Oyster catcher
Godwits (Black tailed I think)
Little Egret

Its valentines Day!

Its valentines Day!
Originally uploaded by Missy2004.

someone must love me;O)

Idling Away an Afternoon in the Sunshine.

Armed with a few supplies of seed and nuts I visited a couple of car parks in the Forest. it was such a beautiful afternoon to sit in the sun and just watch the birds. By scattering some seed and nuts on a couple of old tree stumps, I was soon surrounded and entertained by our feathered friends.
I really like the cute little coal tits. In the Secret lives of garden Birds by Dominic Couzens and PeterPartington ( A lighthearted read if you like to know more about birds) they say that the poor little coal tit is mobbed and bullied by the great and Blue tits on average every 3 minutes of the day so every time they got a seed or nut I cheered them on! All too soon it was time to go home and I had to drag myself away from their antics but there is always tomorrow.

Bluetits
Nuthatch

Marsh tit
Blue tit
Chaffinch
Coaltit
Robin
Pied wagtail
Mandarin Duck. These are not a native species , but many have escaped and they can be seen on many lakes.

The Good Weather Continues

Its been a beautiful week end in the Forest and the dogs had two beautiful walks. Missy loves to get wet and then get everybody else wet.
it has been very busy as everybody comes out to enjoy the sun, but you do not have to walk far from the car parks to get away from the crowds.


When we got back to the carpark, they were feeding the birds and I got this one of a nuthatch.
Here a chaffinch and a bluetit

A day in Dorset

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It was such a beautiful day today. After walking the dogs we went out to enjoy the sunshine. Our first stop was the Wildlife trust nature reserve at Holmsley. This is an old gravel pit and although we could see some geese swimming we were unable to get into the reserve ad so only saw a distance glimpse. Just opposite we saw the New Forest Air Force memorial. We then drove onto HighCliffe. We had some good views of the coast line as we followed the path and saw several hang gliders in the distance. On the beach we were lucky enough to see a Grey Wagtail. Our next stop was Highcliffe castle.
Highcliffe Castle was built in the early 1830's by Lord Stuart de Rothesay and remained a family home until the 1950's In the 1960's two fires devastated the place and it remained a ruin until Christchurch Borough Council began a series of repairs in the 1990's. Only two rooms were open today as yet more restoration work is taking place. We stopped here for lunch and it was so warm we ate it outside in the sunshine.
On our way home we called in at Blashford lakes and I managed to get a photo of the little field Vole as he sneaked out to feast on the fallen seed from the feeders.

New Fores Airforce memorial

Highcliffe


Grey wagtail
Highcliffe

Lunch Al fresco
Highcliffe castle

An Afternoon with the Waders

We finally found our way to the Nature Reserve at Lymington today. Its very well hidden and we have tried a few times before, it was a sunny, but windy day. At times it was hard to keep the camera still against the force of the wind. By luck , certainly not judgment, we timed our visit well when the tide was out. I was especially pleased to get some good shots of the Curlew with that wonderful long beak.
besides the birds whose photographs I put up we also saw Turnstones, Swans,Cormorants,Brent geese,Shelduck and plenty of ducks that I haven't identified
It is a great place for the birds and a good walk along the sea walk, we will ddefinitely be going back

Curlew
Oystercatcher
Redshank

Green sandpipers
Little Egrets

A Busy Day

We woke up to sunshine and decided to take the dogs for a walk at Kingshat. At first it seemed fairly warm, but once we were out in the open we were soon chilled by the cold wind. After our walk we decided that despite the wind it was such a beautiful day we had to make the most of it.
We decided to go to Christchurch in Dorset. it is only about 40 mins drive and Clive decided to come too , so I got to be a passenger. I had never stopped in Christchurch before and there is plenty to see. We only did a couple of things today and so I am sure we will go back.
We walked down to the Quay first, and there was plenty of activity on the water, with swans taking off and landing. A solitary greylag goose was mournfully honking and gulls and pigeons were milling around. By the Quay there is n old Mill House but it is only open to the public in the summer months. When we neede to warm up and get out of the wind, we walked up to the Priory. No entrance charge and only a £1 for a photography permit. The priory has some beautiful stained glass and is mostly Norman in style.
Our next stop was the Norman castle remains and a short walk along the River Avon.
We finished the afternoon with a short drive to Mudeford. We stopped on the seafront for a cup of Hot chocolate and a cake before drivin down to the Quay for another quick stop.
Then it was back home to take raffles to the vet for his annual check up. No problems there.

The Bridge at Kingshat

Missy and Raffles

Christ church

The old Mill House Christchurch

Greylag Goose

Billing and Cooing swans

Pied wagtail


Christchurch priory. Building was begun in 1094, but a Saxon Minster from the 7th century was demolished to make way for it. The nave and transepts are in the Norman style whilst the great Quire and lady chapel are in the more delicate Perpendicular style.
The Priory has some beautiful stained glass and the sun was shining through leaving coloured patterns on the stone work.


Christchurch also has the remains of a Norman castle and Norman House

Mudeford

Our final stop this afternoon was Mudeford. i had never been here before and i ws surprised the beach was so sandy as just a couple of miles up the coast it is big pebbles! There is a great cafe here that sells wonderful cakes and the Posh hot chocolate was good too.

There are lots of lobster pots on the quay and the cheeky sparrows and starlings were flitting in and out of them.