February 2017 - Spring has Sprung!

February 2017

In an effort to catch up I have put together a group of photos showing some of my favourite moments from February.

It was very stormy for a few days in Swanage in early February.

We had a 5 mile walk on a beautiful morning on 5th Feb, at one stage the coat came off for the first time this year it was that warm!  We walked from the car park at Povington, down into Tyneham, along to Warbarrow Bay and back along the ridge at the top.

Looking down towards Warbarrow Bay.

Snowdrops, my favourites, in the churchyard at Tyneham.

These photos were taken on 13th Feb on a walk at RSPB Arne, when there was a very high tide, we hadn't seen it like this before.

We were really close to this stag, but he didn't seem bothered by us, I suppose he's used to people?

During a walk on 19th Feb from Millyford Bridge in the New Forest we came aross the first frogspawn of the year, loads of it!

Crocus  at Durlston on 21st Feb.

Daffodils are looking good too.

Catkins at Arne, 22nd Feb.

Spring is definitely here, the hawthorn blossom is just bursting.

Southampton Common, 27th February.

Well, that's February done, will move on to March shortly!

First Dawn Chorus of the Year

Sunday 19th February 2017

I am writing this in May as I really need to catch up with this blog and with some of the more notable dates of the year which I like to record - better late than never!!  It seems that once you get behind it's impossible to catch up but I'll give it a go!

Anyway I was first aware of the dawn chorus this year on 19th February, a very welcome sound as always.  It's now mid May and the dawn chorus continues but with a much earlier start, somewhere around 4am (this morning).

Frozen Lakes on Southampton Common

Friday 20th January 2017

To get a few more walking miles in this week, we stayed local this morning and had aquick 2.5 ish mile walk around Southampton Common and the Old Cemetery. It was very cold, and unsurprisingly the lakes were frozen and had obviously been so for a few days.  On the Ornamental Lake the swans and ducks just had a little area still ice free.  I think they thought we were there bearing a gift of food, and I felt quite guilty not having anything for them. Next time!

The frozen Ornamental Lake.

The Cemetery Lake was frozen too, with birds wandering around on the ice.  

The frozen Cemetery Lake.

We then saw a couple of jays and squirrels in the cemetery and a friendly robin singing his little hear out on the way back to the car.

I've taken a photo of this rhododendron before, and I couldn't resist it again as it's spectacular and a nice splash of colour at this time of year.  It's a big old shrub on the entrance to the Common just off of the Avenue by the Northlands Road entrance.

Millyford Bridge Nr Lyndhurst - A Circular Walk

Tuesday 17th January 2017

We made the effort this morning to get out in the New Forest, somewhere we used to walk a great deal and nowadays don't do nearly enough.  We went back to a favourite location, Millyford Bridge near Lyndhurst for just over a 4 mile circular walk.  To be honest it was a quiet walk with nothing much going on and for most of the walk not even any bird song but it was once again good to be out in the fresh air and to see trees for a change instead of coast (not that I'm complaining, just saying!).

The only New Forest pony we saw on the whole walk!

Looking at these photos they look a bit dreary, it was a dull day but it was a lovely walk!

When we got back to the car we watched and managed to take a photo of a little bird that we knew was a tit of some sort, after consultation with a bird identification group on facebook it has been confirmed as a marsh tit.  Another new bird for us.

Starling Murmuration at Studland

Monday 16th January 2017

This starling murmuration has to have been one of the best things I have ever seen, it was absolutely amazing, fully living up to my expectations, having seen it on the television many times.  We were made aware that the starlings were doing their thing on Facebook last week, so at the first opportunity we were there with cameras poised!  It was another freezing cold slightly drizzly late afternoon.  We arrived at the car park where the ferry goes from Studland to Sandbanks about 4pm and the starlings started to group about 4.15 ish, starting with maybe a dozen or so and very gradually building up until a couple of enormous groups suddenly appeared and joined in.  The whole thing was so graceful and moved so effortlessly, swooping and making swift fluid movements.  This went on for over half an hour then the group seemed to get tighter together and suddenly the whole lot dropped into the reed beds to roost.  The noise as we went across the board walk back to the car near the reed beds was quite epic too.  I can thoroughly recommend watching this, words aren't enough but if you get the chance, get along to a murmuration, you won't be disappointed.  Apparently there were about 10,000 birds in this murmuration, (i'm not sure who counted but it certainly wasn't me!) and they've come over from Eastern Europe where it's very cold at the moment.

By the Sandbanks Ferry.

And in the other direction along the beach.

Deer were here, in the sand dunes!

Keeping an eye out for starlings.....

Absolutely amazing!

Gannets at Durlston

Sunday 15th January 2017

We were very lucky this afternoon to witness a group of eight gannets diving into the sea off of Durlston Country Park. The sky was dark and the gannets showed up bright white against the sky.  They're quite distinctive and were easily spotted as they whirled about and dived like rockets in to the sea.  I love watching these birds, we've seen them before in North Devon but I don't remember seeing them before in Dorset.  Even with a good zoom lens the birds were really too far out to photograph but we did anyway and you may just be able to make the gannets out as little spots on the horizon!!

This friendly cow was keen to say hello as we walked through the Country Park.

Behind this picture, all was very muddy!!

Moody.

Anvil Point Lighthouse.

Tilly Whim Caves.

Gannets!

We also saw a few guillemots skimming the surface of the sea as well as all of the usual sea birds that we are lucky enough to see from the cliffs.