ARRIVAL AT SOUTHAMPTON CENTRAL TRAIN STATION – TRASNFER TO THE NEW FOREST WITH A STOP AT BLASHFORD LAKES
WEATHER; cloudy and dull with heavy rain later. Top temp 18C
Today I began the first of two back-to-back tours of the New Forest, with an RSPB group from London. I collected my first group of seven at 12:30 at the Central Train Station in Southampton. Thery all piled onto my bus, raring to go and chomping at the bit.
We drove for 35 minutes to the Hampshire Wildlife Trust Reserve at Blashford Lakes. These large bodies of water are former gravel pits and have been nicely converted to excellent habitats for birds and other wildlife. We spent the whole afternoon moving from hide to hide and walking through some lovely woodland.
My magnificent 7, in the North Ivy Gide
At the North Ivy hide we had great views of a number of Reed Warblers, at least two family parties were jumping about in the reeds right next to the hide. We also saw sedge Warbler and a Reed Bunting. A pair of Blue Tits were also busy feeding young in anest-hole in a nearby tree.
Out on the water we watched Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, and a few Black-headed Gulls. Common terns would make regular visits to this end of the Ivy Lake. Maria spotted a Common Buzzard and a Cormorant flew over the water.
a close-up of a Common Tern, taken from the North Ivy Hide
In the woodlands we heard more birds than we saw, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Wren, Song Thrush and Cetti’s Warbler all sang, we also heard a Water Rail calling from the reeds. Maria found a Spotted Flycatcher.
Walking round to South Ivy Hide we saw Grey Heron and heard Cetti’s warbler again. From the hide we had excellent, close-up, views of Common tern and we heard that an Otter had been spotted not 30 minutes ago!
Grey Heron
It start to rain at this point so we made our way back to the bus and drove the short distance to the Tern Hide overlooking the huge Ibsley Lake. Many birds were out on the lake, mainly gulls, terns, ducks and grebes. We listed Great Crested Grebe (30+), Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Canada, Greylag and Egyptian Geese, Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover and we found singles of both Greater and Lesser Black-backed gulls.
a long-distant Lapwing
A Kingfisher flew past the hide as we prepared to move on and get wet walking back to the bus.
a view of the Ibsley Pool
At 4:30pm we boarded the bus and drove to our hotel on the outskirts of Lyndhurst, the rain kept us indoors until dinner was called.