Author: Andy Finnegan

Further into the forest.

/ Andy Finnegan / 13 Comments

A return to the New Forest. We Parked up again at Eyeworth Pond – watching the pond with a cup of tea until the rain stopped before heading into the forest to the North-East following the track from the old Gunpowder Mills this road was built to allow the explosives to be transported away from the factory safely avoiding the small village of Fritham.

A little way along the track you pass a fenced spring. Known as “The Iron Wells” shown on maps dating back to the late-18th century. Marked on today’s Ordnance Survey maps as “Irons Well (Chalybeate)”. The water is impregnated with iron salts and is the colour of rust.

The waters are said to have curative properties particularly helpful for sore eyes, gout and other ailments, including leprosy. The spring was also known as Lepers’ Well, it is rumoured a house of rest for those suffering from leprosy was close to the well. Looking at the spring I decided not to take the waters on this visit!

No deer to see on our walk today.

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Back at the pond lots of birds as always – but the Mandarin ducks steal the show with their bright colours there seemed to be 5 males and 3 females present again. – lots of photographs at the end of this post.

Male Blackbird.

Song Thrush.

Pied Wagtail.

A first for me today was a Brambling. Not the best picture of this female bird but given I have never seen one before I am happy with this attempt.

A Male House Sparrow.

On the way home, we spotted lots of Snow Drops an early sign of spring.

Eyeworth Pond.

/ Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

A circular walk today in the New Forest starting and ending at Eyeworth pond.

History.

The pond was created by the Schultze Gunpowder Company as a reservoir to hold the water needed during the manufacturing process – it is estimated it held 6 million gallons of water. Work started on the factory in 1860. By the late 1890s the Company employed upwards of 100 people and there were some 60 buildings. The factory continued in operation under new ownership until 1921. The manufacturing of explosives deep in the forest away from the local population reduced the risk to the public. Today the reservoir remains although the factory has gone, it remains as a feature and wildlife habitat. Little other evidence of the factory survives, although the superintendent’s and gatekeeper’s houses remain and are private residences.

Birds. on the pond.

2 female Goosanders were on the far side of the pond ( I have seen males here as well in the past but not today). Goosanders are diving duck, they have long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. They 1st bred in the UK in 1871. ( These ducks are known as Common Merganser in the USA).

Mandarin ducks have for many years been a regular bird on Eyeworth pond. They always draw a crowd, they were introduced to the UK from China in the 20th century and have become established following escapes from captive collections. In the UK there are now said to be about 2,300 pairs and according to Wikipedia the population in China is only 1000 pairs.

Moorhen.

Woodland Birds. around the pond.

A woodland favourite is the Blue Tit.

Marsh Tit.

Great Tit.

Robin.

Dunnock

Dunnocks are also known as the ‘hedge sparrow’, although they are not actually a sparrow. They’re actually the only UK member of a bird family called the accentors. The dunnock is also commonly mistaken for a female house sparrow. Dunnock is derived from the Old English word for ‘little brown’. This is because they do look drab from a distance but close up they are quite pretty with a mottled blue-grey breast and face.

Deer.

Fallow deer are the most commonly seen deer in the New Forest currently numbers are maintained at about 1,300 Following the Norman Conquest of Britan ,the New Forest was proclaimed a royal forest, in about 1079, by William the Conqueror. Fallow deer were brought into the forest for the hunt. Forest Law, reserving the pursuit of beasts within it exclusively for the king and his officers.

In velvet.

/ Andy Finnegan / 6 Comments

Some great deer spotting today 3 young Roebuck allowed us to approach and pass where they were resting. Each deer had different sized antlers and it was good to see them “in velvet”. I am sure our local deer know us and tolerate us walking in their habitat they quietly watch us pass I am sure they are thinking “it’s those chaps with cameras again stand still and they will walk past”.

The appearance of Roe deer changes throughout the year. They have a bright red-brown fur in summer, fading to a duller shade of brown in winter which is how they appear at the moment. These deer looked strong and healthy despite it being the end of the winter.