Knot.

September 16, 2022September 16, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / Leave a comment

The knot is a medium-sized, wader a bit larger that a Dunlin {see picture 5}. They migrate to the UK in very large numbers during winter from their Arctic breeding grounds. Knots eat invertebrates, molluscs and crustaceans which they find by probing their bills in the mud and sand; special sensory organs in their bill tips help them to detect buried prey in a similar fashion to the way echolocation works in bats. For me, although not the 1st time I have seen Knots yesterday was the first time I was able to get some pictures of this bird.

UK wintering population:320,000 birds.

Sitting on the fence.

September 14, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / Leave a comment

Wheatear sitting on the fence at Meon Shore.

A restful day.

September 14, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / 3 Comments

Wordless Wednesday.

Armchair bird watch.

September 12, 2022September 12, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / 1 Comment

Bird spotting around a bird feeding station. I placed a small camera trail on a tripod and let it run. The sounds of the forest are worth listening to in the film.

Airfield walk.

September 7, 2022September 7, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

Beaulieu Airfield was a major wartime airfield in the New Forest that saw a large amount of action including Coastal Command. Many anti-submarine operations were flown from Beaulieu, It was an important role in the airfield’s history.

A large concrete BL is set into the ground. This is located in front of where the airfield control tower once stood. BL was the airfield pundit code for RAF Beaulieu It helped airborne aircraft identify the airfield. Each airfield would have its own code letters. You can see a metal socket which is a short thick-walled mortar which would have had a tube fitted this signal mortar would have been used to alert aircraft approaching the field – for example, landing gear not down!

https://newforestguide.uk/history/new-forest-airfields/beaulieu/raf-beaulieu/

Some nature spots on the heathland around the airfield site.

Excited to see Cukoo’s but only some distance away.

Dunnock

Raven

Nuthatch.

September 6, 2022September 6, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / 3 Comments

There is one species of nuthatch in the UK, Our species is a woodland bird. It has the unique habit in the UK of plastering mud around the entrance to its nest hole.

Little Grebe.

September 6, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / Leave a comment

The little grebe, also known as dabchick, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. they are a small bird with a weight:100-140g. They eat – Insects, larvae and small fish.

Population:

UK breeding:5,300 pairs

UK wintering:16,000 individuals

Female

Male

Great crested grebe.

September 5, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / Leave a comment

This elegant waterbird with ornate head plumes led to its being hunted for its feathers, almost leading to its extermination in the UK. The wintering population increases so I hope to get some closer sightings of this bird as we move into autumn and winter.