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.

From the reception we walked down to the Ivy South Hide which overlooks Ivy Lane. The main attraction there was a few Common and Sandwich Terns trying to avoid the harrying of the Black-headed Gulls. We walked back up the path to the Woodland Hide where there are a couple of feeders that attracted the usual Tits and Finches but also a Great Spotted Woodpecker came to the feeder just a couple of feet from the hide windows (which are closed and darkened glass) but by far the best was a Jay who was feeding on the ground under the feeder and we got the closest views ever of this remarkably plumaged bird.
At the North Ivy Hide we tried to fit in amongst a birding group that completely filled the hide. There was apparently a Reed Warbler showing but since we couldn’t get near a window – even behind someone else – we gave this up and headed up to the visitor centre to get the car and then we drove back up the drive to Ellingham Drove and crossed over to the car park for the Tern Hide. This was also pretty busy but we got nice views of Sand Martins, Common Terns and a Little Ringed Plover. As we sat there a torrential downpour started with thunder and lightning and it was interesting watching a pair of Terns trying to feed when being battered by heavy rain. Eventually it stopped and we took a walk back through the woods in an attempt to get to the Goosander Hide but we only had time to admire a Song Thrush and a Blackcap competing for the singing honours before the rain started again and we decided to head for our hotel in Hordle which was to be our – rather basic – base for the next three days of birding. En route we stopped off at a café at Burley where, as I ate my cheese scone, and stared out the window, I caught a very brief – but certain – glimpse of a Goldcrest foraging in a bush just outside the café window. A nice end to a nice day and one that gave us the idea that Blashford Lakes would be a good place to revisit – preferably on a day without thunder, lightning and torrential rain.

Bird Sightings : Sixpenny Handley etc

Bird Sightings : Blashford Lakes etc