Trip reports

ACRES DOWN - NEW FOREST - THURSDAY 28TH MAY 2009

Thursday, 28 May 2009

17 members gathered on a bright sunny day at one of our favourite locations. Walking southwest from the car park, we entered an open area to the right of the main track, where traditionally, tree pipits breed. On cue, a pipit was heard in song and scopes trained on a distant tree, only to reveal a perched woodlark! Moments later, the pipit launched into a song flight from an adjacent tree as the woodlark exited stage right. We then moved off to enter the forest. Almost immediately, and before we disappeared under the canopy, a displaying siskin flew past, and the unmistakeable "chipping" sound of crossbills could be heard. At least 5 birds, including 2 handsome males, and a streaky juvenile alighted in a nearby fir and came down to drink from a muddy puddle. What a great start to the day! The short section of forest contained nesting great and blue tits and a pair of chaffinches. Emerging onto another open section, 2 more tree pipits were in song, one much closer than the original bird, and the first spotted flycatcher of the spring, for most, was "zitting" from the top of an oak.

Over the next hour, a gentle walk through the woods brought fleeting glimpses of several redstarts and robins, but at our usual coffee stop, a wood warbler and a fine male redstart, both in song, were enjoyed. By midday, several more wood warblers were singing and a pair of firecrests indulged in courtship display. Finally, at 1.30pm we made it to the top of Acres Down and settled down for some raptor spotting. The first raptor to be seen generated substantial discussion as to whether it was a goshawk or sparrowhawk. This centred around the curvature of the outer tail feathers, (curved = goshawk, squarish = sparrowhawk). Ultimately, this individual flew high overhead and was declared to be a sparrowhawk. Those who were certain that they had seen a goshawk, including your correspondent, declared that they must have been watching a different raptor all along! Fortunately, unmistakeable, and closer, individuals of both species were seen later. Distant soaring hobbies and a peregrine were added, and each common buzzard was scrutinised in case the hoped for honey buzzard appeared. Excellent views of cuckoo, meadow pipit and stonechat were had instead, and a few members caught a glimpse of a pair of hawfinches in flight.

The short walk back to the car park gave us the chance to admire a singing willow warbler, and some of the mass invasion of painted lady butterflies.

Additional species recorded : - BH Gull (2 overflying), Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Swift, Swallow (2), House Martin (1), Green Woodpecker (h), GS Woodpecker(h), Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Blackcap(h), Coal Tit(h) LT Tit, Crow, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch.

Reported by Steve Oakes