Wednesday 3rd February
after working in Bournemouth, I popped into Blashford lakes, going to the
woodland hide, and seeing: Sparrowhawk, Woodpigeon, Great spotted woodpecker,
Dunnock, Robin. Blackbird, Coal tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Jackdaw, Chaffinch,
GREENFINCH, Goldfinch,
Siskin, LESSER REDPOLL & Reed bunting. I then went to the Ivy lake north hide hoping for Bittern, I stayed
there until closing time, NO Bittern, but did see: Great crested grebe,
Cormorant, Grey heron, Canada goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler,
Tufted duck, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, I watched Wren,
Robin, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit all feeding in the reed bed & finally
Magpie.
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 93
Sunday 7th February, I started at Thursley Common
Surrey where with other birders, had great views of the GREAT
GREY SHRIKE. I then went to Woolmer forest near Bordon
Hampshire, hoping for Crossbill. The Red flags were up, so I walked around the perimeter
track, seeing: Canada goose, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted duck, Buzzard,
Coot, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Redwing, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit, Coal tit,
Blue tit, Great tit, Carrion crow, Goldfinch & Siskin.
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 94
Wednesday 17th February, and as I was working near
Dinton Pastures CP Berkshire, I had a lunchtime walk around the lakes seeing: Great
crested grebe, Cormorant, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose,
Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pochard, FERRUGINOUS DUCK, Tufted duck, Goldeneye, Red kite, Buzzard, Pheasant, Water rail,
Moorhen, Coot, OYSTERCATCHER, Lapwing,
Snipe, Black-headed gull, Common gull, Stock dove, Woodpigeon, Green
woodpecker, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, CETTI’S
WARBLER, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Great tit,
Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay, Magpie, Carrion crow, Starling, Chaffinch,
Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch & Reed bunting.
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 97
Thursday 18th February, and after working in
Bournemouth, I went to Blackwater Arboretum New Forest, and I waited for the
Hawfinches to come in to roost. While there I saw: Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song
thrush, Goldcrest, Coal tit, Blue tit, Carrion crow, Chaffinch, Siskin & HAWFINCH.
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 98
Friday 19th February, work took me to Redhill, and
after I had finished the call, I went to Papercourt water meadows near Ripley
Surrey. I parked up near Papercourt farm, and walked down to the lock, and then
out on to the water meadows, seeing the following: Cormorant, Canada goose,
Egyptian goose, Teal, Mallard, Kestrel, Pheasant, Moorhen, Black-headed gull,
Stock dove, Woodpigeon, Collared dove, RING-NECKED
PARAKEET, BARN OWL, Wren, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song thrush, Redwing,
Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion
crow, Starling, House sparrow & Siskin. I went for Short-eared owl but none
seen.
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 100
As I had no work scheduled for Friday 26th
February, I spent the day birding in Hampshire, started the day at Mark Ash
Wood, New Forest. There were some other birders already there, I soon had MARSH
TIT, and then heard drumming so I walked towards where
it was coming from and then saw the LESSER SPOTTED
WOODPECKER, high up on a dead branch. Also seen here: Stock
dove, Green woodpecker, Wren Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, Blue tit, Great
tit, Nuthatch. Treecreeper & Chaffinch. I then went to Acres Down New
Forest, when I walked up to the viewing point, two birders that were at Mark
Ash Wood, were already there, and they put me on to GOSHAWK, a new bird for me, enjoyed watching these birds
displaying, and one flew over us, also good views of WOODLARK. Before they left for Keyhaven/Pennington marshes (also my next destination)
that told me about some Crossbills they had seen earlier. I went down into the
wood and soon located the COMMON CROSSBILL, also had great views of Hawfinch. Then on to the coast, met up with
the other two again I noted 57 species of bird, adding the following to the
year list: SPOONBILL, DARK-BELLIED
BRENT GOOSE, LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, GOLDEN PLOVER, GREY
PLOVER, KNOT, RUFF, SNIPE, BAR-TAILED GODWIT, SPOTTED
REDSHANK, GREENSHANK, TURNSTONE, MEADOW
PIPIT, WATER PIPIT & DARTFORD WARBLER. The total for
the day was 75.
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 121
