#milkham

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2nd November 2024: Beautiful bramble flowers, views including lovely autumnal colour and mushrooms on a wonderful woodland and heathland walk at Milkham in the New Forest and Woodpigeon at home.

Robin, Meadow Pipit, possibly a Coal Tit, Wren heard, Grey Squirrel, New Forest Ponies, bell heather, gorse, hawkbit, ivy leaves, holly leaves, rhododendron leaves, wood sorrel leaves, bracken, other ferns, moss, lichen and my first ever handsome club mushroom an intriguing one to see and possible earthball among the other great fungi seen were other notable sightings at Milkham. I liked seeing knapweed, red clover, wild carrot, buttercups, a moth, Jackdaw and Woodpigeon on a quick look at Lakeside this morning/early afternoon with a friend's dogs who we're looking after and Jackdaw, Magpie, Robin, snail and snapdragons growing well in the front garden and petunia beside the house at home.

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Rainbow and sun setting on a walk from Milkham in the New Forest this afternoon. 05/11/23

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12th September 2021-Blog 1 of 2: The wildlife-Bits at home and walk at Milkham in the New Forest

After enjoying the Morning-glory plume moth in the first picture I took today in this photoset by my bedroom and sunflowers, hebe, fuchsia as shown by the second picture in this photoset and sedum in the third picture I took in this photoset looking gorgeous in the sun in the back garden we did another New Forest trip this weekend at Milkham having a long and nicely athletic walk around the heath and trees down to the Broomy Walk area. Early on in the walk over the heath I enjoyed seeing gorse in its nice yellow flower in places and mixed in nicely with the bright purple heather of a few different varieties. I took the fourth, fifth and eighth pictures in this photoset of these two plants. It was clear it would be another nice wildlife walk early on too with possible Spotted Flycatcher and Common Grayling seen.

For the graylings that possible became definite as we saw two of these medium sized light butterflies flit over the heath in pursuit of one another. These Common Graylings settled for a bit and were attempting to mate doing so deep down in some vegetation. They also flashed their wings quickly open which excited me as I have never seen either them with wings open or mating this strong heathland species and New Forest specialty which I have known over a decade. I took the sixth and seventh pictures in this photoset of these lovely butterflies. 

We came across a great pool with lily pads which a Wheatear rose from and weaved it’s way around into a pine tree. Seeing another one too we got to take in the smashing light, creamy and white colours of this bird -making out its distinctive white rump strongly in a binocular view - for a second Sunday running after the load at Lymington last week. Getting rustic experiences with these birds today I really made the most of seeing them before they migrate. We saw a few more great birds out on the heath including a bright brown Kestrel possibly young, more bright yellow exotic looking Willow Warblers after yesterday with some favouring a particular bare tree and Stonechats earlier in the walk I heard a little whoosh nicely as one flew such a good moment to appreciate and take in the calmness of nature. An increased array of butterflies again were on the wing with great views of Red Admiral, Comma and one that often has an influx in late summer Small Heath joining the graylings and Small Whites nicely. It does feel a bit of a butterfly Indian summer lately which I love to observe in the season when it happens. I saw a few harebell flowers mixed in with the heather which I didn’t expect and I was pleased with the ninth picture in this photoset I took of this. 

Going into the woods to go down to the Broomy Walk area as we so often do here and I enjoyed seeing a quintessential woodland bird a colourful Nuthatch picking a nut off a tree high up and Speckled Wood butterflies were abundant seeing them dance between the trees in the woods. There were also a great range of flowers on this part of the walk like lots of tormentil, some bramble flower and a bit of ragwort. I also noticed some sneezewort which I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of a charming white species which I’d not often seen before. I noticed some nice common earthball fungi on the forest floor too one I have known for a long time and learnt the name of yesterday. I enjoyed crossing a path going across the one we were on and spotting two New Forest ponies stood a little way along the crossed path. A unique charm of the wonderful New Forest suddenly seeing them. Another great walk.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: Two of my favourite butterflies the Red Admiral and Common Grayling, Comma, Small White, Speckled Wood, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Stonechat, Kestrel, Woodpigeon with one sat on the forest floor which interestingly I’d not often seen before, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, possible Spotted Flycatcher interestingly a bird I used in the weekend birding reflections tweets I am doing today I randomly draw which bird to use but I guess there was always a chance of seeing it when I did this tweet as they are about at this time of year, Grey Squirrel a few times and quite well after one yesterday too, another dor beetle after yesterday, some moths and I heard a brilliant barking Raven at a few points reverberating over the landscape.

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My Cuckoo and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker first sighting anniversaries: Updated 

Celebrating 10 years today since I saw my first ever Cuckoo and 7 years today since I saw my first ever Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 

I wanted to do a special post to celebrate once more one of my favourite days in the year 12th April due to among other memories on this date two of my greatest ever birdwatching moments in the New Forest in the early part of last decade on this date. I wanted to a post following a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker sighting a few weeks ago and the fact which I can’t believe that its been a whole decade since I first saw a Cuckoo that’s gone so fast. But with me working from home and talking photos and doing posts every day still and weekend mornings quite busy as a bit of a knock on from that and other things I don’t have the most time to be able to do special posts so ones different to my daily blog. So what I have done is rewrite this post https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/159498448669/my-cuckoo-and-lesser-spotted-woodpecker which I did on 12th April 2017 which was a rewrite of this one on the anniversary on 2015 https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/116192400602/my-cuckoo-and-lesser-spotted-woodpecker, I have pasted the same text below adapting how many years its been when I mention it and other small bits but just before the end I have added some updates of things that have happened with these two of my favourite birds since 2017. On my social media I like marking anniversaries but never mark every anniversary every year, however this double anniversary is so special the date is etched in my memory so I just can’t seem to not do something to mark it every year so this is this year’s post which I may basically re-post for years to come as I did every year on Twitter since I believe with the 2017 one.

Ten years ago today I saw my first ever Cuckoo at Acres Down in the New Forest, which became one of my favourite birds, and seven years ago today I saw for the first time a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Pig Bush in the New Forest. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is another of my favourite birds, and one I had dreamed about seeing up until this moment. As this post explores and I have mentioned before this is not just two separate anniversaries sharing a date but the sightings of these two special birds are intertwined for me. This is not just a tale about two of my favourite birds, but about two of my favourite places in the New Forest and the world and these moments being big parts of my connections with them.

On this day in 2011 we headed out on a sunny day for what I thought was a dog walk and landscape photography trip to Acres Down in the New Forest. At this stage I’d heard Cuckoos on 2 separate occasions, but never seen one thought I longed to. I particularly remember a day of near agony at Blashford Lakes nature reserve where we heard one calling the whole time pretty much but just could not see it this before we managed to see a Cuckoo. However when we arrived at Acres Down one of our top New Forest spots where we went on Saturday, and climbed the hill to look over the beautiful landscape I heard one again. It enchanted the landscape, and sounded very close. To my delight a scan of some nearby trees revealed a Cuckoo sitting in one and I was very happy. We literally heard Cuckoos (we believe there to have been 2 calling that day) the whole walk to Millyford Bridge and back from that point on. That two week Easter Holidays as I was still at school back then we went to many more parts of the New Forest, and heard Cuckoos at all but one or two of them and went onto see two more Cuckoos that spring which was extraordinary. So to go from being a bird I had never seen to one I was hearing on a regular basis and had a few sightings of was a really rewarding experience and just a time I’ll never forget. Thankfully my first Cuckoo encounter that Easter Holidays led to my first sighting of one, otherwise if we’d have got even two or three of those other places where I heard Cuckoos in before the sighting I may have been a little frustrated whilst you are always extremely lucky to just hear a Cuckoo their amazing and iconic call and its great when nature can tease and temp you and keep you so wonderfully addicted. 

As I’ve mentioned a lot before the heath land and ancient woodland of the New Forest national park is a great area for Cuckoos, and it’s so nice to be able to see them with their numbers declining across the country. Acres Down was a fitting and beautiful spot to see my first, it is one of my favourite parts of the New Forest and I only discovered it due to birdwatching namely Goshawk and Honey Buzzard species we went there to see, seeing our first ever Tree Pipit that day in 2009 too then after it became a very regular walking spot for us exploring so much the Cuckoo moment was the next big one here in terms of birdwatching. This began my love affair with the Cuckoo through seeing and hearing many more in the New Forest, and after less than a year of that day then years ago I proudly added it to my list of favourite birds. 

One of those other places where I heard a Cuckoo in the spring of 2011 in the New Forest was Pig Bush, one of my very favourite parts of the national park because I am captivated by its amazing landscape, it’s brilliant for wildlife and have spent many happy moments there I always say for me this is the best birdwatching spot in the New Forest exuding dedicated nature reserves perhaps for variety and quality of what can be seen there and its brilliant for all wildlife with many a day where we’ve seen an unbelievable list of species and very high quality species on a walk. Since 2011 Pig Bush has identified itself as the best place to see and hear Cuckoos in the New Forest in my opinion, over the last decade we have tended to hear one there most springs as it enchants it’s woodland and heath beautifully and some of my best Cuckoo sightings since 2011 have come at Pig Bush. So it’s fitting that my first Cuckoo and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker sightings share a date, because it was a Cuckoo that led me to our first Lesser Spotted Woodpecker sighting at Pig Bush seven years ago today.

The trip seven years ago started out similarly to that of ten years ago today. We had just returned from Gloucestershire visiting Slimbridge and the International Centre for Birds of Prey and was a week away from going to Pembrokeshire and Skomer Island etc. for my Mum’s birthday so I expected a dog walk and a landscape photography day, but what I got was arguably my best ever birdwatching moment. I had always dreamed of seeing a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker due to my love of green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and had heard they could be seen in Hampshire so wanted to kind of complete the set.

The endless search and unattainable quality had made me crave a sighting even more. Seven years ago today my wait ended in spectacular fashion. My Mum and her partner were looking at Redstarts in the wood at Pig Bush, but having seen these for the first time in 2014 a few days before at Ashley Walk in the New Forest I was more interested in the Cuckoo I could hear calling. So I walked in a little bit further in the opposite direction and scanned in my binoculars to see if I might catch the all-important glimpse of the Cuckoo, when I saw a woodpecker like bird flying with a black and white striped back. It was too small for a Great Spotted and clearly not a Treecreeper. So I confidently proclaimed “I think I’ve just seen a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker”. I wasn’t instantly believed but we walked a bit further towards the area anyway, when I managed to see the Cuckoo briefly sitting in a tree before flying off. I think I did know definitely I had seen the Lesser by this point it was just a case of seeing if my Mum and her partner could see it and get a glorious second look so this was an amazing few moments seeing two incredible birds for the first time in that year as well as one for the first time ever. Then soon afterwards the small bird flew back and went on a tree before setting off again, and we were all able to see beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker! I had seen the bird I had dreamed about and I spotted it too which I loved and gave me a great bit of clout in our small birding group for a bit, it instantly became a favourite of mine and it was another favourite the Cuckoo that had led me to it. At this moment I don’t think I’d felt more lucky in birdwatching, and I was on top of the world! What was also wonderful was that a place so precious to me had been the place where I’d seen the bird I treasure so much and I didn’t expect it at all. Looking back both the first Cuckoo and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker had the same impact for me of knowing in nature and bird watching you just can’t rule anything out because neither of these sightings were expected and in a way that made them and the memory of them all the moor sweet.

We got a second view of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker maybe the same one in the exact same spot in the back of those woods at Pig Bush in the New Forest in March 2017! This was an equally as incredible and moving moment for me and the one tiny regret I had from the 2014 experience was not getting a picture of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker so I was determined to leave those woods with one that March as it gave us a longer display. I remember that day my Mum said “oh look there’s a Redwing” and Iooked up hoping for what might be one of my last sightings that winter of this migrant thrush but it had flown when I looked up. But a small bird then flew onto a branch and I knew instantly before I looked at it that it was going to see a lesser I think and I was ecstatic when I saw this bird again it was so powerful and phenomenal. I remember getting a safety shot with my normal lens then time stood still and my eyes did not leave the woodpecker for a second as I put my backpack on the ground and changed to my longer zoom lens. I managed the seventh picture in this photoset of this stunning bird that day. 

I am very pleased to say that we did have Lesser Spotted Woodpecker round 3 at the same place in recent weeks. After seeing one in 2014 and 2017 here, 2020 I wondered if we might see one there and it might be an every three years thing we did go to Pig Bush a few weeks before the first Coronavirus lockdown but it wasn’t to be. I genuinely assume the 2014 and 2017 bird, my Mum did see it in 2015 too but I wasn’t fast enough to see it, was the same bird but you never know what was around seven years on from the original sighting its a fanciful thought but maybe it was the same one. 2021 built on 2014 and 2017 in that gloriously it was a very much longer view. We spotted it on a branch and watched it weave and dance between the branches and even trees and really take in the splendour of this very special bird seeing its elegant and fantastic black and white striped back and cute appearance. We were on cloud 9 when seeing this sensational bird again. What’s more on this day it was one of our most extraordinary days ever for wildlife watching as minutes before we had seen the other bird I associate with Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, another favourite bird of mine I dreamt of seeing in the same vein as the woodpecker for so long since I was a child and it was interesting that I for the first time in 2014 just a couple of months before the Tawny Owl so they were always connected that an extraordinary view and bird to see on its own. We saw a ridiculous amount of other amazing species that day too such as Hawfinch, Woodlark, displaying Lapwing, Stock Dove, Fallow Deers running across a heath, an unusual for this location Canada Goose and more. Just like in 2017 I predicted the sighting a bit just seeming to know that like 2014 the magic was in the woods that day to allow us to see this which felt amazing personally with me for this bird once more. An epic moment which I’ve been proud to have this year and it may well define it. I took the record shots the final three pictures in this photoset of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that day this year.

Cuckoo wise since 2017, after drawing a blank and not seeing one in 2016 the only year I did that in the last decade so far I did hear them that year though notably at Pig Bush, I have seen wondrous springs of the ilk of 2011 whereby we heard and saw or heard so many times at multiple locations and went on to see Cuckoos stitching together brilliant runs within years. This happened in the New Forest so much of course, Eyeworth Pond and Fritham rivaled Pig Bush and other strong area Deadman/Turf Hill for seeing Cuckoos. I took the first two pictures in this photoset of a Cuckoo still and flying at Fritham in 2019 a glorious early summer walk with so much seen that day too, I saw my first Cuckoos of 2020 there too. I also took the fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset of record shots of one in the Eyeworth Pond/Telegraph Hill area walk in 2018 and 2017 respectively. 

The brilliant Cuckoo run expanded to places outside of the New Forest too, notably Martin Down which is one of our very favourite places for the biodiversity of nature and views anyway where I personally might not have ever seen one there but I’ve heard plenty really allowing you to focus on the phenomenal experience that just hearing them is. One particular time hearing them was on the second May bank holiday in 2018 extraordinarily two days before the Eyeworth Pond sighting so that was some weekend when there we heard a couple including one calling very loudly in a bush right beside us! An exceptional nature moment in a year and in a group of years I have been lucky to have so many. 

But another top nature reserve, Thursley Common in Surrey, like it has done since we first went in 2017 for my whole hobby really (no pun intended for another of the key species there) has for Cuckoos added a new dimension to my journey with them. This is because we have twice got to see the famous “Colin” the Cuckoo who is a celebrity bird and people flock to the one bird laden field at Thursley in spring to see this legend. We saw him in 2018 briefly flying, but 2019 it went a stage further with him and another calling so well in the woods that day we saw him at the top of a tree staying there what felt like all afternoon and calling and we got crippling views of this Cuckoo when walking in the woods the other side of the trees from the field we were in some of my best ever views of a Cuckoo for sure and I took the third and fourth pictures in this photoset of him really standing out in my Cuckoo pictures over the last ten years for still shots of the bird. Over the last four years as I have done over the last ten I have been so pleased to hear the iconic call to sum up any spring, and feel how surreal and dreamlike it is when you get to purely hear a Cuckoo up close. 

The anniversary post from 2017 linked above has a picture I took of my first Cuckoo we ever saw a decade ago attached.

It still excites me now to think of the call of the Cuckoo and the look of the striped back of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker when these two monumental moments for me and my hobby happened, these are moments that will always stay with me, two of my greatest since I began birdwatching in 2006/2007 and what an honour its been to relive it with the species down the years. 

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04/01/2021: New Forest walks-My first Treecreeper, Goosander and Dartford Warbler of the year and more (10 different photos in this set to those I tweeted tonight) 

We did some more walking in the New Forest on my first weekday of leave for my long awaited week off today. On the way in I liked seeing my first New Forest ponies and Grey Squirrel of the year, two of three additions to my nicely booming compared to my normal starts mammal year list now on six which is pleasing my most mammals seen at this stage in a year ever. We first called into a semi iced Eyeworth Pond which was great, and alongside a Pied Wagtail on the ice which it was brilliant to watch I took a picture of this I was pleased with which I tweeted on Dans_Pictures tonight I was happy to see my first Marsh Tit and Coal Tit of the year always an important year tick and one I’ve been lucky to see so early on in years for so many years these two key New Forest birds so I felt so lucky to see them again. This set the tone for another top day of birdwatching whilst walking with three more year ticks later on taking my year list to 82 still keeping pace with how many I had seen at this stage last year six behind the figure I ended 4th January 2020 on. I took the first picture in this photoset at Eyeworth Pond.

We went on to walk at Cadmans Pool in the New Forest today, by contrast to its one of the hottest day of the year temperatures when I last came here last on an amazing summer’s day for wildlife for me in early August 2020 as it was very cold today. I took the second-sixth pictures in this photoset of views here today there were lots of lovely wet views with the pond itself and the streams. On the walk the wind revealed its presence by shaking some trees. It’s been a theme of today and yesterday with us looking for birds so much with so many year ticks available of seeing leaves being blown about on the ground and mistaking it for bird movement momentarily which is an interesting quirk. On the walk we were delighted to spot a Green Woodpecker flying into a tree then minutes later another of my favourite birds the Jay in the same area. I have had a phenomenal start to the year for seeing some of my favourite birds which continued later on as I mention below. There is a good little group of bird species that I’ve had such a good start to the year for seeing them again and again, these two are part of that alongside Dunnock, Wren and Song Thrush which I saw also today. When seeing the Song Thrush today I remarked on how as a Lakeside Country Park New Year’s Day walk mainstay for me in recent years I have not I don’t believe seen or heard their delightful song at Lakeside at all since working from home meant I walked there every lunch time when I’m working and other times too. So I thought would I struggle for them this year early on but I have not seeing them three out of the four days in January so far. 

Walking into trees I was thrilled that we spotted a little bird on a tree’s trunk climbing up, of course it was one of only a few it could be, the wonderful Treecreeper. I enjoyed a top few minutes watching this bird. Another species so typical of this divine woodland habitat which it did feel special to see. It really was a splendid sighting of a beautiful and spectacular species. A very worthy species to be my 80th bird of the year, something I always feel so proud to achieve and this happening so early this year again was amazing. This species was in the forefront of my mind as a target in recent days something its always brilliant to have in new year target birds. The big thrill in new year for me is getting as many species seen as possible, enjoying them no matter how much I see of them or for how long and seeing how my totals each day compare to my previous years which I do all year. That’s why I have a week or time off in New Year rather than between Christmas and New Year if I can to have days to lay the foundations of my new bird year list. But this year we have the added element of impending further COVID restrictions, which is definitely and so desperately needed for the health of the nation I would never argue against that. So this year especially I felt today I wanted to get as many birds seen in as I can before. There are birds I am yet to see and I know they will be something to look forward to after lockdown in many cases too, but I did very much enjoy seeing this bird today. 

On the newly announced lockdown by the way I just wanted to clarify a few points for people who may see my photos and posts what the new restrictions will mean for us. I would say as I have before that daily exercise is a permitted reason to leave the house, and I shall of course be doing my walk still for the physical and mental benefits and as was the case in the first lockdown beginning in March that shall be just once per day in line with restrictions. 

I would clarify that I am sure in a way millions of others will with a mobile phone, I will have my camera and binoculars with me on walks excluding any where I decide not to due to weather conditions. So there will be pictures and sightings still, some of them may be year ticks and I shall still continue to post these on social media to a level I feel comfortable with as I always enjoy doing. The walks will be walks, my primary form of exercise in a day for my physical and mental health and any photos or sightings will be during them. So I shall not be lingering in areas, waiting for significant time for a species to appear or staying in a spot taking many photos for a long time or anything like that. 

For this week as I have said I am on a week’s annual leave with my birthday coming up on Thursday too, so these walks will not be limited to Lakeside the country park we are very fortunate as I have said so much live right next door to as is the case when I work from home but other nearby open spaces will likely be utilized. As I can, in line with restrictions with me not working for this week as I will do on weekends during the lockdown, join the other members of our household including our dog for their daily walk. 

I would advise as I have done in each previous national lockdown and my area’s placement in tier 4 that I reserve the right to omit locations from photos and blogs from and about certain walks we do, and obviously any species I do see on that walk from any posts about it. This is something I always reserve the right to do and I do it when rare or sensitive species are involved. I just feel that whilst I do not believe with the people I reach on social media hoards of people are suddenly going to turn up and look for a bird or something I have said I saw at or posted a picture of at a site, you just never know what a post could prompt. And the point is that I will have a camera with me and binoculars as long as weather and other factors permit, and during a lockdown I may not feel that it is always appropriate for the posting of something being at a location or where some nice views are to be a so public and the main point of posting is to show the species or views and remark on what I may have seen whilst taking a walk. If I feel it is safe to do so in terms of the species and I trust that the person will follow all restrictions to stay safe in order to try to see the species or place themselves, then I am happy to discuss with local people via private messaging means. Not something I imagine will come up during the coming weeks and maybe months, but once again you just never know. 

Needless to say that every walk we do will be following social distancing rigorously, we tend to stay well over two metres away from anyone and we always sanitize our hands at appropriate points when out and wash our hands when home. We do have vulnerable people within the household and are very aware to the risks of this awful virus, especially the greater risk with the faster spreading new variant, so do take this all very seriously In circumstances where masks are to be worn we have always done this, and will follow any further advise given about this whilst walking. 

Back to today and at the end of the walk back looking around the pool which we had not inspected earlier on, my Mum’s husband had sent word that a Goosander was on the water a bird we needed to see this year. We were thrilled to look through the binoculars and spot this super duck. We then walked over to the pond and were happy and entertained to follow it around the water to try and get a picture. I took the seventh in this photoset of it. A perfect consideration for what I was just saying regarding lockdown in fact, that taking a walk within a tier 4 area as we did today does say recreation is allowed outside so within regulations we were able to walk around the pond a few times if needed to try for a picture of this bird in my mind. Had this been a lockdown daily exercise walk, if I could get a picture of it as we walked past the lake and saw it initially then fine but I will certainly not be deviating from intended walking routes or spending time specifically trying to take one picture in line with regulations at that time as I said above. It seemed to go round in a large circle of the area getting further and further from us as it went. We did manage pictures in the end though I tweeted one of it tonight too. Always a very valuable and beautiful bird to see in years. It was one of my first ever bogey birds for the year in 2014 so the bird I normally see easily but don’t for a while in a year but since I have always managed to see this species fairly early on and easily with them being at a nice range of water locations in the New Forest and nearby. 

Whilst watching this bird we were thrilled to spot another of my favourite birds the Kingfisher over the water and land in a small tree. A cracking view of a fourth individual Kingfisher I have seen this year quite brilliantly. An exciting view of yet another of my favourite birds I have had surely my best ever start to the year for seeing birds on my list of favourites which I am over the moon with. A smashing and very precious wildlife moment with one of the birds I have loved most since I was a child. At the end of the walk I saw my first Brown Rat of the year. My Mum also thanks to ticking Long-tailed Tit, Green Woodpecker and Chaffinch here which I had got as ticks on my Lakeside New Year’s Day walk and the Goldcrest she got on hers which I have not yet seen did overtook me by one bird as the little friendly race within the household hotted up which is always a fun bit of New Year. 

We then had a little bit of time walking at the wonderful Milkham where I took the final three pictures in this photoset of two views and a lovely New Forest pony. A fun moment seeing the ponies then a Grey Squirrel in a tree two of my mammal year ticks in one moment. I had a good day for ponies today. The Milkham walk was headlined though by a fleeting view of yet another of my favourite birds, a Dartford Warbler flying into vegetation. A fantastic bird to see, another year tick I am so proud of this year one of my best in the early days. I was so elated to see this bird, by far my earliest ever sighting of one in a year. We saw Dunnock and Green Woopecker at Milkham too. A wonderful end to a fantastic Monday off enjoying the richly wild habitats of the New Forest with a real variety seen once more. I wish everyone who may be reading this but this shall especially apply to those in the UK I suppose all the best as we enter as the Prime Minister has said probably some of the toughest weeks/months to come in this pandemic. Stay safe, keep talking and connecting to nature and know that I am always only a message away if needed. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first of one of my favourite birds the Dartford Warbler this year, my first Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Treecreeper and Goosander of the year, my first of one of my favourite mammals the New Forest pony this year, my first Grey Squirrel and Brown Rat of the year, three more of my favourite birds the Kingfisher, Jay and Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Mallard, Canada Goose and Moorhen. 

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In continuation of my previous post, here’s the photos on my 2021 landscape and other outdoors calendar from September-December and my 5 reserve photos for this calendar (captioned below in order of appearance in photoset)

September: Kyance Cove, Cornwall, taken in September 2019 

Another of my strongest Cornwall photos from last summer I feel, this one was in the tweet with four of my favourite landscape pictures of 2019 in my end of year tweets in December. This for me sums up everything that holiday was about, taken on the day we saw the Brown Booby there a very rare bird (one of the first three ever recorded in the UK in fact) showing that beautiful cliff and beach scenery and that devine shade of blue in the sea with the sun shining. I really liked this photo quality wise and it was always a good bet to make the calendar. 

October: Botallack in Cornwall, from September 2019 

By contrast this photo taken on our opening day of the Cornwall 2019 holiday in BBC ‘Poldark’ country was rather one of the more unsung photos from that week. It also had perhaps the most interesting journey onto my calendar recently. It was a surprise one that I provisionally qualified earlier on it was at a stage I was pre-qualifying a lot and I sort of did it without too much emotion in the moment or excitement that I’d normally get and did it quite quickly one evening but because I found it to be stronger and stronger than I first thought perhaps. When I was conducting a league thing with just one place on the calendar left and six from 2019 and six from 2020 on by that point by pitting photos against each other and doing a leaderboard I had three strong candidates emerge so in the very final stages of choosing had another think about this one. I initially compared it with the lesser two of those three from the league and displaced this one taking it off the calendar and making it one of my reserve photos for it. 

But before I revealed the calendar lineup that day on the first May bank holiday I had another photo, the first one the the reserves now mentioned below which I had pre-qualified early on too and felt didn’t really show enough quality among the other 12 photos I now had in place. So I got it next to the reserve photos and compared it and it just did not look better than this photo which was similar in a way and spectacularly I found myself re-instating this Botallack photo which I felt was stronger and then became a better fit for this calendar as October on it I felt. 

An exciting few moments that day, but I am glad this photo is here as its such a memorable one and really showcases what a nice day it was with rain on the way there but the sun subtly poking through and providing an interesting light show over the sea a bit as we opened the trip away and it also showed the nice former mining buildings etc which makes this part of the country look so distinctive I would find. 

November: Sunset at Slimbridge WWT from January 2020

This one would just not go away during the aspects of picking that involved comparing photos even though I had many sunset ones on the calendar as I said in the last post. It is a unique and what I feel is a strong sunset picture. A fantastic moment on the eve of my birthday this year and after a brilliant day of birding in this famous and special reserve. Joining my pictures of Bewick’s Swan and Woodpigeon on my 2021 wildlife pictures calendar also at this reserve it highlights just how strong those two days in winter for wildlife and landscape at Slimbridge were for quantity and quality of photos I took on that trip. 

December: Whitefield Moor/Holmhill Bog taken December 2019 

This photo was taken on my last wildlife/photography trip of 2019 so just a week or so before the Slimbridge one and it was a special day for birds for me as I saw my first Hen Harrier of 2019 to take my year list to the magical 200 for birders figure which my year list ended on. It was also the day that clouds and the sun lowering still quite early in the day made the sky look spectacular throughout the whole walk that Sunday afternoon and it was a real pleasure to witness this scene. One I found a photo I was so proud to take and its one of those I could go years without taking a photo like that again with the way the trees are in shot too. An obvious choice for this calendar too really and to close it. 

So my reserves for this calendar in order of appearance in this photoset (the last 5 photos) are; Lymington in July 2019, another one at Pig Bush, New Forest in February 2020, another at Cape Cornwall in September 2019, Warkworth Castle in Northumberland in June 2019 and another at Milkham in the New Forest in March this year. 

That brings to an end a very full 12 months of calendar decisions really, it was a challenging one to pick with from June onwards both “shortlists” for my calendars at around 150 photos and more at given times so higher than usual for most of the time with the amount of photos I’m taking and producing per trip going up and up and up. But it was a joy for me to spend hours using different techniques to either pick pictures to go on the calendar or eliminate ones from the race to and was especially such a fun activity in lockdown times when the judging for this always ramps up anyway. Now its time to make the calendars in August/September and have them ready to be my Christmas present once more. All photos that I’ve been taking from early May until now and from here on in in 2020 shall get their chances in my 2022 calendar races with the shortlists for that well under way now. Thanks for all your support for my calendar reveals and photos in general. 

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22/12/17-Broomy Walk to Milkham and back in the New Forest 

Pictured: Our journey on the path shown through the first two photos and a view at Milkham. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: Two of my favourite birds the Dartford Warbler and Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Chaffinch, Blackbird and Robin. 

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Crossbill, view and deceiver and saffron milkcap mushrooms on a lovely sunny walk at Milkham in the New Forest after the morning rain today 28/09/2025

It was also great to see a Dor beetle rolling dog poo on the path a fascinating moment, Buzzard, Chiffchaff and Stonechat together, a bird I'm on a great run for Raven, Speckled Wood, autumn hawkbit, self-heal, penny bun mushroom, red raspberry slime mould and bank haircap moss. On the way it was great to see my first New Forest pigs out for pannage of the autumn (where commoners exercise their right to turn out pigs in the forest to gorge on the acorns which are harmful to the ponies - and they're much needed this year with a bumper crop of acorns!) with a great view of a Sparrowhawk on the way back. I had some brilliant time out in a relaxing and productive weekend.