Friday 19 February 2016

I walk outside just to take the air...

Roxy Music-Street Life

A jaunt around Hampshire today and first stop was Mark Ash Wood where two Lesser Spotted Wodpeckers, a male and a female put in appearance, the male being especially showy, calling & drumming well, favoured area seemed to be the small, thin birch trees to the right of the car-park. Quite difficult to photo though...Then it was up to Acres Down to raptor viewpoint (basically park and walk up the hill, through the little woods and look to the west over the forest) for Goshawk and within ten minutes of arriving one flew/glided left across the tree line giving a good scope view, two Buzzards also present, a Dartford Warbler and a singing Woodlark. I then went to Keyhaven for the Long-billed Dowitcher which showed OK for me, preening itself on the edge of the reeds but alas also proving difficult to picture in the by-now squally wind. On the way out, a Water Pipit dropped in as a bonus. Also a Spoonbill present earlier which I'd forgotten about until I saw the pic.! Really enjoyed the day, next stop Willow Tit...


Lesser Spotted Woodpecker:




Spoonbill:




Long-billed Dowitcher preening:




Water Pipit: