City birdwatch.

January 23, 2023January 23, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / 8 Comments

More Southampton city centre Ring-necked parakeets.

Tree Creeper.

January 23, 2023January 23, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / Leave a comment

A Treecreeper in the New Forest today – they are a small and very active bird that lives in trees. They have a long, slender, down-curved bill. It is speckly brown above and mainly white below and is very camouflaged and can be hard to see against the tree bark.

Walking on thin ice.

January 20, 2023January 20, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / 6 Comments

With current low temperatures, all the lagoons at Tichfield Haven have frozen over. No snow but everywhere was just very cold.

A lone Canada Goose walks the line!

Island “I” is underwater today.

The Oystercatchers are resting where another island should be.

This Heron is using the small stream to look for fish due to the lack of open water because of the ice.

Chiffchaff on Bullrush.

Making a splash.

January 19, 2023January 19, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

Sanderlings on the beach on Southampton Water. One of my favourite small waders and were in an area where I have only seen the odd bird in the past. Sanderlings were feeding as the tide went out and making a splash this morning.

Hamble Point Oystercatchers.

January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

Some Oystercatchers on the beach at Hamble Point on Southampton Water. This film is worth watching with the sound on as it shows the birds antics off to their best.

A ringed Oystercatcher. – details reported.

Footnote. This bird was first ringed in 2007.

FP45535	N	O+R//RW	31 Dec 2007	Hamble Point, River Hamble, Warsash, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	13 Oct 2008	Hook-with-Warsash LNR, Fareham, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	27 Oct 2008	Hook-with-Warsash LNR, Fareham, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	2 Jan 2009	Hamble Point, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	17 Sep 2010	Hook Spit, River Hamble, Warsash, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	28-Mar-12	Hamble Point, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	15 Apr 2012	Hamble Common Foreshore, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	4 Jan 2013	River Hamble, Warsash, Fareham, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	24 Aug 2014	Chilling, Warsash, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	9 Feb 2018	Hamble Point, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	14 Feb 2019	Hamble Point, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	21-Jan-20	Hamble Point, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	22-Jan-21	Hook Spit, River Hamble, Warsash, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45535	S	O+R//RW	17-Jan-23	Hamble Point, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England

Policing the water.

January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

Hunting Forest.

January 16, 2023January 21, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

In 1079 when William The Conqueror named the area his ‘new hunting forest’, close to 1,000 years later his ‘New Forest’ remains as a National Park. The ancient systems established by William The Conqueror to protect and manage the woodlands and heaths are still in place today.

Hunting Deer required planning, good horsemanship and the ability to handle weapons. It was dangerous. King William’s second son, Richard, and third son, William, were killed whilst hunting in the New Forest as was his grandson, Richard. Hunting was seen at that time as a method of practising many of the skills required for battle.

Fallow deer are today the most commonly seen deer in the New Forest. Numbers are maintained at about 1,300 on the Crown lands. Although not a native species to the UK, they have been present since Norman times and have the longest continuous lineage of any deer species in the Forest.

This time of year the Deer keep in their herds – Stags together separate from the young female deer.

Local male Muntjac.

January 14, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / 8 Comments

Chinese muntjac deer was introduced to Woburn Park in Bedfordshire at the start of the 20th century. A very small, shy stocky deer, the muntjac deer is about the same fox. It is gingery-brown, with a pale underside, darker stripes in its face, and small, single-pointed antlers. It also has a short tail. It is now considered a common animal across southeast England and can be found in woodland, parkland and even gardens. Muntjac deer are also known as ‘barking deer’ because of their dog-like calls.

We have filmed this Male deer a couple of times over the last 2 years on our trail cameras – we are yet to see him in the flesh!

Grebe.

January 13, 2023January 13, 2023 / Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

Great Crested Grebe in toned down non-breading Winter plumage.

Then it was gone! Great Crested Grebes dive to feed and also to escape, preferring this to flying. On land, they are clumsy because their feet are placed so far back on their bodies.