April 2014 archive

Apr 30 2014

Bolderwood, Fritham and Beaulieu Road : 30th April 2014

Bolderwood, Fritham and Beaulieu Road Station: 30th April 2014

We started early (for us) again this morning and were on our way by 8am. We drove up to Bolderwood and parked in the car park there before taking the path down to the cottage, crossing over the road and taking one of the paths that eventually comes out at the Canada Monument. From there we returned to the car park. The morning was sunny and the woods were completely empty. We had a couple of hours with the whole place to ourselves – or so it seemed. The woods were filled with the sound of Blackbirds, Robins, Chaffinches, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. Apart from these birds we also saw a Redstart and a Treecreeper; a Greater Spotted Woodpecker was drumming away in the background.

Continue reading

Apr 29 2014

Beaulieu Road Station and Ashley Walk : 29th APril 2014

Beaulieu Road Station / Shatterford : 29th April 2014
For our first full day in the New Forest we decided on two main sites. The first was the walk from Beaulieu Road Station down past Bishop’s Dyke and then into the woods At Woodfidley, turning right an walking through the woods as far as Denny Lodge then turning right again through the woods and picking up the return path across the heath at Shatterford Bottom ending up back at the car park.

We had a quick look for Crossbills at the car park as this is supposed to be a good site for them. Just like last time we were here, we had no luck. We walked on down through the heath and took a slight detour over to the railway bridge which affords a good view of the surrounding landscape. A Curlew flew in, singing, and came to land in the heath. As we continued we saw a lot of Stonechats, both male and female, but our main target was, of course, the Dartford Warbler – an elusive bird at best.

Continue reading

Apr 28 2014

Blashford Lakes : 28th April 2014

Blashford Lakes : 28th April 2014

We left Montacute on the morning of the 28th and did the drive through Sherborne, Sixpenny Handley and Cranborne, stopping for breakfast at Fordinbridge. From there we drove south to the Blashford Lakes complex. Finding where to go was complicated by the fact that the reserve has been asked not to display a sign at the relevant place because it is already an accident black spot. This meant that we missed the turning and had to go all the way down to the Ringwood roundabout and come all the way back up again. In the end we found the car park for the visitor centre on Ellingham Drove. We parked up and had a quick look in the visitor centre. It was rather basic and more a sort of offices for the staff than anything else. It did have nice loos, though and had a little second hand book shelf where I managed to buy a couple of books for the price of a donation.

Continue reading

Apr 27 2014

RSPB Ham Wall and NE Shapwick Heath : 27th April 2014

RSPB Ham Wall and NE Shapwick Heath : 27th April 2014

Another unpromising day weather-wise but we did not let this put us off. We decided to go back to RSPB Ham Wall and NE Shapwick Heath but this time we started at the far end of the Shapwick Heath reserve, first dropping into the Avalon Marshes visitor centre first for a cup of tea (horrible) and a loo stop (necessary). We then walked down the main road to the entrance at the opposite side of the reserve from our usual starting point. We walked down the ride of the river before taking the path into the woods that has a large reed bed on one side and a woodland on the other. As it was rather dull there wasn’t as much bird song as we expected but there was constant Reed Warbler song and as we walked down the path a black crow rose up from the reeds and started bothering a Marsh Harrier. The whole thing was very close but brief. About a kilometre down this path we came to the Covert Hide from which we could hear Cetti’s Warblers calling and a faint Cuckoo call and a booming Bittern could also be heard. A Great White Egret flew over and disappeared down the marsh.

Continue reading

Apr 26 2014

RSPB Radipole Lake : 26th April 2014

RSPB Radipole Lake : 26th April 2014

The weather forecast was none too promising but by the time I got to Radipole the rain had stopped and apart from the wind the weather was quite good and eventually sunny. I started off down the path where my first sighting was a Cetti’s Warbler that jumped out of the bushes and flew across the path. This was particularly amusing as I was in the middle of talking to a chap about them when it happened. He also commented that the wind was not very good for the spotting Reed Warblers and, indeed, I didn’t manage to see one all day although I heard a few.

Continue reading

Apr 25 2014

Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall 25th April 2014

Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall 25th April 2014

Although we drove through a number of heavy showers, by the time we got to Shapwick it was fairly bright and it got brighter and warmer as the day progressed. We stopped at the Avalon Centre but it was a very basic collection of portacabins rather than the posh visitor centre we were imagining so we used the facilities, had a look at some information boards and headed off for the car park between Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath reserves.

Continue reading

Apr 25 2014

WWT Slimbridge 25th April 2014

WWT Slimbridge 25th April 2014

In the morning we checked out early from the hotel and headed off to Slimbridge for early doors. The official opening time is 9.30am but if you are a member you are allowed to access the hides along the right hand side of the reserve (all the way down to the Holdern Tower) by going through the little gate by the cottages to the right of the reserve. You are allowed to do this from 8 am onwards but they frequently check people for their membership cards to stop any avoidance on the part of non-members of paying their entry fee.

Continue reading

Apr 24 2014

WWT Slimbridge 24th April 2014

WWT Slimbridge 24th April 2014

On the first day of our holiday to Somerset and Hampshire we stayed over at the village of Slimbridge. We didn’t have too much time by the time we got there so we drove straight up to WWT Slimbridge before checking in at the Tudor Arms hotel. Went straight to the Martin Smith hide where we saw a Crane sitting on a nest and the partner further out in the fields beyond. The sitting bird rose at one point and looked to be turning an egg.

Continue reading

Apr 22 2014

Birding Group Visit to Burton Mere Wetlands / Inner Marsh Farm : 22nd April 2014

Birding Group Visit to Burton Mere Wetlands / Inner Marsh Farm : 22nd April 2014

 

This morning visit to BMW and INF was our first chance to see the improvements made at the site and opened to the public the previous Friday. As we approached the site we were amazed to find that the main track from Puddington Lane had been tarmaced and the path down to the site itself had been given a heavy coating of stones so that the usually frequent and deep potholes had all been filled in. It was like a new site and this was just the start to some really impressive work conducted on the site making it a more systematically organised site taking in both the usual parts of the reserve and a walkway leading on from the far hide and going all the across to the path to the old Inner Marsh Farm hide. Additionally they have landscaped the site adding a couple of viewing blinds. It is their intention to sell Inner Marsh Farm for development and they intend putting their offices in the old barn on the BMW side of the site. This work has been done very well and the improvements are impressive. To to all this we had some very good sightings including a life tick !.

Continue reading

Apr 20 2014

Provisional Bird Group Venues for Spring Term 2014

Provisional Bird Group Venues for Spring Term 2014

The last day of the birding group “term” was at Marbury where it was decided that because Easter had been so early this year, that there wasn’t any point in having a break between “terms” so it was decided to start of the “new term” the following Tuesday. The following schedule was drawn up.

Continue reading