Male and female Stonechats on open moorland New Forest this morning.
Stonechats.
birdwatching
Kestrel.
Common Kestrel hovering, looking for small rodents.
Feathers.
During the Victorian times, Little Egret feathers were highly valued for fashionable headgear. This led to a massive decline in the bird population. The demand for Egret feathers was immense. The birds were farmed and hunted extensively. The plumes were worth more than gold. This unsustainable trade ultimately spurred the creation of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
A spash of colour.
Or for those in the USA – A splash of color .
Stonechat on Gorse and Magpie in an Apple Tree.
Mandarin
Mandarin Duck Cadmans Pool New Forest.
Lapwing.
One Lapwing was sitting in the grass, and two others were flying /displaying just over her head. My interpretation was that they were two males trying to impress. The mating season has started in the wetlands.
Eider.
Eider drake crab fishing. He would dive down get a crab, shake its legs off then eat it.
Another.
Another female Redstart. A beautiful bird, almost understated compared to the bright male bird.
Building.
I returned to the New Forest where Redstarts were abundant. I had posted pictures of them a few days ago.(mainly male birds) This visit it was female birds which were abundant and they were nest building.
Farmland.
Some wildlife of the farmland on the South Downs.
Brown Hare.
A “spooked” Partridge by a running Hare
Common Buzzard.
Continued Reflections from my World. 