Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major)

Whilst A & C were busy with a weekend of crafting, P and I decided we would take the opportunity to do some local birding - and for once in an exceptionally long time, I suggested a “filthy twitch”, for the Boat-tailed Grackle, a presumed ship-assisted vagrant, which had jumped ship when reaching Southampton Water. The bird had originally been observed at the start of November on Calshot Spit, then relocated after a small absence a short distance away in Holbury.

On arrival with the rain so heavy, we were not hopeful of a sighting, and I left the camera in the back of the car. When it did show I took some “record shots” with the phone camera, but these do no justice to its blue / purple / black iridescent sheen. I retrieved the camera from the car, but having not checked the settings I took two dismally blurred abominations – before the bird promptly disappeared behind the fence. We left shortly afterwards as we were quite wet through and were both more than happy with the close views that we had enjoyed.

Addendum

On the 21st December Keith Betton (HOS Chairman) announced on the Hampshire Birding Group (Facebook) that DNA analysis of "some poop from our American friend .." had confirmed that the bird is in fact a Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus). On seeing the news I messaged P: "Turns out we twitched the wrong bird!".

Beekeeping Taster Day with The Noble Bee

We have just had a cracking day in the New Forest, on a bee-keeping taster session with The Noble Bee. 

After a fascinating introductory talk about the ecology and life cycle of the Honeybee (Apis mellifera) beehive, we got suited up and ready for some firsthand experience of opening and monitoring the health of our own designated beehive. During our investigation, we were able to identify the different “types” of honeybees in the hive: drones, workers, and the Queen, who was not only noticeably larger than her cohort, wore a red splash of painted colour to mark her out from the crowd.

a "natural hive" in a fabricated 
tree cavity

Other highlights of the day were a honey tasting session, sampling a wide variety of honeys from both the UK and abroad, including the local Heather Honey and Furzewood Farm Honey both of which were delicious and the product of The Noble Bees own hives. Another standout honey for me was a Zambian Forest Honey from Wainwrights – which had both a complex and smokiness to its profile. I likened it to a peaty Scotch Whiskey for its depth of flavour. Lush! Moreish!

After a joyful session of candle-making, the day ended with a timely reminder about the plight of the UK’s natural pollinators, and suggestions for making our garden’s (or balconies) more wildlife friendly through wildflower planting and providing habitat for nest sites - such as “bug hotels” and habitat piles.

Hoverfly Hunt #1 - New Forest

R and I went to Denny Woods this morning, to track down one of the rarer hoverflies in the UK - Caliprobola speciosa. R had downloaded the location details from iRecord, so we knew where to head for. The car park at Shatterford was closed for the breeding bird season, so we parked at Matley and walked in from there.

Once we got to the woodland clearing with the standing deadwood beech - it did not take long to connect with our target species, and what a splendid mini-beast it is!

Caliprobola speciosa

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) dead wood habitat

We spent a couple of hours in the clearing, but only managed to track down two individuals despite the amount of suitable habitat present. Both appeared to be territorial, and faithful to the trees on which they were found? Despite high numbers of other hoverfly species present, they were also fairly easy to identify in flight once you got your eye in, as they had the habit of flying with their hind legs hanging down.

in flight with hind legs trailing

Caliprobola speciosa (second individual)

dead wood features in the woodland clearing

Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis)

Black-headed Cardinal Beetle
(Pyrochroa coccinea)

Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor L.), Bishop's Dyke, New Forest

Enjoyed crippling views of the over-wintering great grey shrike at Bishop's Dyke, New Forest this morning. Seen again later at distance, looking south east from Denny Wood, as it hunted along the birch-line. No camera today, will have to make a return visit.

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla L.) Hordle Lane, Hordle, Hampshire

Today I caught up with the juv. white-tailed eagle [WTE] which has been widely reported in the Downton / Hordle area since the 1st January 2011. Although some local birders variously indicated that it was located in the area on Boxing Day 2010 having been put up by the local shoot.

The eagle was first seen in Hampshire on 12th December 2010 heading west over Hayling Island, Portsmouth then Titchfield Haven having left the River Arun Valley in West Sussex.

Driving down in torrential rain this morning I was far from optimistic of my chances of seeing the bird. Less than an hour into the twitch it was raining stair-rods, I and everyone else headed for the comfort of our rapidly steamed up cars to sit it out.

When the weather broke at 13:00 the rain finally clearing, the local buzzard (Buteo buteo) population (5 birds) were on the wing, causing at least one erroneous "buzz-eagle" claim before the WTE was seen launching out of a tree to the north west of the staked out field - the bird must have been roosting unseen in the very poor light and without doubt on the "wrong" side of the tree.

The WTE was watched for nearly three minutes as it flew south along the tree line before turning west and disappearing below the sky-line. Thrilling.

It was next seen at 16:35 further along Hordle Lane and where it was watched for around 20 mins roosting before it flew east. The report on Going Birding Hampshire drolly commenting: "sadly some way from [the] assembled birders." Unfortunately I was one of the "assembled birders".

On returning home still exhilarated by the brief WTE action; I was both delighted and a little bemused to hear that 7 waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) had been recorded this afternoon at Palmerston Road in Southsea on my "work patch". I have been eagerly anticipating their arrival in Palmerston Road since before Christmas and checking the site on a regular and almost daily basis.

Going Birding Hampshire can be found at: http://www.goingbirding.co.uk/hants/birdnews.asp

Blackhill, New Forest

Chlorocibaria aeruginascens

Cladonia fimbriata

Polytrichum juniperinum

Goswell Brook (Study Centre) incidental highlights

A days volunteering activity with Hampshire Conservation Volunteers at Goswell Brooks (New Forest Tree Study Centre) constructing pathworks also gave some opportunity for exploring the local wildlife.

Highlights on the day:

♂ small red damselfly (Ceriagrion tenellum) which alighted on the picnic table during the morning's first squash break.

A mid day sojourn to check the tins for reptiles in which three out of seven tins were productive: one tin producing singles of common lizard (Lacerta vivipara), a large ♀ slow worm (Anguis fragilis) and a grass snake (Natrix natrix). The second tin produced a single common lizard - disturbed from basking on top, the third another grass snake.

Birding wise a 3J robin (Erithacus rubecula) was very confiding taking the opportunity to feed around the aggregate stash  as we filled wheelbarrows, disturbing the ground and revealing tasty morsels for it. An ad. robin had done similar recently at Minstead Study Centre - picking its way through the disturbed soil beside us as we dug 4.5 ft holes to sink deer fence straining posts.

Singles of grey heron (Ardea cinerea) and ♀ mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) on the pond, and up to three buzzard (Buteo buteo) provided the rest of the interest.

New Forest Birding Off - back to the Garden then !

With the weather forecast so grim, the planned NF birding trip for today was cancelled last night before anyone had to set their alarms for stupid o'clock. This morning I resorted to a quick garden bird watch instead.

My neighbours garden still continues to hold the birds longer than mine at the moment - down to both the meal worms and fat ball on offer, against my seed mixes and peanuts (the latter appearing to be completely ignored).

Having woken to the sound of a songthrush Turdus philomelos singing this morning, I was pleased to see one of the regulars in the garden a little later on. A male house sparrow Passer domesticus; blackbird Turdus merula (4 individuals); 2 x blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus;  3 x wood pigeon Columba palumbus and a single robin Erithacus rubecula all present over the brief watch. 

A single magpie Pica pica first noted 14.02.10 was again seen taking big chunks out of the fat ball before heading over the wall for seed. The magpie is the second bird added to the garden list recently - two herring gull Larus argentatus spent some time on the neighbours kitchen roof at the end of last week taking respite from the aerial combat they were engrossed in overhead as part of a larger group.

Elsewhere Ian reported that he had a blackcap Sylvia atricapilla this morning on the apples in his Surrey garden.

Fair weather birders maybe - but it is dismal outside with only the shortest of breaks between the showers.

Nail Fungus (Poronia punctata L.); New Forest

UK BAP lists the Nail fungus as probably the rarest fungus in Europe restricted to the New Forest and only a few other places in the south east of Europe. Listed as Endangered on the UK Red List and Indeterminate on the IUCN Red Data List.

The fungus grows on horse and pony dung particularly where they have fed on unimproved grassland or hay meadows. Once widespread in UK its rarity is due to changes in agricultural practice - both the loss of unimproved grassland and heathland; and the reduction of horse use in farming. For more information see:

http://www.ukbap.org.uk/ukplans.aspx?ID=52

http://www.arkive.org/nail-fungus/poronia-punctata/

This specimen was found on Longcross Plain Nr Fritham. However, I can't claim to have found it, as it was spotted by a friend whilst we were out walking. 

Clay Hill .. Nr Burley, New Forest

A summer (partial) reunion of part-time FdSc W&CM'ers saw us in the New Forest, just North of Burley for some tree and plant ID action and mutual support with tackling Francis Rose's The Wild Flower Key. Success using this key was limited and other authors were found to be more accessible on the day, Karl's field skills helped to secure many of the flower and tree species without resort to guides.

Cross leaved Heather Erica tetralix

Marsh St John's Wort Hypericum elodes

Hypericum elodes detail

Bog Asphodel Narthesium ossifragum

Narthesium ossifragum detail

Marsh pennywort Hydrocotyle vulgaris

A couple of fungi also caught our eye along the way:

Penny Bun Boletus edulis

Orange birch bolete Leccinum versipelle

All photo's except Hydrocotle vulgaris and Narthesium ossifragum detail courtesy of Chuck Eccleston.