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