birdwatching

Getting ready for summer.

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Further Pictures of Black-tailed Godwits

In April or early May, wintering Black-tailed Godwits will soon undertake their journey back to their breeding ground in Iceland. Most will have left by mid-April or early May. Before this journey, they will need to build up their energy and the rather boring grey plumage, is discarded, to be replaced by their summer colourful, feathers. The rich breeding colours act as camouflage in the habitats of the bird’s nesting grounds.

Full Summer Colours.
Starting to change to summer colours.

Godwits get quite vocal and have little spats over the areas where they are feeding especially if they encroach on each other’s space.

Cadman’s Pool.

/ Andy Finnegan / 7 Comments

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!

A duck’s life.

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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.

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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.

Garden visitors.

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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.

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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.