A visit to observe the Great Crested Grebe to see if her eggs had hatched. She was still sitting on them they had not. However, we were lucky that she decided to get off the nest turn around and get back on – and then slowly turn the eggs before sitting back down on them. Her wait continues.
Incubation begins as soon as the first egg is laid. The eggs hatch after27 to 29days. The young are cared for and fed by both parents. Young grebes are capable of swimming and diving almost at hatching. Our nest has 4 eggs.
Some animals of the New Forest. (and some other observations).
Cattle & Ponies roam the forest they are owned by local people called “commoners” they have the right to graze their animals on the open Forest throughout the year (part of the year in the case of pigs). Agisters police the system of this grazing system in the forest, these agisters supervise the welfare of the stock, ensure that stock pounds are in good order, and attend to road traffic accidents involving stock. They take action should commoners’ animals be in poor condition.
Deer are wild animals in the forest and can be observed if you know when and where to look. They are best approched up wind and under cover.
Roe Dear doe, Roe have very large ears and move them to tune into who is approaching!
The Fallow Deer is probably the most seen deer in the forest their numbers are managed by the forestry commission – Originally introduced by William the Conqueror King of England after he proclaimed a “New Forest ” a royal hunting forest which was recorded in the Domesday Book.
Quiet broken by RAF Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
So with a hot weekend forecast and today being a Bank Holiday, we decided to walk locally and make an early start. So at 05.00hrs, we were out in the fields. Picture quality is not too bad given the slow shutter speed needed for the low light.
We had seen a Barn Owl locally on a couple of evenings and had hoped to see him hunting in the morning but sadly he was a no-show.
A stroll around some local ponds and there is always something to see.
Little Grebe in the Water Lillies since I lat saw some of these small diving birds they have coloured up and are in their breeding plumage. They feed on insects, larvae and small fish.
Great Crested Grebe I spotted at least two birds sitting on nests they build a raft/platform nest on trees that overhang into the water. These elegant waterbirds with ornate head plumes led to them being hunted for their feathers, almost leading to their extermination in the UK. today there are some 5,300 breeding birds here and over 23,000 wintering birds.
Chicks are often carried around on the backs of their parents something I am hoping to see this year.
Willow Warbler. A summer visitor to Britain from Africa arriving in April with an early return passage during August and September.
A Coot in a Flap!
It was unusual to see Sparrows hunting for insects on the Lilly Pads.
The male and female birds work together to build their nest, which will take the best part of three weeks if it’s early in the season. Later builds can be done in a week.
The nest is shaped like a bottle, usually with a roof and an entrance hole near the top. They construct it in a bush or in the fork of a tree, from moss, camouflaged with lichen with interwoven cobwebs and sometimes bits of paper stuck on the outside. they add a feather lining. As the chicks grow the nest expands.
The female incubates a clutch of between 8-12 and eggs – sometimes as many as 15. Once they hatch, things get crowded but the nest is stretchy the nest expands.
When they leave the nest the family of young birds are often seen lining up together. I spotted this family while out for a walk this morning.
Above is a parent bird, all other pictures as young birds.
Further to my post last week (see link) focusing on a female Redstart, returning to the same spot in the New Forest this morning I caught up with a male bird.
Swanwick Lakes is a local nature reserve which has been re-wilded from the clay pits of the old Burseldon Brick Works. Our walk today shows how the return to nature of an old industrial site can work.
Continued Reflections from my World. 