Some more Marsh Frogs spotted in the New Forest today.
More Marsh Frogs.
New Forest
Aftermath.
Today we walked into an area of the New Forest where we regularly walk about a six-mile circular walk. We know the area and its wildlife well. This time, it was heartbreaking to see the fire damage and total destruction to part of the walk.
On the 9th August 2026, a van caught fire on the A31 dual carriageway where it crosses Heathland close to Ringwood in the New Forest. Fueled by prolonged severe heatwave and drought conditions across the UK, the vehicle fire rapidly spread into the surrounding national park. 23 drivers had to abandon their cars as the fire spread. The wildfire damaged more than 100 hectares (247 acres). The fire was declared a major incident, and firefighters fought the blaze, even pumping water across the forest from a lake 5 miles away in special pipes they had to lay. The road was closed for 2 weeks. The emergency response was stood down on 23rd August.
Fire break cut into the heath.
Back to the Forest.
Back into the New Forest after a 10-day gap due to the large wildfire, which closed the A31, the main road crossing the forest. Although other parts were accessible, we chose to stay away, as many of the smaller roads were gridlocked with diverted traffic.
Today’s walk.
about 4 miles through some fairly boggy ground. Some of which would be impassable if we had not had a drought.
Marsh frogs.
Spotted flycatcher.
A first for me today, a Goat Moth caterpillar.
)As an adult, the moth cannot feed. The caterpillars live inside the trunks of a variety of broad-leaved trees, feeding on the wood. They overwinter three or four times as larvae and a final time as pupae. The caterpillar can grow to 10 cm (about 4 inches), and the moth has a wingspan of up to 9.5cm (about 3 1/2 inches).
Stock image of a Goat Moth.
No one passes!
New Forest.
Photo Editing 2026?
Has it gone too far? In the “old days,” you could tweak your pictures in the darkroom. Then came digital, and I used Photoshop to edit my pictures – crop and adjust exposure, etc.
Today, on a long walk in the New Forest, we spooked a Fallow Deer doe with her fawn. They hopped out of the dense Bracken stop and had a good look at us before heading back into the undergrowth.
I took a series of pictures, but the deer were obscured in the foreground by the undergrowth.
Now with A1-supported photo editing, you can go further. I ran one of my pictures through a trial editing package.
I asked it to sharpen, de-noise, and remove the foliage from one of my pictures. This is the result, but I have to ask: is this acceptable, or is it a step too far in wildlife photography?
Coot.
Roe Deer.
Last week I posted some Fallow Deer pictures from the New Forest today some more deer this time Roe Deer.
Great Spotted Woodpecker.
New Forest.
Fallow Deer.
Fallow deer are looking good in the New Forest at this time despite the drought conditions.
Wood Ants.
The southern wood ant is the UK’s largest ant species, with workers reaching up to 10mm in length and queens growing even larger at 12mm. These ants are easily identifiable by their distinctive reddish-brown colour and a contrasting black head and abdomen.
Wood ants are known for their formidable large mandibles, which they use effectively for foraging and defence of their nests. When threatened, they have a unique defence mechanism that involves spraying formic acid at potential predators. This acid not only acts as a deterrent but also serves to communicate alarm signals to other members of their colony.
They live in large colonies, which can number in the thousands, and exhibit complex social interactions that help maintain the health and functionality of their community.
Continued Reflections from my World. 