Monday 5th June 2023 - New Franchises (New Forest)

 

New Franchises RSPB - Bath Birdwatcher

Yesterday David and Tony were invited by Tom Rogers to join a U3A bird watching trip to New Franchises in the New Forest. The site is owned by the RSPB but is not open to the public but it is possible to arrange a visit with the RSPB. We had arranged for a guide to meet and show us around the site. Leaving Bath at 07.45 we soon started seeing birds and the 1st of intertest was a Red Kite just outside of Bath. We also added on the trip Rook, Magpie, Jackdaw and Kestrel. We were the 1st to arrive and while waiting for the others, we spotted Starling and a Buzzard. 10 of us arrived for the walk but birds were few and far between with a Song Thrush being our 1st sighting in the forest. On reaching a more open glade when a large tree had fallen we found a Spotted Flycatcher soon followed by a second and while we were watching they copulated. Firecrest is a very common bird in the woods but so very easy to hear but almost impossible to see but I did manage to follow one in the canopy but I am not sure how many others in the group managed to see it, although we heard many more to find them in fully leafed trees was impossible. Blackbirds were a species that showed up during the day along with Robins but the most common bird must be Chaffinch as we saw or heard them most of the day. We stopped for a short break at Cameron’s Cottage a Centre designed for teenagers to engage with nature, and here we spied a Pied Wagtail on the cottage roof and Goldfinches that sang from the treetops. A new moth species for me a member of the Longhorn moths with no English name Nemophora Degeerella these moths seem to dance in the air trying to attract a mate.

Nemophora Degeerella - Bath Birdwatcher

Woodpigeon were next with our 1st butterfly of the day Speckled Wood all butterflies were in very short supply. It was almost lunch time as we walked toward a small lake and a Jay and Grey Wagtail passed by. We sat by the lake which we were told was built as a duck decoy and on the lake were 2 Canada Geese with 3 very fluffy goslings. Also on the lake were Coot, Little Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck and a Grey Heron on the bank. The 2nd half of the walk was even quitter than the 1st if that’s possible and Siskin, Chiffchaff and Swallow plus a Red Admiral butterfly were the only extras. At the end of the walk as we were all saying our thank you to Saul a male Bullfinch passed by. The only other thing of interest was one of the group found a moth on the path which I photographed and had to wait till I got home to identify it. It was a Grey Pine Carpet.

Grey Pine Carpet - Bath Birdwatcher

Driving back to Bath we added 4 more birds Black Headed Gull, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow and Lesser Black Back Gull.


 

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