A Day in the New Forest plus Blashford Lakes & Arundal

Woodlark.

I planned a days birding on Saturday 14th March  in the New Forest area plus Blashford Lakes & Arundal , my prime target was Goshawk , i tried a new site this year and after parking up i walked to the favoured viewing area and on route i saw a Woodlark , great start and a welcome year tick .

Dartford Warbler.

There were several Stonechats around and not long after looking at them i saw a superb Dartford Warbler which i always enjoy seeing .

Then i arrived at the chosen viewing area and my quest to find Goshawk begun , as i was scanning there were several vocal Siskin's flying around and were another addition to my year list , i haven't seen or heard any in Kent so far this winter.

Record shot of a Goshawk.

After about 20 mins of scanning the tree line i picked out a distant Goshawk which gave decent scope views , then someone else picked out another bird perched on a distant tree , we all got it in our scopes and as we were watching it a 2nd Goshawk came in and flushed it of it's perch , wow two Goshawks in one view .

Another record shot of the Goshawk.

I had at least 4 Goshawks in my time here  , there were 10+ Common Buzzards one of which flew right over head i also saw Peregrine & Sparrowhawk here.

Close Common Buzzard.

On my way back to the car i saw 3 Marsh Tits plus i had great views of a Firecrest in the car park as well as a single Goldcrest. i tried 2 or 3 other sites for Hawfinch & Lesser S Woodpecker without success so decided to have a look at Blashford Lakes.

Male & Female Goosander.

There were 20+ Goosanders including one pair in the mist of their mating ritual , first time i have seen this , basically the female almost submerges herself in the water alongside the male and then male does his business whilst holding on to the back of the females neck.

Male & Female Goosander mating.

Other birds of note were several Goldeneye , Black Necked Grebe ( in summer plumage ) , plus 5+ Egyptian Geese . From here i headed towards Arundal and on route i saw 2 Red Kites .

Male Mandarin.

Female Mandarin.

I saw male & female Mandarin which were a welcome year tick plus i had approx 5 Firecrest which as hard as i tried i never got a clear shot of one.

One of 5 Firecrests.

My last bird of this great days birding was a Little Owl which was located not far from Arundal train station .

Little Owl .