup at Normandy Lagoon for over a week, so we decided to go down to Lymington and have a look for it.

What a beautiful day, bright blue sky, not too cold and signs of spring everywhere. I had another bumblebee in the house a couple of days ago and my own crocus and daffodils are beginning to appear. I am even thinking of mowing the lawn next week as already the grass needs cutting!

We arrived in Lymington and headed down to Normandy Lagoon. There are gorse bushes along the way and we had a nice surprise when a couple of Dartford Warblers popped out to say hello, and even stayed long enough for a photo!

At the lagoon we saw Little Grebe, Wigeon, Tufted Ducks, Lapwings, Little Egret, Ringed Plover, Teal, Red Breasted Mergansers, Greenshank, Redshank, Curlew, the Scaup and then I spotted something else...........a pair of Goldeneye!!! No mistaking them and as I have been hoping to see a Goldeneye for ages, I am very happy indeed! All in all a great day out!

goldeneye


72. collared dove
73. dartford warbler
74. little grebe
75. scaup
76. ringed plover
77. goldeneye

New Forest and Keyhaven

Sunday 28th January 2007



Sunday 28th was very cold. We spent the morning in search of the Great Grey Shrike again! It's top of my list of birds to see this year and as we are lucky to have the odd one wintering in the New Forest, I am trying my best to see one.

We had been in the Holm Hill / Crab Tree Earth area for a few hours but no sign of any shrike so at 1.55pm we gave up and decided to head for Keyhaven.

We didn't have long in Keyhaven but we did see some Dunlins and as we were walking back to the car I saw a Curlew on the grassy bank opposite the beach. Well, I thought it was a Curlew, but as we got closer it wasn't a Curlew it was a Whimbrel.

Then on the way home through Brockenhurst, a Green Woodpecker flew across the road.

Guess what though? Later that evening an email came through from Birdguides to say that a Great Grey Shrike had been seen at 2pm in the spot we had been in at 1.55pm!!! It must have appeared just as we were walking back to the car!!

69. dunlin
70. whimbrel
71. green woodpecker