Avocets at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve.
As we move towards the end of March the Avocets numbers are increasing within the nature reserve.
Numbers :- UK breeding:1,500 pairs UK wintering:7,500 birds Europe:37-54,000 pairs.
A is for Avocet.
birds
Cadman’s Pool.
One of my favourite starting places in The New Forest for a walk is Cadman’s Pool It was the idea of Arthur Cadman who was Deputy Surveyor of the New Forest in the 1960s. The pond is on Ocknell Plain, and at the edge of Stoney Cross Airfield (a WW2 aerodrome). It was dug to enhance the aesthetic appeal of this corner of the Forest.
After a circular walk and the placing of our trail camera’s on a badgers sett we found on last weeks walk in the area I was able to spot some wildlife on the pond.
These Mandarin Ducks have paired up and seem to have established their home on Cadman’s Pool. As I have posted before there is a group of about 6 ducks on Eyeworth Pond which is about 2 miles away as the crow (or duck) fly’s so I suspect these have relocated from there.
This picture gives you a good size comparison of the Mandarin with a Mallard.
About 6 Canada Geese were pairing up – A rather noisy process!
Peaceful ducks.
A pair of Mallards resting in the morning sun.
A duck’s life.
Not a nice side of a duck’s life. SENSITIVE CONTENT.
While theoretically monogamous, Mallard ducks will often engage in what used to be called “rape chases,” but are now known as “forced copulations.” This involves several males chasing a female and then forcefully mating with her – So brutal is the act it has resulted in the female’s death when she has been drowned by the males holding her head underwater.
In Titchfield Harbour 9 males Mallards pindown a single female.
She was able to get herself out of the water and onto the beach.
Finally, the brutal attack was over and she was able to get away.
Black-tailed Godwit.
Black-tailed godwits are a large wader. In winter they are rather dull and grey in colour. Now as we approach the summer they colour up their chests and bellies become a bright orangey-brown
They have distinctive long beaks and legs.
Wintering numbers in the UK are about 44,000 birds from the Icelandic population.
Black-tailed godwits breeding range stretching from Iceland to the far east of Russia.
A film of Godwits on the River Hamble. (filmed into the sun so not as good quality as I would have liked)
followed by stills taken from the film.
It is all in the name!
Turnstone turn stones looking for food – they spend most of their time walking on the shore and climbing over rocks, picking out food from under stones & seaweeds
Rock Pipit.
A walk along Southampton Water to Ashlett Creek a fairly bright morning but with a bitter wind.
A Rock Pipit close to the shoreline. The rock pipit is a stocky pipit, a bit larger than a meadow pipit,(sizewise it is a bit smaller than a Starling.)
Garden visitors.
In the UK two frequent garden visitors on the bird feeder and bird tables are the Blue Tit and the Great Tit. Both these birds are common in the woodlands where I took these photographs.
Blue Tit.
Measurements:
Length:12cm Wingspan:18cm Weight:11g
Population:
UK breeding: 3,600,000 UK wintering:15 million
Great Tit.
Measurements:
Length:14cm Wingspan:24cm Weight:18g
Population:
UK breeding: 2,500,000
facts from RSPB.
Avocets.
Avocets have started arriving at Titchfield Haven for the start of the breeding season. About 20 birds were spotted today in the rain! All a far way off but as more arrive, I am hoping for some close photographs.
Curlew.
Curlew bird observation and facts. Today’s bird watching walk up the Hamble River gave some really good views of some Curlews. It is an easily recognizable bird by its size and downcurved bill.
The Curlew is a large wader (in fact it is the largest European wader). It is about the size of a female pheasant. They are ground-nesting birds on wet grasslands, farmland, heath and moors this can be miles away from the coast.
Some 140,000 birds winter in the UK with about 66,000 breeding pairs
I have added the call of a Curlew over the sound on my short film.
Continued Reflections from my World. 