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dansnaturepictures · 2 years

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4th January 2022-Part 1 of 2: Portland Harbour: Black-throated Diver, Razorbill, Rock Pipit and more

Today on my first of four days leave we did one of the trips we most wanted to this week off, going to Portland. We went to the harbour first to scan the sea for birds and moved onto Portland Bill later in the day. I got eight more year ticks today and even saw a new bird at the bill as my next post mentions. This makes my year list my second highest any of mine have been after four days.

I saw my first Pheasant of the year in Dorset on the way in, seeing another Buzzard well on the journey. Then after a toilet stop at Ferrybridge where we saw loads of Cormorants on the water as hoped today I saw my first Kestrel of the year, Portland is always a hot spot for them. I took the first two pictures in this photoset of the quick Ferrybridge stop.

At the harbour as seen building on the way there and at home earlier there were some wonderful sky scenes above with some really breathtaking cloud formations and shades of colour. It was such a beautiful scene which looked amazing to see with the sun poking through nicely as well on what was a really memorably chilly day out. I took the third-sixth and final three pictures in this photoset of views here today with great sky scenes.

At the harbour we enjoyed seeing two species that are the staple of Portland Bill visits so were targets there later but I was very happy to see at the harbour for the first time in 2022, with a close view of a Rock Pipit and honking Ravens soaring nicely over. Among Cormorants we were thrilled to pick out the pretty plumage of a few Shags, another first for the year for us today. We were also thrilled to spot three winter plumage Razorbills, around the ships and out into the harbour a quintessentially nautical sight. After the wonderful sighting of one at Fort Cumberland in Hampshire on Saturday to help kick our year off with a bang, sightings of four of this long standing member of my list of favourite birds meant I’ve averaged one a day so far this year which was a quirky thing to enthuse me and something to really celebrate with a bird I have long loved, and not something I’ll be able to say often!

I liked noticing rock samphire and rosemary here, I took the seventh picture in this photoset of the former there was a fair bit of it. The time off we always aim to have in January and is one of the most enjoyable times of our year is a tradition for us since I began working to have the days to go a few places to lay the foundations and really get our new year list started off with a bang by seeing different species, and compared to previous years the noticeable thing this year is I am still having a bit of the posts about the trips where I am mentioning flowers I’ve seen which I am loving. Last year in the opening days I had had that awakening of 2020 from the mid-late summer onwards where I began to really learn flowers so much more but I knew whilst in spring 2020 I had that deeper flower interest coming I didn’t have the PlantNet ID app which was the revolution for me to learn flowers more among other tools such as #WildflowerID during #WildflowerHour on Twitter so I suppose last year I needed that spring period which I got of learning many more flower species. So I now have had a year of knowing what will be out when and a little bit more of what’s what’s, still lots to learn too, so this year even if they’ve not been in flower its been shells of them I am at a stage of noticing a lot of flowers/plants at this time of year. With me taking part in the New Year plant hunt with some flowers/plants I have been lucky to see in flower as I said on Saturday this will stick in my mind as a January week off about flowers too.

The time at Portland Habour today ended well when we were over the moon to spot a diver far out. It had the reptilian figure of either Black-throated or Red-throated Diver both of which we had seen here before and with a few views of it we were able to make out it was a Black-throated Diver. There had been one around here lately we saw from the the Dorset sightings site. I was happy to get some views of this smashing species and it’s one of my standout species of the year so far. We have had an incredible two years for this bird as two years and three days ago it was a new bird for us when seen here on New Year’s Day with a pair we saw, and we saw one a second time only a few weeks ago at Hayling Island’s Sandy Point in December. It was rewarding to see this bird so soon into this year.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Rock Pipit, Shag, Raven and Black-throated Diver of the year, three of my favourite birds the Razorbill, Little Egret and Great Crested Grebe the latter two common ones at home I had not seen here before, lots of Cormorants, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Oystercatcher, Red-breasted Mergansers well and Carrion Crow.

The story of the rest of the day is in my next post shortly.

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uswildflowers · 1 year

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Hibiscus grandiflorus, via http://wildflowerID.info

#wildflower #wild flower #wild flowers #wildflowers #flower #flowers #wildflowerid #id #ids #native #natives #se flora #hibiscus

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uswildflowers · 1 year

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http://wildflowerid.info/seedgall.htm Our new native seed gallery now has 700 entries - stay tuned, only 1/3 of what we have scanned to upload!

#natives #native #wildflower #wild flower #wild flowers #wildflowers #flower #flowers #seed #native seed #id #ids #wildflowerid #wildflower id #native wildflowers #seeds #native seeds

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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11th April 2021-Barn owl, snow, snipe and more along the Titchfield canal path

We came back to the Titchfield Canal path today where we came on Easter Monday with the barn owls we needed to see this year reported again. We arrived at the canal path Titchfield end and walked the short distance along to the split tree where the owls can often be seen and we had seen them before. Above the white droppings stain on the tree trunk that had momentarily excited us in our fruitless quest for this bird on Monday, we were thrilled to spot one of the barn owls in the hole! We then spent a glorious few minutes watching this stunning and such a beautiful bird. I took the record shot the first picture in this photoset of this bird. I felt so honoured again to see this species, and so lucky I was so in aw of the bird. A brilliant view of on of our greatest species, with either January or February sightings of them the past few years here I had waited a little bit longer to see this species this year. What’s more this is the first time ever I have seen barn owl as a favourite bird of mine as I made it the 31st member of my list of favourite birds in March.

This was bird 131 of my year I continue to be thrilled with my resurgence and how I have started the month with getting year ticks and the calibre of what some of the birds have been and barn owl fitted in so well with that. It means I have seen three owl species in a year this year for the third year running. What’s more 2021 now has the prestige for me of being the first year I have seen both barn owl and tawny owl in which I am so thrilled with to see these iconic species of one of my favourite families of birds, both among my favourite birds. Little owl is the other owl we saw on 2nd January this year and we have never seen four species in a year. So you can be sure, possibly depending on how the pandemic goes from now and any required reapplying of restrictions down the line, that we’ll be trying very hard to see another of my favourite birds and the only other owl species we’ve seen short-eared owl as the year goes on. After our last tawny before this year’s March sighting three weeks ago yesterday in 2015, we saw the other three in one year in 2016 then 2017 and 2018 we saw two species the barn the only constant with the other swapped from short-eared to little between the years so I wondered if there was to be some sort of rota in a weird way obviously until 2019 and 2020 when I saw all three of the others to tawny so I wonder if we can see all four or if there is a new rota as some kind of weird imagined rule. All four of the birds I always think we are very lucky to see whenever we do they are all super birds so you cannot take them for granted and I know this is a big challenge what we are trying to achieve still but its great to have challenges.

I took the second and third pictures in this photoset of a view and blossom and greenery in a smashing bit of sunshine as we walked down the path. Afterwards we got the fairly unusual for so far up the canal path away from Titchfield Haven national nature reserve at the other end and delightful sight of two shelducks flying and settling in a neighbouring field which looked great. As the walk continued we enjoyed spotting the snipe in the fourth picture in this photoset in a field. It was fascinating to watch its head down with its beak persistently drilling into the grass with great force. A wonderful piece of behaviour to see for a bird you don’t always get too close to or necessarily see for so long as they are - like one of a few brilliant and varied people we got to have fantastic conversations at a safe social distance today on wildlife, weather and other current topics an aspect of the walk I really enjoyed said - secretive.

I took the fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset of great wooded views along the canal as we walked on I have loved taking in beautiful woodland views a lot this weekend. I also enjoyed seeing the varied daffodils nestled in the woods the other side of the canal which I took the seventh picture in this photoset of. A beautiful scene and one of a few beautiful flowers it was great to take in today it really was a good walk for flowers. I took the eighth picture in this photoset of some coltsfoot which I loved seeing, very kindly identified during #Wildflowerhour’s #WildflowerID for me on Twitter tonight after I couldn’t quite seem to make it match on the PlantNet app as I continue to learn flowers. The coltsfoot glowed, shone and looked very beautiful in a touch of sunshine they are such beautiful and quite glossy flowers, similar in appearance to the familiar dandelion. I had seen some two weeks ago Tuesday at the fairly similar habitat wise river Itchen where I found them so beautiful and striking too so it was great to see them again. I saw and photographed as I tweeted nice nettles here today too.

We walked on and the threatening dark clouds passed over us, not bringing (in the most part anyway) the not so expected rain but the even less expected (by me anyway) snow shower which really did immerse us. I saw a little bit of light snow at Lakeside last Tuesday but nothing like this for how heavy it was, its the first serious snow I’ve ever known in April my Mum does always say it can snow in April thinking back to her childhood more and its been proved that it still can happen this year. It really was such a breathtaking and memorable scene I just knew whilst I was getting my camera safely back into the dry of my backpack I just had to capture this too so I did get it back out for a few photos as the shower really engulfed us this included the ninth picture I took today in this photoset. A stunning and memorable moment.

After the shower we were thrilled to see another snipe in soggy grass behind the fence which I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of. Seeing two seperate snipes in a day that were clear and long enough views for a photo was smashing stuff and quite something I loved seeing them. I had only taken a handful of pictures of snipe before not so many at all. This was a great moment too and behind the snipe were two gigantic by comparison Canada geese with some of the other side of the canal from here too which was quite interesting to see with them flying around too and it was these birds and the snipe we showed them they had seen the geese which prompted the conversation with two of the wonderful people we talked to today. I took a picture of a snipe at Titchfield Haven nearby in 2016, its where I have taken and possibly over my life seen most snipes, and around that time I created a new playlist for music I listen to. The time I listen to music most is on car journeys so I have a few playlists named after the places we are going or animals/species, I have New Forest and as we go there so much an Alternative New Forest playlist for example. So inspired by the recent experience then I named that one my snipe playlist which is one of the ones I use when we travel east from home as this is where Titchfield Haven is and I was listening to it today on the way there and back so it was fitting I had a smashing day for snipes.

As the sun re-emerged we left feeling very satisfied by another brilliant and quite packed day of birdwatching, wildlife and photos on a really good walk. We did get a brilliant moment seeing swallows so clearly right over our heads getting cracking views of these wonderful spring migrants. By the Posbrook flood area earlier on as we did on Monday we saw lots of swallows and a sand martin flying over which was great. I saw and photographed great birds, flowers and sky scenes at home today too as I tweeted on Dans_Pictures tonight it was great seeing a house sparrow on a hanging basket in the garden I’d not seen any perch on one of these before. Today brought to an end another brilliant and relaxing weekend, I hope you all had a good one.

Wildlife Sightings Summary at the Titchfield canal path: My first of one of my favourite birds the barn owl this year, three more of my favourite birds the buzzard, shelduck and little egret we saw them well today too, shoveler, gadwall, mallard, black-tailed godwit, redshank, moorhens seen very nicely, black-headed gull, lesser black-backed gull, magpie, woodpigeon, blue tit, long-tailed tit, great tit one of the birds of the tit species nearly flew right into me at one point too another great intimate wildlife moment today, robin, great view of a dunnock, wren, swallow, sand martin and I heard another of my favourite birds the green woodpecker.

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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06/06/2021-Lymington and a brief look in on Fishlake Meadows and home: Part 2: Wildlife photos and story of the day

We came to the Lymington end of the Lymington-Keyhaven nature reserve today I believe the first time I’ve been to the coast the area I love so much since we came here on the first May bank holiday Saturday and had a brilliant day here. It was another memorable one today. Cow parsley brushed the car as we pulled up in the sleepy lane which I tweeted a picture of on Dans_Pictures tonight. Then we went across the field where it was interesting to see ponies and reached Normandy lagoon where the beautiful smell of the mudflat south coast greeted me. I took the first picture in this photoset of a lovely little pony.

I had hoped to see the two star birds of the visit last time Common Tern and Little Tern today and maybe get some more photo opportunities and I was not disappointed. Firstly I noticed the Little Tern in the third picture in this photoset that I took today flying nicely over the lagoon and it would hover elegantly like a Kestrel as it hunted over the water. Then in one glorious moment a Common Tern was doing the same and it was exceptional to watch both tern species hunting quite close to each other the common looking a lot bigger than the little. A moment of joyful birdwatching. I of course wanted to check out any young birds on the lagoon too and after being a star of the last visit as it very often is here I enjoyed seeing some adorable Avocet chicks on the shingle areas and in the water of the lagoon. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of some. As they darted about we saw an adult Avocet on the channel of water beside the lagoon too I took the fourth picture in this photoset of this we so often see them here. Also on the lagoon was Canada Geese with goslings and some Oystercatcher chicks too which I got the seventh picture in this photoset of I don’t recall seeing young Oystercatchers before so this was great. It was special to witness one of the adult Oystercatchers flying into the lagoon from the sea with food in its bill and seeing off a potential threat in the form of a similarly coloured Magpie. On a guided walk in 2008 here in our early birdwatching days I never forget the guide saying Oystercatcher is like a Magpie with a carrot in its mouth. An anecdote I have shared quite a bit on social media in recent years which popped into my head with these two together. I also took the sixth picture in this photoset of one of many House Sparrows today seen on a great bit of gorse with some flowering.

There were lovely colourful flowers around Normandy lagoon including white campion shown in the second photo in this set I took today once again kindly identified for me during #WildflowerID in #WildflowerHour tonight a great bright white one I learnt today, bird’s-foot trefoil, white and broad-leaved clover and fumitory that I had learnt here over Easter this year and others. Walking on past the sailing club and up to the bridge and back we enjoyed more great flowers; delightful patches of oxeye daisy as I have been seeing at home I took a photo with them and bird’s-foot trefoil together a theme of this weekend photographing them with other flowers, vetch, dandelion or similar and ragwort probable Oxford ragwort. Perhaps unexpectedly a lovely afternoon of flowers today again as so often happens on Sunday fittingly for #WildflowerHour for me.

Another first awaited us in the area of water and reeds beside by the bridge, when whilst hearing a delightful and very pure Cuckoo reverberating over the landscape I have had a fantastic year for this bird in the New Forest and generally, with Avocets we noticed a young bird that we couldn’t put our fingers on what it was but soon worked out it was a Redshank with two attentive adult Redshanks nearby with one sitting really nicely on a post too. I had never seen a young Redshank before so it was so intriguing to see this cute bird.

We made our way back from the bridge and when overlooking this area of water we were thrilled to see a mustard billed and immaculate looking Little Tern fly over quite closely to us. It then proceeded to hunt over this bit, hearing the prominent plop as it hit the water and it flew around a couple of times repeating this and us and other onlookers got breathtaking and stunning views of it so well. I took chances for more pictures I tweeted what I got earlier but it was also just amazing to stand still and just watch and take it in. One of the most sensational sights in British birdwatching for me seeing it do this from one of our greatest species. This was exactly what I hoped to see when coming here today and it was reminiscent of watching a Little Tern do this in 2017 over this exact spot of water one of my most amazing wildlife and photography memories for what it was but with the picture I took of it in the air about to dive winning the spring 2017 edition of the New Forest national park’s photography competition seasonal snaps. So it was great to relive that.

We left Lymington after seeing Reed Bunting in the ninth picture in this photoset and Reed Warbler well by reeds and scrub on the way back with Little Egret and Oystercatcher illuminated by the sun shining through the lifting fog which I mentioned in my last post with some landscape pictures I took today as this dominated: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/653284544061095936/06062021-lymington-fishlake-meadows-and-home. On the way to Fishlake Meadows where we called in on we were thrilled and surprised to see whilst in a traffic queue at Lyndhurst a stunning Great Spotted Woodpecker and beautiful Siskins on someone’s garden feeders. Delightful views of two special species I hadn’t seen for a while.

We called in on Fishlake Meadows where we went last Sunday to see if we could see either the Osprey or Purple Heron that are around. We didn’t see either and I hope we’ll be able to try again but did enjoy a radiant female Marsh Harrier again and heard another lovely Cetti’s Warbler. Among other water birds I enjoyed seeing two Great Crested Grebes with them looking at each other and possibly doing the first bits of the courtship dance which having never really seen before this year despite spending so much time with this species I have seen so much this year very happily. I saw one swimming with natural material in its mouth. A beautiful end to the weekend on a lovely evening another weekend I really enjoyed I hope you all had a good one and have a great and safe week. I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of a beautiful hanging basket at home tonight.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: (Lymimgton) Three of my favourite birds the Shelduck on the mudflats, Great Crested Grebe on Normandy lagoon and Little Egrets getting brilliant views of all three special species for me, Grey Heron, Canada Goose, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Redshank, Little Tern, Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull well I took the eighth photo in this set of the latter and after thinking I was in a tough era for flying bird pictures I’ve had a good spurt of some I am happy with how they’ve come out lately, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, lots of House Sparrows nicely, bee and I heard Cuckoo, Skylark and Cetti’s Warbler. (Fishlake Meadows) One of my favourite birds the Great Created Grebe, Greylag Goose, Coot seen and heard well, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, lots of House Sparrows again looking very good in the sun really nice to think I’ve seen so many this year for a declining bird, a white butterfly I couldn’t quite see which, Common Blue damselfly and I heard Cetti’s Warbler.

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