New Forest and Dorset for Oriole Birding - 5th August 2024

The crew all arrived during the course of yesterday and after a huge dinner at the Fox and Hounds in Lyndhurst we had a quick listen for Nightjars but heard nothing bar a Tawny Owl although the Skylink satellites crossed overhead while we waited.

A good breakfast at Ormonde House set us up for the day which began with a superb flock of 12 Woodlarks just around the corner at the cricket pitch where they shuffled around, unconcerned by our presence.

Gloriously verdant Greenfinches hopped around the ‘lawn’ with Goldfinches, Linnets and Meadow Pipits and Stonechats surveyed from the Gorse.  A couple of Bee-wolves were making sure their burrow doors were clear and accessible.

Woodlark - a juv

Bee-wolf

Bee-wolf

On down to Crockford stream and although it started grey, it soon warmed up and we had a good session watching Southern and Small Red Damselflies and were surprised to find a single Scarce Blue-tailed Damsel as well as Common Blue-tailed and several gleaming male Beautiful Demoiselles.

Small Red Damselfly

Beautiful Demoiselle

Southern Damselfly

Southern Damselfly

Several Keeled Skimmers were seen as well a single female Common Darter.  There were Minnows in the stream and Whirlygigs and Pond Skaters on the surface as well as a few small moths including Anania coronata.

Keeled Skimmer

Common Darter

Anania coronata

Marsh St John’s Wort was tightly closed up but we also found Bog Pimpernel, Betony, Calamint, both ‘normal’ and Lesser Water-Plantain, Water Mint and Lousewort amongst the clumps of Bog Myrtle. A tiny looking Knapweed was identified as Dyer's Plumeless Saw-wort.

Bog Pimpernel

Lousewort

Bog Myrtle

Marsh St John’s Wort 

Water Mint

I think that this is Calamint

Dyer's Plumeless Saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria)

Lesser Water-Plantain

There were birds too with a party of Spotted Flycatchers and Willow Warblers moving through with some tits and Song Thrushes and Blackbirds under the Willows while Ravens kronked overhead.  A Hobby dashed through the heath and a solitary Curlew flew in lazy circuits calling mournfully.  It is always such an emotive sound regardless of what habitat you are in.

We ambled back picking up Field and Common Green Grasshoppers but Gatekeepers and a single cryptic Grayling were the only Butterflies seen.  Down at Hatchet Pond we only found a single Common Blue Damselfly although the Water Lilies were wonderful and a few waterybirds were added to the list.

Grayling

Field Grasshopper

Lunch at Pig Bush produced soaring Buzzards and Ravens and in the woods we could hear Firecrests, Coal Tits and Treecreepers and a brood of Goldcrest actually came to the front for all to enjoy.  Sitting there also added both Holly Blue and a luminous male Brimstone and a very vivid Southern Hawker before we took a short walk down through the trees.

A pair of Stock Doves head bobbed along the path in front before we emerged out into the open once again. Bee-wolves were bringing in Honey Bee prey at our feet and a Honey-Buzzard emerged from the tree line and powered across the view before joining a second bird.  We had just been watching Common Buzzards and their flight profile and although distant it was a useful exercise.

Bee-wolf with prey trying to find her burrow entrance

Stonechats were dotted around but still no Dartfords and Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral joined the Butterfly tally while a Peregrine called loudly over the wood but unseen from inside.

Up to Matley Bog which was very dry indeed but somehow we still found three each of Emerald Damselflies and Common Darters along with a male Emperor patrolling the Bracken boundary to the trees where Wood Crickets were still chirping.

Emerald Damselfly

Emerald Damselfly

Common Darter

A tatty female Silver Studded Blue was a bonus and a male Common Blue was added but there was a general paucity of insect life.  Stonechats and Meadow Pipits were the only birds on the heath amongst the shimmering purple and pink haze of different Heathers.  Both Round and Oblong-leaved Sundews were in full flower despite the dryness.

Oblong-leaved Sundew

Oblong-leaved Sundew

Round-leaved Sundew

Back at the car a pair of Bullfinches briefly greeted us and a Volucella pellucens was only the second Hoverfly of the day.  Our final stop was back down the road at Shatterford where we walked down to the railway bridge.  Once again only Meadow Pipits and Stonechats were seen on the Heather but Starling flocks were roving around and both House Martins and Swallows were seen above us.

The cows and ponies were in the bog but it did not stop us admiring the Sundews and Lesser Bladderwort and discovering the very strange Coral Necklace growing in the sandy path. 

Coral Necklace (Illecubrum verticillatum) 

Lesser Bladderwort 

Bordered Grey and Silver-Y moths were noted and a fine female Wasp Spider was laying in wait for Grasshoppers

Wasp Spider

Bordered Grey 

Spotted Flycatchers gave themselves u and showed well including a proper spotty youngster but with greying skies we decided to amble back and head off for our hotel curry after a long but fruitful first day but not before a herd of feisty New Forest Ponies thundered past us!