The Common Scoter is a dark-coloured sea duck; the male is totally black with yellow on its bill. I have seen this duck a few times, normally far out at sea off our coast through a telescope.
These birds were at Arundel and were born in captivity there last year.
The Dalmatian pelican, also known as the curly-headed pelican, is the largest member of the pelican family and among the heaviest flying birds in the world. With a wingspan ranging between 2.7 and 3.2 metres,
These birds are at WWT Arundel Wetland Centre.
Dalmatian pelicans were common in UK wetlands some 2000 years ago, but they became extinct due to habitat loss from farming and hunting.
Hottest day of the year yesterday (so far). I have been staying clear of the New Forest due to the major wildfires.
So spent the day at the coast visiting Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve.
I have been visiting the reserve since childhood, but I have never seen it so dry; the top 2 lagoons/scrapes have dried up completely; the lower scrape has water, but this is due to the effort of wardens who routed water by opening sluice gates on the river.
Common Terns
Juvenile Common Tern.
There are still a few Dragonflies about on the east side of the reserve.
Common Darters.
Southern Hawker(female). Egg laying under the duckboards.
Gosander.
Wood Pigeon.
Common Sandpiper.
Little Egrets on the Hamble River near Warsash.
New Forest.
A Spotted Flycatcher at Stoney Cross, New Forest.
Spotted Flycatchers fly from a high perch, dash out to grab a flying insect and often return to the same spot.
UK Conservation status: Red list.
As our heatwave continues, another hot walk across the open plain in the New Forest: a 4-mile round trip to Whitten Pond.
Cows drink 60 to 120 litres of water a day. Some of the ponds dry out in the summer, but Forestry England says there are up to 1000 ponds in the New Forest.
As we walked over Holmsley Ridge, Whitten Pond came into view, and a large herd of cows was also heading to the water. We arrived about the same time.
Ring Plover, which I am more used to seeing on the coast, were at the pond, and a small family were around the edge. They are one of our coastal birds that will breed inland.
A juvenile Pied Wagtail.
Stonechat {Male}.
A walk through Matley Bog and Heath ( New Forest) this morning on another hot day.
Fallow deer in woodland.
Spotted a Buzzard’s nest high in a tree, the young birds had already fledged.
Adult birds were still about.
Continued Reflections from my World. 