Hampshire birding 1st & 2nd January 2012

With the first two days of the year available to go birding and a determination not to yearlist this year I had intended to devote some time to starting my patchlist. However on the evening of the 31^st Dec news broke of a Dark-eyed Junco in the New Forest, and along with recent news of a Ferruginous Duck at Blashford and an Iceland Gull at Gosport it seemed Hants ticks were on the cards.

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Hawkhill Inclosure, The New Forest, Hampshire.2nd January 2012 

I woke on the 1^st having surprisingly stuck to my guns and had very little to drink the night before. I decided to make the Junco site (Hawkhill Inclosure) my first port of call hoping to beat the crowds and see the bird as reported feeding in the car park. By mid morning there was no sign of it and a surprising lack of people looking, though news on site seemed positive and dispelled thoughts of a possible hoax. There was little else of note in the car park aside from a few Crossbills.

Around mid morning I decided on a trip to Blashford for the Ferruginous Duck which was not as reported on Spinnaker Lake but thankfully had relocated not far away on Ivy Lake. Unfortunately shortly after catching up with it the heavens opens and I only really had distant rain encumbered views of it, a little unsatisfactory but a Hants tick in the bag none the less. The weather scuppered other Blashford birding that I could have considered though I did pick out a Bewick’s Swan in the meadows at Harbridge. With few options left to consider in this weather I figured I may as well be getting wet were there was a chance of seeing a Dark-eyed Junco and so I returned to Hawkhill Inclosure, where for most of the remaining afternoon I was 50% of the people looking for the bird. Clearly everyone had the sense to be elsewhere though some reward for persistence and a soaking came in the form of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at around 16:00.

The 2^nd Jan dawned a very different day in all respects, clear skies and sunshine all be it pretty cold. I had arrange to meet  Andy Johnson and catch up with a few of the good Hants birds on offer (we both claim to be ‘not yearlisting’) and with any luck catch up with the two Hants ticks I still needed (Iceland Gull and the Junco). The Cattle Egret was still showing at Warblington but we were soon on the way to Gosport to attempt to see the Iceland. We had no joy but the Ring-billed Gull showed nicely at Walpole Park and during this period news that the Junco was showing had reached us.

On arrival at  Hawkhill Inclosure, which seems like a different place due to the different weather, we learned that the bird had been showing sporadically with Reed Buntings NW of the car park in a cleared area, though as everyone present was aware it was difficult to pin down. Thankfully a phone call in the early afternoon saw everyone heading for a group of pines and birch where the bird and been seen a few minutes previously still associated with Reed Bunting. It was some while however before anyone got views and several people had dispersed including me. I had unsatisfactory flight views as it moved around between ground cover and trees but eventually I was in the right place to see it well and take a few photos. Phewww!  

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Hawkhill Inclosure, The New Forest, Hampshire.2nd January 2012

Hants tick number two and a cracking bird under my belt. The Junco was seen again more distantly shortly after this and apparently a few more times in the afternoon but unless it settles down in the car park to feed on the seed that has been placed there it will remain a difficult bird to see.


With not much daylight left another attempt to see the Iceland Gull at Gosport on the way home seemed the only option and with frankly low expectations we arrived in Harbour Road to news that it was showing! Good but distant views were had of a cracking adult Iceland Gull, my third Hampshire tick in two days, on the pipes of the fuel jetty where it was also accompanied by the Ring-billed Gull.

A couple of pints ended an overall cracking day of  Hampshire birding, but I’m not yearlisting J