Busketts Lawn and Ironshill Inclosures

Wednesday 27th February 2013

Today's walk was just over 3 miles around Busketts Lawn and Ironshill Inclosures near Ashurst.  It was good to get out in the fresh air but it wasn't a very inspiring walk - with little or no nature notes to add to this blog.  One thing we did notice was that the birds seem to prefer deciduous woodland to coniferous woodland - it was dead quiet in amongst the fir trees and all of a flutter and chirpy amongst the native trees.  There were lots of deer tracks in the mud so deer must be around but there was no sign of them today. We did however, see plenty of dog walkers a couple of horse riders and a runner so it's obviously a popular area.

Bridge over Bartley Water

Hamble Common

Tuesday 26th February 2013

This afternoon we went to Hamble Common on the edge of Southampton Water for a 2.5 mile walk along the Solent Way.  We did a bit of geo-caching and for the first time in a while successfully found 4 caches along the route.  This is an area I don't know and it made a change to walk somewhere completely different, along the beach overlooking Fawley Power Station and Refinery. 

It was quite misty and hazy so there was no chance of seeing the Isle of Wight today.  There were a few birds around, birds of note included;

• Oyster Catchers
• Brent Geese
• Rock Pipit
• Curlew
• Black Headed Gulls
• Herring Gulls
• Long-Tailed Tits
• Wren

One other thing worth noting was the amount of shells on the shoreline, masses and masses all along the beach.

A Bird in The Hand

Sunday 24th February 2013

One particular female blackbird has been visiting our garden for a few years now and has become increasingly more confident around us.  Our garden used to be her territory but she was ousted some time ago and now lives a few gardens away.  She will fly onto our back wall when she hears us open the back door or even if she sees the light on by the back door in the hope of being fed a few bits of suet on the shelf by the door.  She eats off of the plate of bird food before we have had chance to sprinkle the contents over the patio first thing in the morning too, with us only a few feet away. 

Well, today there was a development, as I put suet on the shelf for her she flew over with my hand still on the shelf so I then tried offering her suet from my hand.  After quite a few attempts at taking it and deciding not to at the last minute she did take it from my hand - epic!!   This made my day.  I tried again later in the day but the wind was so cold  my hand nearly froze so I had to give up.

16 Species - A Record?

Friday 22nd February 2013

There has been an icy cold wind blowing around our neck of the woods in the last few days and it has meant that we have had lots of birds in the garden taking advantage of our feeders and bird baths.  I have been at home today looking out on and off at the bird action in the garden.

At the moment we have been averaging about 10 - 12 bird species a day but today was, I think, the best day ever with 16 species.  They were;

• Blue tits ( a pair)
• Blackbirds (a pair + a couple of extras)
• Woodpigeons (9 at one time)
• Goldfinches (numerous)
• Siskins (a pair)
• Jackdaws
• Starlings
• Sparrows
• Greenfinches (lots)
• Dunnock
• Blackcaps (a pair)
• Great tits (a pair)
• Robins (a pair)
• Pied Wagtail
• Thrushes (a pair)
• Chaffinch - Mr

Please note the good news is that the Thrush has been back again today and brought a friend with him!

The thrush flicking about leaves at the bottom of the garden (photo taken through the window).

Thrush Visitor

Wednesday 20th February 2013

Talk about a coincidence.....  yesterday whilst walking in the Forest we saw a Thrush and I was saying about how they were always in our garden when I was young, whereas we haven't seen a Thrush in our garden for over five years.  Well, guess who came visiting our garden today, yes a Thrush.  I think it was a song thrush, but I can't be sure.  It spent quite a while flicking leaves about at the bottom of the garden until it was seen off by our resident male blackbird.  The thrush however, was not put off and kept coming back, despite being seen off about half a dozen times.   I hope we see it again, fingers crossed. 

Anderwood & Bournemouth

Tuesday 19th February 2013

Today we walked just over 6 miles on two walks.  As it was a bright sunny morning we decided to make the most of it and do a bit of  geo-caching at Anderwood in the New Forest.  We saw and heard a few birds and a few horses but that was about all until we got back nearly to the car when I spotted a butterfly.  It was frosty this morning and despite the sunshine there was still a thin layer of ice on some puddles so it was a surprise to see this butterfly flit by, it was there and gone in no time but it was definitely a red admiral.  Back at the car we spotted another one, quite happily sunning itself on the brambles.  I looked up red admirals in a wildlife book and apparently the flight period for the ones that have been hibernating over the winter starts in March and April, so these are a bit early!  We walked about 2.5 miles then went on home for lunch.

Anderwood Inclosure

There were quite a few old beech trees.

Should you be out and about in February?

 

After our daughter had finished her driving lessons today at 4pm (and it was safe to get back out on the roads!!!)  we headed for Bournemouth.  It was getting dark as we arrived and we were hungry so we ate first in a Harvester overlooking the sea - yum.  After our meal we walked - in the dark - along the promenade to Branksome Dene Chine.  There are street lights all along the promenade until Bournemouth meets Poole Council's boundary, then it was complete darkness - quite weird to walk in.  I think we probably saw millions of joggers and cyclists  (maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration) -  cyclists with the brightest biggest headlights I have ever seen - you could see them from miles away and they lit up a great area around them.
We walked back along the prom to Bournemouth Pier, didn't stop and walked back to the car at West Cliff. This evening's walk was just over 3.5 miles, so we had plenty of fresh air and exercise today. We had a good look at the moon and stars as it was a bright clear evening with apparently little light pollution. 

I was hoping to see a fox or two on our way out of Bournemouth as we have seen on previous visits but despite stealthing it we didn't.

Bournemouth at dusk

Bournemouth in the dark!

Keyhaven and Brockenhurst

Sunday 17th February 2013

Today we went to Keyhaven near Lymington so that our daughter could take 'odd' photos for her latest photography project at college - rivers and harbours (not just straight forward scenes, more arty farty shots of walls, rope and other random items).  It was a lovely sunny morning and what with it being a Sunday and the beginning of half term it was as expected very busy, much busier than our previous visit on 10th January.  It may have been blue skies and sunny but it was very cold in the wind - difficult to get out of it on the coast! 

Keyhaven

There were lots of wading birds around but it was a bit cold to linger and check them out. Having got the required shots, we had lunch and went to Ladycross near Brockenhurst to stretch our legs.  We didn't see or hear much wildlife but we did come across a Jack Russell who decided to leave his owners and walk the oppposite way towards us.  The owner did a great deal of shouting at him and tried to catch up with him so  I headed him off for her and  she explained that the dog was 16 years old, deaf,  blind and now had dementia but otherwise he was fine!!!!!!!!   Oh right I thought.

I did notice one thing, the oak trees had little buds growing nicely, maybe spring is happening.

New Forest Ponies

Snowdrops at Hamptworth

Saturday 16th February 2013

We went to a family 'do' today at the Hamptworth Golf and Country Club near Landford and this is just a quick note more to remind me than anything about the snowdrops on the banks of the road that goes to the Country Club.  We saw this display last year, and were well impressed then, the snowdrops are on both sides of the road for a couple of miles, it is a fantastic sight.

Millyford Bridge

Saturday 9th February 2013

It was a wet and cold morning but we decided to brave the conditions and went walking at Millyford Bridge near Lyndhurst in the New Forest.  We walked just over 4 miles in sleety rain and didn't see much wildlife at all - mind you I don't blame things from trying to keep out of the weather it was pretty miserable.  As the walk was on forest tracks for once, I was able to wear walking boots - much easier to walk in than my epic wellies!

Wintery weather on the forest tracks.

Long-Tailed Tits

Friday 8th February 2013

In Tuesday's blog I mentioned the fact that we see Long-tailed tits three or four times a year, well today was one of those days (a bit like flying ant day in the summer - remember those?) and there were about 8 flitting around the garden accompanied by a couple of blue tits.  They didn't stop long, they were presumably just passing through.

Bishopstoke

Wednesday 6th February 2013

We went geocaching today to Bishopstoke.  The wind made it feel absolutely freezing during our short walk through the woods.  Today we saw;

• Buzzards (3)
• Heron
• Green woodpecker
• Greater spotted woodpecker 
• Robin - about 2 feet away - who had just found himself an enormous fat worm - should keep him going for a while
• Bluebell shoots - everywhere
• Mud - lots - even the epic wellies struggled to keep me upright in the slippery slop



The River Itchen at Bishopstoke.

Mottisfont

Tuesday 5th February 2013

In view of the lack of snowdrops in our garden we went for a walk in the gardens at Mottisfont  - www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont  - this afternoon to see a decent amount of  them.  It was ffffffffreezing in the wind, but it was well worth it to see drifts and drifts of snowdrops.  We started out in sunshine and blue sky but it didn't take long  before it clouded over.  The gardens have quite a few very very old trees, and this is one of them.  It doesn't look particularly large from this distance but close up the girth of the trunk was absolutely massive. 

The River Test runs through the gardens at Mottisfont and previously we have seen lots of trout near the bridge on the way in but the river was in full flow and there was no sign of fish in the rapids! Despite the swollen river a couple of swans were just about managing to stretch their necks to the bottom of the river bed to get at the weed, and it took me a while to get a photo of them with their heads up. 

You can never have too many pictures of snowdrops I always think, so here are a few - shame I wasn't wearing my glasses to see that some aren't in focus!



In amongst the winter flowering garden, some colourful cyclamen.



And what's this all about, 5th Feb, snowdrops and daffodils?



Finally on the way out through the ticket office the nice lady behind the desk pointed out a flock of long tailed tits on the bird feeders just outside her window.  There were about 8 and apparently they visit regularly about 3 times a day.  We were lucky to have such a great view of these fantatic little birds.  We do see long tailed tits in our garden but only 2 or 3 times a year. A treat to finish off the afternoon.



Snowdrops

Friday 1st February 2013 - February Already!

Whilst on a shopping trip to Romsey we had a walk around the memorial park - well when I say round it I mean we walked halfway round it and had to back track as the path was underwater and impassable unless you were fortunate enought to be wearing epic wellies, which I was not.  Even the flower beds contained big pools of water after last nights rain.  The ducks seemed happy enough - but maybe not that happy as we hadn't come bearing bread!

We walked back through the gardens of King John's House www.kingjohnshouse.org.uk/

where the snowdrops were beginning to come out  - my absolutely favourite flowers.  Spring is on the way - but I have to say I prefer winter! Please note even the snowdrops are dripping with rain in the photo below.

I have planted snowdrops in our little bit of front garden over the years and I'm sure they should be spreading and increasing in number but this year I have one single flower - one!!!!  Well actually I did notice a couple more on the move but it's hardly a grand display.  Never mind, I'll have to make do with going to see drifts of snowdrops elsewhere.