Forest - System of a Down

To continue the journey into deepest, darkest Hampshire from Blashford lakes we set course for the

in the first hope of a Woodlark or two, but there were none to be found.
As 'second best' Redwing and Fieldfare were numerous as were

NEW FOREST PONIES
Passing the beautifully constructed and ideally placed

ROYAL OAK
at

there were, as is usual here, a number of

DONKEYS
The first stop was at

again in the hope of the 'SPECIALTY' here which are rarely absent
but can be missed.

A 10 minute scan with the binoculars brought no joy except what
for me were new residents here

c5 MUSCOVY DUCKS
(memories of South America)
On the tree covered island some distance away there was a hint of
the objects of our desire

so with a little barley scattered for the other Wildfowl
this induced the only pair of

MANDARIN
here today

to break cover.

Whether they had just paddled over to see what all the excitement
was about or not remains a mystery, but even though they closed to

Point Blank Range
neither the Male

nor the

Female touched any of the offered corn.
A great result, as these beauties are always worth seeing, but on the
down side not one single Tit was seen there during a 30 minute stay!
Is this a 'record'?
Continuing east the

SPINNAKER

sited on the Portsmouth Harbour Waterside

opened to view from a position at the

Gosport Ferry Terminal

on the opposite side of the harbour.

The final destination was

WALPOLE PARK, GOSPORT
to visit an American friend that has return to this very small watercourse
for who knows how many years now.

Leaving the car, was it to be the 'first' bird seen?

No, we ain't falling for that old trick, the confusion species being

COMMON GULL
However, the next to hit the lens looked far more credible and
noting the 'yellow iris', among other distinguishing feature,
we were now certainly looking at the

RING-BILLED GULL

Apart from my own 'Love of ALL Gulls' this is a fine specimen from

The Americas

which I have seen there many, many time but

appearances in Great Britain seem to be getting less and less?

Always most obliging, it was now time to take a look around to

see if anything else of interest was on hand.
Another extremely familiar 'face' in the distance the

Submarine Service Escape (Training) Tower
once part of the now defunct HMS Dolphin.

I qualified here back in the 60's when the requirement was to undertake 3 simulated escapes from 30 feet (free ascent), 2 (free ascents) from 40 feet followed by 1 (free) and 1 (suited) assents from 100 feet. Not quiet a scary as you might think travelling through 100 feet of water as everything followed strict control, quiet exhilarating in fact.

The only other Gulls on offer were

BLACK-HEADED GULL

and precious few of them

juvenile and adult

HERRING GULL

so time to break out the Warburtons
A few slices broken up and scattered about had not only the

Ring-billed Gull
take to the wing

but all others around it.

Despite the disparaging but lighthearted comments above I do

very much enjoy a 'jolly' into Hampshire now and again, the next

will have to include a visit to my dear 'wingers' Paul and Tess.

Take that as an Early Warning you two!

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