Waxwings at last!

Martin picked me up at 0700 and we made our way into deepest Hampshire to see the Great White Egret at Bickerley Common. As we parked on the Trailway car park I opened the car door and was serenaded by an unmistakeable trill - Waxwings. In somewhat subdued light we located at least three feeding on some berry bushes in an adjacent garden. Brighter weather was slowly coming in from the West so we took some rapid record shots at high ISO and decided to return after the Egret search. Unfortunately we didn't find the GWE but had distant views of the Glossy Ibis and a short visit by a Kingfisher. Water levels are receding in the Avon valley and it may be this that has caused the bird to relocate.

  On returning to the car park the Waxwings were still present and light conditions much improved  allowing us to expend gigabytes worth of pixels on some cracking looking birds. Final count was a definite six, possibly seven.

With spirits up we decided to visit Blashford lakes, after parking up we found the Tern Hide and scanned the lake to find a multitude of ducks and far in the distance three Goosanders, one male and two females. A single Yellow-legged Gull was swimming amongst the ducks but a close scan revealed nothing more exotic. On leaving the hide we had views of a Merlin harassing a Blackbird which in the end was too difficult for the Merlin and on giving up the chase, gave a close fly by. At the main visitor centre we were treated to a short glimpse of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker high up in the trees. Visits to other hides around the lakes gave views of Bramblings, Bittern  and some fairly close Gadwall

At the final count we had spotted 55 species --- all in all a great days birding!

Great White Egret

 

The forecast for today was perfect, clear blue skies and light winds. So an early start heading west towards Ringwood to find the Great White Egret that has spent several months at Bickerley Common. I parked at the old railway line car park at the Verwood turn off, leaving a short walk over the main river and past several flooded fields. I arrived at the bridge over the Bickerley stream and in the early light had great views of the GWE  at about 100 yards distant. Slowly the bird closed to within 50 yards and the with the sun rising in a clear sky,  I gained some reasonable shots. A Grey Wagtail perched on the railings  just a few yards away, asking to be photographed - duly captured. Having got the GWE shots I scanned the floods and found the reported Glossy Ibis - very distant though, not even a decent record shot.

 

I arrived rather early

Displaying rings but not readable

 

Feeling very pleased with myself I decided to head up into the forest north of the A31, turning right at Blashford, and doing my best to ignore the pits I made my way to Cadnam Pond,which was, of course, devoid of birds. Out on the grass there were plenty of thrushes both Song and Mistle intermingled with Fieldfares. On to another location to check for reported Goosanders but unfortunately they had gone. However, Marsh Tits abounded and some of them were very obliging.

 

 

The next part of the plan was to be Walpole Park in Gosport to find Waldo the faithful returning Ring billed Gull, as I passed the Eastleigh junction of the M27 I remembered that there had been a report of a red top Goosander at the Lakeview Country Park and as this venue often throws up a Hawfinch it was a quick detour. As soon as I arrived I found the Goosander on Beach Lake and managed to record a few good shots, of the Hawfinch there was not a feather to be seen. So I returned home early, very satisfied with the results of half a day birding.

Hardy souls