New Forest Hike.

On another walk this morning, orchids were abundant in the Heathland.

I believe these are Common Spotted Orchids.

The Meadow Pipit is a small, brown, and streaky bird; they look very much like a small song thrush.

Liverworts are small flowerless plants with leaf-like lobes called a thallus. There were large numbers growing along the stream we walked along.

Common Frog and tadpoles

Male Reed Bunting.

The main highlight of the walk was a family of Redstart.

1st pictures are the male bird, followed by the female, then finally the juvenile.

Stonechat.

A Female Stonechat in the New Forest this morning. Looking at the photographs, you can see how well these birds blend into their environment. A cuckoo can be heard calling in the background of my YouTube post.

Distant Cuckoo.

Parenthood.

Avocet families at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve. Parent birds chase off anything that gets too close to their chicks, including other Avocets. Yet, the chicks wander far from mum and dad. This makes them fairly easy targets for predators like large gulls and Marsh Harriers.

Feathers.

During the Victorian times, Little Egret feathers were highly valued for fashionable headgear. This led to a massive decline in the bird population. The demand for Egret feathers was immense. The birds were farmed and hunted extensively. The plumes were worth more than gold. This unsustainable trade ultimately spurred the creation of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds