Runway walk.

October 10, 2022October 10, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / Leave a comment

RAF Beaulieu was also known as USAAF Station AAF 408. It is located near the village of East Boldre, and about 2 miles west of the village of Beaulieu. The area had early links with flying. During the First World War, a Royal Flying Corps training airfield, RFC Beaulieu, at East Boldre was established this was closed in 1919. The World War 2 RAF Beaulieu was built on the opposite side of the road to the aerodrome it opened in 1942. During the war, it was used as a bomber and fighter airfield. After the war, it was used for experimental work before it was closed in 1959.

The area around the airfield is heath and made a good circular and flat walk this morning. Some areas of the runways remain but much has been removed.

Lots of Fungi were starting to show.

Kestrel. We later watched this bird catch a snake and fly off with it.

Coot.

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

Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family they are common in the UK.

Length:36-38cm Wingspan:70-80cm Weight:600-900g

Deer stalk

October 3, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / 3 Comments

Today we decided to go on a deer stalk but very soon decided it might not be such a good day for it as they were cutting the bracken where we were walking. Studies have shown that management of bracken stands should be reduced because the excessive build-up of bracken litter causes a decline in species diversity leading to a negative impact on the conservation interest of the bracken-dominated habitats.

However walking deeper across the heath and in to small pockets of mature woodland we soon spotted a number of Fallow Deer. (Bucks)

At first the herd moved away but settled down and watched us trying to blend in with our environment.

Further on after seeing this young bucks we spotted a small herd of hinds slipping away into deep woodland.

Clouded Yellow.

September 25, 2022September 25, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / 3 Comments

This Clouded Yellow is the first I have seen this year and in fact the first I have seen for several years. They are a medium-sized, butterfly. It is a migrant species that fly here from North Africa and southern Europe. They appear in small numbers most years, but occasionally turn up on mass.

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.

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.

Cobwebs & dew.

September 12, 2022 / Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

This morning’s walk (Sunday) showed a marked change in the season with dew on the grass and the numerous spider’s webs were highlighted with moisture. Given the changeability of the seasons at the moment I am not sure if such mornings will be the norm for a while or if it was just a one-off for the time being.

Marbled Orbweb Spider. This one is yellow I saw some previously that were white.

Four-spotted orb weaver spider building a new web.

Garden Spider. Encrusted in dew.

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.

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.