Trip reports

OWN TRANSPORT TRIP TO NEW FOREST (Saturday October 12th 2008)

Sunday, 12 October 2008

17 gathered on a stunning morning at Cadman's Pool for a gentle meander down to Dockens water and back. 2 early arriving members had augmented the car park feeding area, rewarding us all with great looks at nuthatch, chaffinch, coal, marsh, great and blue tits, with a backdrop of mallard and moorhen on the Pool. A walk along the upper track brought two overflying hawfinches and two high level calling lesser redpolls. Alas, neither species landed in view. Probably the bird of the morning was our first redwing of the autumn, a singleton that perched up for all to admire in the beautiful light. You could even spot a tick on its lower mandible! A firecrest was discovered with two goldcrests in a holly bush, although this view was into sun, obscuring the plumage details. Long tailed tits, mistle thrushes, jays plus a great spotted woodpecker were enjoyed before we descended through the trees to the stream. In truth, the woodland was quiet, but for the barking of rutting fallow deer, whilst on the footpath, close to the car park, slow worm, the same rusty colour as much of the bracken, had his picture taken.

12 of us drove the short distance to the upper car park at High Corner, for the post lunch walk through Broomy towards Holly Hatch. Butterflies were a feature in the warm sun, with red admiral, speckled wood, comma and brimstone all noted. Top birds were undoubtedly the many stonechats on the heathland, together with several Dartford warblers seen perched up in classic pose on the scattered gorse bushes.

Additional species :- Buzzard, Kestrel, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Swallow, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock (h), Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Siskin (h). Also a Wheatear was seen by some on the drive to Cadman's.

Reported by Steve Oakes