House Martin.

Spotting a few House Martins in the New Forest today was nice. They spend a lot of their time on the wing collecting insects. These little birds build mud nests usually below the eaves of buildings like these I spotted today. They are summer migrants and spend their winters in Africa. Although numerous and widespread, recent declines in numbers earn them a place on the Red List.

Black Swans.

Black Swans were first brought to the UK in 1791 from Australia they became popular in zoos and private collections. Some birds escaped into the wild and have bred successfully, though the population remains small. For years there have been small numbers on the River Itchen at St Deny’s Southampton. They are an easy spot between Cobdon Bridge and Wood Mill from Riverside Park.