26/02/2014 A Hampshire Treat with my first Lesser-spotted Woodpecker and Water Pipit

Wednesday 26th February 2014
Hampshire - mainly the New Forest
RH and PJ

A truly memorable day in Hampshire today.  After leaving home at 05.30  I picked Paul up at 06.10; an early start to beat the rush hour traffic on the M27 around Southampton and the M3 intersection.  Shown below is the dawn skyline we saw as we left Brighton with a crescent moon flanked by the planet Venus - a good omen for the day!

The weather was perfect with a little cloud and mainly clear blue skies.

First stop was Mark Ash Wood in the New Forest.  Paul was very confident about seeing a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker here.

Brambling
Library picture

After seeing 8 Bramblings and 3 or more Hawfinches in the trees we heard the drumming of the LSW, with Paul explaining to me the subtle differences to that of the Great-spotted Woodpecker.  Not long after we were rewarded with absolutely first class views - my first ever - of this elusive bird.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Library picture

For nigh on 15 minutes we were able to watch and marvel as it flitted about in the trees.  When I showed my delight, a fellow birder shook my hands as if I had just announced a new grandchild - excellent!  Far from this being a first sighting of a LSW, the truth is I had never ever came anywhere close to seeing one; I had long ago accepted that I would probably never see one.

Before we left this site we were able, with help, find a roosting Tawny Owl in a dead tree.  It was sleeping in a wide crevice with 70% of it showing well. 

Tawny Owl
Library picture

What a start!  We had really benefited from our early start, catching the birds at the optimum time. 



Things just went from here in this rich vein of luck.  Next stop was Piper's Wait to see the Goshawk.  We were about 30 minutes behind schedule but still managed to see this superior raptor as it soared above the trees ahead of us and flew around effortlessly, in it's spitfire like wing style, for several minutes. 

Goshawk
Library picture



Paul and I had a thing about the Great Grey Shrike this year; we had pursued it relentlessly in Sussex at Greatham Bridge and in the Ashdown Forest and here in Hampshire a few weeks ago, only to miss out each time.  This time however at Shatterford we were to get our reward with two very good sightings of the resident bird. 

Great Grey Shrike
Library picture

We had to walk a long way through very wet and muddy terrain but eventually we made the ID; in both cases the shrike appeared at the top of a deciduous tree giving us clear views to admire the anatomy of the bird. 





My final treat, another "lifer" came in the form of a Water Pipit.  We had to drive to Drayton Farm Watercress Beds to make this ID.  This is a known Hampshire hotspot for this winter visitor; the watercress here being the principal reason the bird's presence.

 

Water Pipit
Library picture

Paul explained the main ID characteristics with powerful eye stripe, longish bill and clear wing bars.  

To see this number of rarities/scarcities is truly astonishing.  However the species list of the day would also include quite a number of interesting birds.  For instance Paul needed to see  the Ring-billed Gull at Gosport and while we were there we also saw a Mediterranean Gull and a pair of Goldeneye.  At Shatterford we saw a Dartford Warbler, at Drayton Farm we saw a Grey Wagtail and at Piper's Wait we saw several Ravens.

This day will live long in my memory, as much for the sighting of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker as for the sheer number and quality of today's cast of birds.  Paul you are a genius for putting together the itinerary!

Additions to Life List of Birds:

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker   (247)

Water Pipit   (248)

Additions to 2014 UK Bird List:

Mistle Thrush   (167)

Brambling   (168)

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker   (169)

Goshawk   (170)

Great Grey Shrike   (171)

Water Pipit   (172)