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TRAVELLING NATURALIST TRIP REPORT
Monday 5 - Thursday 8 July 2004Leader: Bob Ford Highlights of this remarkable trip could include any of the following: the evening deer watch, the singing Nightjars, the brilliantly colourful Kingfisher or the close views of the feeding flock of Godwits. For me however none of these compare with the amazing sight of a Honey Buzzard displaying over the treetops of the New Forest. Monday July 5th Weather: Dry and cool in the evening, wind light northerly Our introduction to the New Forest was a dusk trip to Yew Tree Bottom. The first Nightjar was heard as soon as we left the bus and was seen briefly. No others subsequently appeared but we heard several more out on the heath. A roding Woodcock was considerably more co-operative as it flew low over our heads. Walking back to the bus we found a total of five Glow-worms a very good tally compared to recent years and considering the less than balmy conditions. Tuesday July 6th Weather: Warm, dry and sunny, wind light northerly After an excellent breakfast at the Forest Park Hotel we set out for a raptor-watching site. Smaller birds were first on the menu with Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler giving good views. The singing Blackcap stayed hidden, but we did see a close female later on. The first bird of prey was a soaring Common Buzzard, showing us its characteristic flight profile (wings raised above horizontal and held forward) as it circled high above us. Walking out of the woods and onto the heathland gave us the opportunity to catch up on the typical heathland flora including a fine stand of Bog Asphodels. We had just locked on to our second Common Buzzard when another bird joined it on its thermal. The close proximity of the 2 birds allowed direct comparison of the flight profiles and the second bird clearly had narrower, straighter wings. As it banked we could see that the wings were held flat and we realised that we were looking at a Honey Buzzard! The fanned tail was broad but clearly longer than its companion. All too soon it dropped off its thermal and made a rapid descent down into the forest. It was another 30 minutes before it appeared again, this time much closer and low over the trees, giving us an even better view of its flappy un-Buzzard-like flight and long tail. As if this wasn't enough it suddenly climbed upwards, only to drop back down suddenly in a huge loop the bird was showing us a full flight display! After several of these breath-taking performances the display reached its climax with the bird's wings clapped vertically over its back and then shaken backwards and forwards. This display was watched for a good 5 minutes before the bird flew off into the forest. What a start to the week! We needed a break after this and stopped at the lily pond for lunch. Emperor and Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies dashed around us while brilliant Blue Damselflies danced around the edge of the pond. Nearby a bright yellow Brimstone butterfly cruised passed. We sat and ate our sandwiches, considering ourselves very fortunate indeed. The short walk back to the bus produced a number of notable sightings, including the remarkable sight of a Treecreeper sunbathing (or anting?) on a fallen tree, its wings outstretched and held flattened against the trunk. The afternoon trip was to the coast at Keyhaven, always a great bird-watching location. Today it lived up to its reputation with a pair of Mediterranean Gulls, a close Kingfisher and a flock of feeding Black-tailed Godwits seen from just outside the car park! Walking along the sea wall a number of other birds were seen including single Curlew and Snipe. Reaching the first lagoon more Black-tailed Godwits were found and the first new bird for the Travelling Naturalist New Forest list a fine adult Yellow-legged Gull. Butterflies were also in evidence on this fine afternoon including several Marbled Whites and Small Skippers. After a lengthy and much-appreciated dinner we wandered out onto the area known as Butts Lawn just outside the hotel. A number of unusual plants were found including the first Meadow Thistles seen on one of these trips. The highlight was the unidentified large insect which collided with your leader and was almost certainly a male Stag Beetle. One bramble bush had a number of ghostly white forms hovering around it female Brown-tail moths looking for egg-laying sites. Wednesday July 7th Weather: Warm, with long sunny spells in the morning and a strengthening easterly wind. Heavy rain in afternoon and evening. The walk from the Shatterford car park down to Bishop's Dyke produced a pair of Wood Larks and a host of new plants including Bogbean, Marsh St John's Wort and Marsh Pennywort. At the edge of the woodland we found the first totally new find of the day a sizeable patch of Small Cudweed (growing alongside the charming little Common Birdsfoot). Another rarity was found further along the path, the tiny white star-like flowers of Round-leaved Crowfoot. An ancient Oak with a colourful young specimen of Artist's Fungus growing at its base received close attention by the photographers in the group until it became obvious that the tree was also home to a number of Hornets. An impressive Dor Beetle was found trundling along the path where several colonies of Solitary Bees were being harassed by various species of wasp. A bright green beetle found here turned out to be the chafer Anomala dubia, another addition to the New Forest list. Butterflies were few and far between in the near-gale force wind, but we did find a gorgeous Small Copper and several Large Skippers. Lunch in Denny Wood was a rather nervous affair with twigs and small branches crashing down all around us but remarkably a single Silver-washed Fritillary did brave the storm. Plants here included plenty of Butcher's Broom and, just outside the woodland, a beautiful fresh Heath Spotted Orchid. A Green Woodpecker was seen flying across the heath at a record speed with the wind now a full gale force 8. Fortunately the rain held off until we reached the bus. The best place to be in torrential rain has to be under the sheltering branches of the largest tree in the world - the Giant Redwood. The afternoon found us doing just that in Rhinefield Arboretum where we also saw some huge Douglas Firs and much smaller but just as beautiful Hard Ferns. The rain continued pouring down over dinner and it was with some trepidation that we set out for our evening deer walk. All was forgotten as we reached the hide overlooking Queens Meadow and saw the herd of female Fallow Deer with their young. Several Red Deer also appeared with their own youngsters. Just outside the hide a Kingfisher was fishing on Highland Water, one of the few rivers to run through the forest. The walk back to the bus was dry enough to tempt out both Nightjar and Woodcock. We drove back to the hotel mesmerised by the sights we had seen and happy not to be outside in what had become an appallingly wet night. Thursday July 8th Weather: Heavy showers interspersed with short but warm sunny spells in a light wind. Morning found us back at Rhinefield Arboretum determined to find the Crossbills we had heard the previous evening. Eventually we did find them at the top of a very tall Douglas Fir and a few of us were able to get a good view through the telescope before they flew off. The highlight here were the trees though. Most will not appear on the species list as they were under cultivation but some of the rarer species are worth mentioning, such as Sessile Oak, Japanese Cedar, Gingko and Cherry Birch. Wild plants growing here included Common Cow-wheat and another new species for these trips - Leafy Hawkweed. After a brief excursion to the see the Fallow Deer at the Bolderwood viewpoint we ate lunch in the bus waiting for the rain to stop. When it did we walked into Bolderwood amongst some very majestic Beeches. A fine Golden-ringed Dragonfly was found hanging vertically from a Bramble stem, allowing for close views and photographs. Both Nuthatch and Treecreeper were seen here and a Stock Dove provided a constant "hoo-hoo" in the background. Returning to the bus, a freshly-grown Cep was admired at the side of the path. Our final excursion was to Hatchet Pond, and was in the first spell of unbroken sunshine of the day. Oddly the dragonflies that this site is famous for did not appear, but we still had plenty of good plants to see including flowering Lawn Chamomile and the rare Hampshire Purslane. Driving back to the hotel for the last time we had assumed that our wildlife sightings were over when a splendid Common Buzzard flew across the road a few feet in front of the bus. A fitting end to a great trip. Bob Ford Travelling Naturalist Trip List New Forest July 5th - 8th 2004 * indicates the first record for this species on our New Forest trips BIRDS Cormorant Keyhaven Little Egret Keyhaven Grey Heron Keyhaven Mute Swan Keyhaven Canada Goose Poundhill Inclosure Shelduck Keyhaven Mallard Keyhaven Honey Buzzard Raptor watchpoint Sparrowhawk Raptor watchpoint Buzzard Raptor watchpoint Pheasant Rhinefield Arboretum Moorhen Hatchet Pond Oystercatcher Keyhaven Lapwing Keyhaven Black-tailed Godwit Keyhaven Snipe Keyhaven Woodcock Yew Tree Bottom Curlew Keyhaven Redshank Keyhaven Mediterranean Gull Keyhaven Black-headed Gull Keyhaven Lesser Black-backed Gull Keyhaven Herring Gull Keyhaven *Yellow-legged Gull Keyhaven Great Black-backed Gull Keyhaven Sandwich Tern Keyhaven Common Tern Keyhaven Wood Pigeon Raptor watchpoint Stock Dove Denny Wood Collared Dove Brockenhurst Green Woodpecker Denny Wood Great Spotted Woodpecker Raptor watchpoint Nightjar Poundhill Inclosure Kingfisher Keyhaven Wood Lark Raptor watchpoint Swift Denny Wood Sand Martin Denny Wood Swallow Denny Wood House Martin Denny Wood Meadow Pipit Raptor watchpoint Pied Wagtail Forest Park Hotel Wren Rhinefield Arboretum Dunnock Bolderwood Robin Rhinefield Arboretum Redstart Denny Wood Stonechat Raptor watchpoint Blackbird Raptor watchpoint Song Thrush Raptor watchpoint Mistle Thrush Raptor watchpoint Whitethroat Keyhaven Blackcap Raptor watchpoint Chiffchaff Raptor watchpoint Willow Warbler Raptor watchpoint Goldcrest Raptor watchpoint Coal Tit Raptor watchpoint Blue Tit Raptor watchpoint Great Tit Raptor watchpoint Nuthatch Bolderwood Treecreeper Raptor watchpoint Jay Forest Park Hotel Magpie Raptor watchpoint Jackdaw Raptor watchpoint Rook Brockenhurst Carrion Crow Raptor watchpoint Starling Raptor watchpoint House Sparrow Hatchet Pond Chaffinch Raptor watchpoint Greenfinch Raptor watchpoint Goldfinch Raptor watchpoint Linnet Keyhaven Crossbill Rhinefield Arboretum Bullfinch Raptor watchpoint Yellowhammer Hatchet Pond Reed Bunting Keyhaven BUTTERFLIES Small Tortoiseshell Keyhaven Silver-washed Fritillary Denny Wood Marbled White Keyhaven Meadow Brown Raptor watchpoint Gatekeeper Bolderwood Brimstone Raptor watchpoint Large White Raptor watchpoint Small White Raptor watchpoint Silver-studded Blue Raptor watchpoint Small Copper Denny Wood Small Skipper Keyhaven Large Skipper Denny Wood OTHER INSECTS *Brown-tail Moth Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Common Blue Damselfly Raptor watchpoint Broad-bodied Chaser Raptor watchpoint Emperor Dragonfly Raptor watchpoint Golden-ringed Dragonfly Bolderwood
Wood Cricket Raptor watchpoint Common Green Grasshopper Raptor watchpoint Pond Skater Denny Wood Great Water Boatman Denny Wood Soldier Beetle Keyhaven *Anomala dubia (a chafer) Denny Wood *Stag Beetle Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Glow-worm Yew Tree Bottom Sand Wasp Denny Wood Hornet Denny Wood *Solitary Bee Denny Wood Wood Ant Denny Wood MAMMALS Fox Keyhaven Rabbit Raptor watchpoint Grey Squirrel Forest Park Hotel Fallow Deer Poundhill Inclosure Red Deer Poundhill Inclosure Common Shrew Bolderwood AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES Frog Denny Wood PLANTS *Polypody Bolderwood Hard Fern Rhinefield Arboretum Bracken Raptor watchpoint Scots Pine Raptor watchpoint Ash Bolderwood Field Maple Bolderwood Birch Raptor watchpoint Beech Raptor watchpoint Sweet Chestnut Bolderwood Pedunculate Oak Raptor watchpoint Alder Buckthorn Raptor watchpoint Bog Myrtle Denny Wood *Round-leaved Crowfoot Denny Wood Creeping Buttercup Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Lesser Spearwort Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Round-leaved Sundew Raptor watchpoint Oblong-leaved Sundew Raptor watchpoint Glasswort Keyhaven Marsh St John's Wort Raptor watchpoint Square-stemmed St John's Wort Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Musk Mallow Keyhaven Holly Raptor watchpoint Gorse Raptor watchpoint Common Birdsfoot Denny Wood White Clover Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Red Clover Keyhaven Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil Denny Wood Birdsfoot Trefoil Raptor watchpoint Tufted Vetch Keyhaven Whitebeam Raptor watchpoint Bramble Raptor watchpoint Silverweed Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Tormentil Raptor watchpoint Wood Sorrel Denny Wood Dog Rose Raptor watchpoint Hawthorn Raptor watchpoint Water Purslane Raptor watchpoint Hampshire Purslane Hatchet Pond Ivy Raptor watchpoint Marsh Pennywort Denny Wood Wood Spurge Denny Wood Sheep's Sorrel Denny Wood Water Pepper Raptor watchpoint *Fiddle Dock Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Nettle Bolderwood Creeping Willow Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Sallow Denny Wood Thrift Keyhaven Sea Lavender Keyhaven Water Forget-me-not Denny Wood Foxglove Raptor watchpoint Heath Speedwell Denny Wood Lousewort Denny Wood Common Cow-wheat Rhinefield Arboretum Bogbean Denny Wood Cross-leaved Heath Raptor watchpoint Ling Raptor watchpoint Bell Heather Raptor watchpoint Bilberry Raptor watchpoint Lesser Skullcap Denny Wood Self-heal Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Water Mint Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Common Water-plantain Hatchet Pond Marsh Bedstraw Raptor watchpoint Honeysuckle Raptor watchpoint *Devilsbit Scabious Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Marsh Ragwort Denny Wood Ragwort Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Sticky Groundsel Keyhaven Daisy Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Yarrow Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Sneezewort Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Lawn Chamomile Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst *Small Cudweed Denny Wood Marsh Thistle Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst *Meadow Thistle Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst *Leafy Hawkweed Rhinefield Arboretum Common Cats-ear Rhinefield Arboretum Dandelion Butts Lawn, Brockenhurst Bog Asphodel Raptor watchpoint Butcher's Broom Denny Wood Heath Spotted Orchid Denny Wood Common Pondweed Denny Wood Water Horsetail Denny Wood Reedmace Hatchet Pond Reed Keyhaven Sea Couch Keyhaven White Beak-sedge Raptor watchpoint FUNGI Cep Bolderwood Birch Bolete Denny Wood Artist's Fungus Denny Wood Tremella sp. Bolderwood
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