Trip reports

VISIT TO NEW FOREST—PITTS WOOD FEBRUARY 2008

Sunday, 24 February 2008

This was our 2nd meeting to this location and this time the weather was much better with plenty of high cloud and some sun with 15 members meeting at the car park.
At first as we set off more horses were seen than birds but climbing up the first hill to the top we found 2 mistle thrushes and in the distance a herd of fallow deer and skylarks singing over head.
Moving on we reached an area of gorse and dartford warblers were singing and one posed nicely for the group on a bush and a male stonechat was seen across the valley.
Reaching the Pitts Wood Enclosure Sally reported a female reed bunting and Stan found a great spotted woodpecker missed by the rest of the group, and here was a singing mistle thrush and many blackbirds and great tits.
We then made our way to the Hampton Ridge but this time no sign of a tawny owl as last time but we were able to record goldcrest,coal,great,blue and marsh tits and a nuthatch in the same area.
At the ridge another dartford warbler was seen and we were also amused to see passing by an old cart pulled by a very old horse which was then followed by a pony and trap along the track.
Returning to the car park we stopped again at Pitts Wood for another search and found treecreeper and nuthatch but no sign of any hawfinches that had been in the area last time but we noted siskins at the top of trees.
Lunch was taken at the car park and thanks were given to John for leading the walk before some members left for home and others made their way to the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive to visit the Arboretum hoping to see hawfinches.