All to Much - Ducks Deluxe

Continuing our journey back from Kingston-upon-Thames, after the morning visit to Gosport, we rejoined the M27 Motorway heading west as far as Cadnam then into the New Forest National Park. The narrow road to the tiny village of Fritham and our destination just beyond, Eyeworth Pond, is strewn with mature Oaks and Beech trees, the odd New Forest Pony and some of the best natural beauty in the land.

We should reiterate that it is not possible to photograph EVERY species

en-route, so once again we have turned to the archive for some of the images

MOORHEN
was added to the Year List before we even got to the car park
where a trio of familiar faces were already 'dug-in' undertaking the same mission.
They had strategically place some food at the one-bar-gate so in
quick succession

COAL TIT

MARSH TIT

and
CHAFFINCH
were added to the list.
Eyeworth is the most reliable place I know locally for

MANDARIN
being an odd day when they are missed.
Between us we were discussing the absence of one common woodland
bird when as if to order a pair of

NUTHATCH

landed on the equally carefully place logs.

Nice view if the spotted under-tail coverts.
A slow drive back to the main road, now the A31, where a
'hat trick' of Thrushes were also additions.

SONG THRUSH

MISTLE THRUSH
and

REDWING

A 20 minute drive across the top of the forest, affording beautiful views brought us to BLASHFORD LAKES, once a most productive series of Gravel Pits which, when redundant, were turned over to what in my view is the best Nature Reserve for 50 miles in any direction. Part of the Lakes complex is Kingfisher Lake which has its own access, via Hurst Road, away from the main Reserve entrance. Here, views are seriously limited and it is only by pure luck that a view of a

 

 FERRUGINOUS DUCK

returning here for its second year is available. With a high chain link fence and dense bramble bushes the 'scope has to be placed just right to view this 'scarce' vagrant from mainland Europe and beyond. Even then it ain't much of a view. The image is lifted from Wiki.

A Reserve of 2 halves, the watercourses attract 'thousands' of Waterfowl and Gulls while at the other side of the road the woodlands support an untold number of other species. Unfortunately, time was now pressing so it was decided to spend what time was left before dusk among the Geese and Ducks, and we did quite well. A crowded hide (boo) did have the advantage of many eyes and almost first in the telescope was the proverbial No 68 Bus! Having just left the Ring-billed Gull in Gosport here was a second, both in Hampshire unfortunately, but nice to encounter a second of these rare American vagrants. One in Dorset would be even better! Added to the Year List in quick succession were

COOT

WIGEON (male)

and female

TEAL (male

and female

GADWALL (male left)

GREYLAG GOOSE

BLACK-NECKED GREBE

LITTLE GREBE

GOOSANDER (male)
 
and female

the only 2
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL
among what was surely 2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls a sight to see

GOLDENEYE
female foreground

COMMON BUZZARD

TUFTED DUCK (male)

and female

POCHARD
male

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

SHOVELER (male)

and female

LAPWING
and

EGYPTIAN GOOSE

all of these in turn will be sort in Dorset to be added to the County List as well.

An invitation to dinner at Harbins Farm House had already been extended, and while I was aware that Hugh's sister and spouse would be in attendance it wasn't realised that this was to be a 'full blown' party affair. Along with his brother (Lord Lawnie) and wife Gwen et al, we enjoyed a fine meal including Confit of Canard (appropriate given my day) and some fine Cheeses. There was however a slight downturn as my resolve to reduce alcohol intake was served a severe blow in its infancy, not surprising as there were 4 decanters of vintage

2000

CHATEAU DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU

along with an encrusted Port on the table - Hic!

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Going Home - Antonin Dvorak

It was quite a wrench leaving those 3 little boys, our 'brand new' little girl plus Bernard and Lisa, but 2 days in my view is long enough to catch up and unload a drop of the 'old folding stuff'. Gone by 09:00 it was a great drive home and while I have never yet negotiated the 'maze' that is Kingston upon Thames (even with a Sat Nav) my unforced detour did afford me the first Year Tick of the day

 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER

It should be pointed out that no one could photograph all the birds

they see in one day, so some of these images have been lifted from the archive.

The road back to the southbound M3 is strewn with reservoirs so no
surprises as
MUTE SWAN

a chance overflying
ROOK
along with a small gaggle of

CANADA GEESE
joined the list.
There is only one reason birdwatchers (twitchers) visit
Walpole Park in Gosport at this time of year and that is to see an
excellent sight by way of a vagrant Gull from the Americas, I was
no exception to that as the pool hove into view but the immediate first
impression was 'not many birds at all' let alone Gulls.

First on parade was this equally smart
BLACK-HEADED GULL
already on the list but also 'already' in Summer Plumage.
Time then to deploy the cunning plan, so out with the
Warburtons Seeded Batch Brown Sliced

which attracted a lot more of the same and just the odd

COMMON GULL
This did make the heart skip a beat as the most likely 'confussion species'
with the target bird, but it looked every bit as though it might be a full loaf required?

BRENT GEESE
not given to taking bread were next to arrive,

at first a lone bird followed by a further c4

making up a very small flock which surprisingly landed on this very small watercourse.

PIED WAGTAIL

showed before the

RING-BILLED GULL
was spotted circling overhead making for one 'happy bunny'.

This fine looking individual has returned to the same spot for

12 successive years now

and looking through by past notebooks see that

I have managed to see it during each of these Winters.

Where it goes for Spring and Summer will we guess remain a mystery
but it was GREAT to see once again.
With that secured, a Whimbrel (which should by now be much further south)
and being on very familiar turf it was worth a wander around the area know as
Hardway. This has historically been one of the Royal Navy's key

ORDNANCE DEPOTS
now home to the Explosives Museum.

A short walk brought the SPINNAKER in Portsmouth into view

and along with it the Royal Navy Dockyard.

HMS DARING
the lead ship of the Type 45 Destroyers or Daring Class
was first to be spotted and identified, followed by

the Type 82 Destroyer
HMS BRISTOL
the only one of her class which unusually has 3 funnels. These days I
am told she is used as a Training School or Sea Cadet Unit.

Lots of HULKS

strewn along this length of coastline both civilian and military.
It makes me wonder about their history!
Meeting a like minded couple, they informed me that they had just 'flushed' a

 YELLOW-LEGGED GULL
which has been in the area for a while now. With some idea of which
direction it had flown, I was able to catch up with it. So distant now
decent views were only afforded by telescope and no chance of an image.

 Also in the distance were a couple of
SHELDUCK

 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
a female strangely (for this usually gregarious saw-bill duck) alone.

 OYSTERCATCHER

started moving into the foreshore as a result of the rapidly ebbing tide
as I crossed the

MILLENNIUM BRIDGE
to return to the car.

High on PORTSDOWN HILL still (by the looks of it) stands the
Royal Navy Radar Training School also jogging memories of when
I completed a Blind Pilotage Course there back in the 70's.

HMS LANCASTER
a Type 23 Frigate
is know as 'The Queen's Ship as it is she who holds the title
Duke of Lancaster and also launched this vessel in 1990.

Another Hulk before other 'ticks' by way of

HOUSE SPARROW

LITTLE EGRET

REDSHANK

 and a small squadron of

BAR-TAILED GODWIT
This was only me part way home but we'll have to wait until time allows for the sequel.

Every year is getting shorter; never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.

Time - Pink Floyd

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