Author: Andy Finnegan

1st Light.

/ Andy Finnegan / 8 Comments

Without (much) hesitation, and with a weather forecast giving a bright Sunday morning until around lunchtime, when my brother suggested a 04:30 hrs start to see if we could spot the Barn Owl we had spotted on the South Downs a few weeks earlier, it was a “go”!

As we left for the half-hour drive, it was already getting light. However, a noticeable chill was in the air, so I opted for a fleece over a waterproof jacket.

25 years ago, the Government were stating they were going to bury the electricity cables in places of natural beauty such as national parks, well it never happened and we are told more pylons will be needed to link solar farms to the national grid as they are too expensive to go underground. I see WordPress now has an AI section, so I asked it to generate a picture of Pylons at Stonehenge! {NB-1st and last time I will post a A1 picture}

Sadly, no Barn Owl was out morning hunting, but good numbers of Brown Hares were about.

The next hare was a Rabbit!

Turning to head back, rain clouds were heading in. All the crows just landed, sadly, I missed them in the air as it was a great sight with that sky.

With a few rather interested in us, Hereford Cattle, we took a wide detour off the footpath close to farm buildings.

This allowed us the opportunity to look into the barn where we had seen the Owl in flight previously.

Looking through a hole in the barn wall (marked with a yellow arrow) was the Barn Owl on the other side, fast asleep. Obviously, despite our early start, it was not early enough!

Raft Spider.

/ Andy Finnegan / 3 Comments

I was glad to see many raft spiders back in a stream where we had seen a good population last year. The raft spider is a large, chunky spider that lives around the edge of ponds and ditches, and on wet heaths and bogs.

Swallow Family.

/ Andy Finnegan / 7 Comments

Swallows are small birds. They are extremely agile in flight and spend most of their time in the air. They are widespread breeding birds in the Northern Hemisphere and migrate south in winter. This family has left their nest and is being fed in a tree. They were a joy to watch on today’s walk in the New Forest.

An adult swallow.

& the rain returned.

/ Andy Finnegan / 3 Comments

After nice bright weather for a couple of weeks, we had a wet, grey day today, and the forecast says it is with us until early next week. On the positive my water butts in the garden are now full of water.

So, pictures today from Titchfield Haven are more like pictures from a winter’s day. Not very nice under sail in the Solent.

Grey Heron.

Little Egret.

fledgling Reed Warbler.

It is a hard life.

/ Andy Finnegan / 6 Comments

Warning: Distressing images.

Further to my post last week re Black-headed gull chicks

Link below.

Gull family.

The next pictures show how hard it is for the chicks. A much larger Lesser Black-backed gull swoops down and snatches a chick. As this happened, the Black-headed gull colony erupted into the air, but they failed to save their baby.

Pictures taken by my brother Simon Finnegan {I missed this, although I have seen it happen in the past.}

Along a stream.

/ Andy Finnegan / 5 Comments

On Monday, we walked along a New Forest stream that we regularly visit. There is always something to see and enjoy, and on a bright, warm morning with few people about, you can enjoy nature fully without the distractions of everyday life and have a chance to get into the “zone.”

This old forestry house is a good mile or so off the road, reached by gravel tracks. It is a great place to watch House Martins, as many nest under its eaves. They get an easy meal of insects swooping over the stream. Not the easiest bird to get pictures of due to their size and speed!

As well as the Ponies on the forest, there are cattle these came down for a drink.

A few dragonflies that the House Martins missed.

Along the stream were several Spotted Flycatchers. They are mostly grey-brown in colour with paler streaks, particularly on the head and wings. They has a creamy white breast which is streaked with pale brown.

A small bird, measuring just 14cm in length and weighing in at a maximum of 19g. Adept at snatching flying insects. They visit the UK during the warmer months and are often seen in woodland edges and clearings.

four Spots.

/ Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

The Four-spotted chaser dragonflies seen here at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve are easily recognised. Each wing has two dark spots on the leading edge. These spots give this species its name.

Take off.

/ Andy Finnegan / 3 Comments

Kestrel hunting by the Beach at Titchfield Haven.

One of the few books I had to read at school.

A Kestrel for a Knave is a novel by English author Barry Hines, published in 1968. The book is set in an unspecified mining town in Northern England. It follows Billy Casper, a young working-class boy troubled at home and at school. He finds and trains a kestrel, whom he names “Kes”. It was made into a  film directed by Ken Loach and produced by Tony Garnett,