“On Friday 26^th  June members(2) enjoyed a wonderful morning out at Testwood Lakes.

We had a lovely walk from the main building to the two hides, where we saw 11 different birds which were..

Swans, Heron, House Martins, Coot, Black Headed Gulls,  Egret., Lapwing, Sparrow,  Mallards, Terns,   and what a wonderful sight they were...

It never ceases to amaze  us the wonders of Nature, In addition the walk to and from the hides showed us more wonders  of nature in the hedgerows.

Nature Watch will be on Friday 22nd February@10.00 am meeting in the free car park if possible @ Keyhaven.  John Hammond 02380 812762. 

	Jack Read: Part of photos
Nature walk
3

1 VIEW PHOTOS

July Nature Walk

“Nature Watch Friday  27^th July”

2 members- John Hammond and myself(Michael Page) met at the usual car Park in Keyhaven for our monthly  nature watch.

We walked along the sea wall observing the beautiful scenery and the Isle of Wight in all its glory.

Most of the lagoons behind the  sea wall were either bone dry, or going that way.

The ones that did have some water in were often very shallow, as we observed some sea birds as if dancing on the surface of the water,when

In fact the water was extremely shallow.

We managed to spot( 21 ) varities- Avocet, Wagtail,  Starlings, , Crow, Egrets ,Black Headed Gulls, ordinary Gulls, Canada Geese(very large numbers) Oyster Catchers,,

                                                                     Shell Ducks, Wadders, Red Shanks, Godwit, Lapwing, Wood Pigeon, Wagtails,  White Coot, Tufted Duck Large , Black Backed Gulls,  Swans, and Ravens.

In spite  of the shortage of water the many different plants all seemed to be doing very well.

The morning was a great success in spite of our small group.

The next Nature Watch will be on Friday 24^th August, 10am starting  at Blashford Lakes,  meeting at the usual car park.

The reason for it not being the usual Last Friday in the month is that on the 31/8/18 we have our Branch Outing to the Bournemouth Air Show. If you want to go and

have not yet put your name down, please  contact Ingrid Summersby on 02380  293150 or email on ingrid.summersby@yahoo.co.uk

January outing to Blashford Lakes

Today the  26th January we had a very successful “Nature Watch” visit to Blashford Lakes  Nature Reserve, and there were 8 members present.

 

It was  cold  and damp when we arrived but as the morning went on, the skies started  to clear a bit(the odd bit of blue) and it got a bit warmer.

 

The  Nature Reserve was very busy with members of the Public arriving and going all the time.

 

We visited all 3 hides on the main site, and then the other hide over the road.

 

As far as we could tell we saw  the following birds..Robin. Swan. Coot. Teal. Mallards. Wigeon.Song Thrush. Thrush, Blue Tits, Chaffinchs,

Blackbird, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Woodpecker, Brambling, Canada Geese, Herring Gulls, Cormont, Sholever, Siskin, Tufted Ducks  and Great Crested |Grebes.

 

Also pointed out by  Vanessa was all the “Scarlet Elfin Cup” fungi, and how pretty it looked in front of us.

 

Our morning was enjoyed by all, and we will look forward to the next one on Friday 23rd February- location to be advised later.

 

Thanks to everyone who turned up.

 

regards

 

Michael Page

 

Nature watch walks

This year’s walks so far have included

February 24^th Blashford Lakes

March 31^st Eyeworth Pond

April 28^th Eling

May 26^th Cancelled

June 30^th Reptile Centre

July 28^th Ashlett Creek

14 people and 1 dog attended this very pleasant walk, the sun put it’s now usual appearance.

The walk started along the water’s edge progressed inland ending at the power station before returning to the cars, a walk of approx 2 hours duration.

Items and events seen included a deer walking across one of the inlets, peregrine falcon, young pied wagtails, apple trees and blackberry bushes .

The next walk will be at Keyhaven Friday August 25^th 10am meet on the unnamed road just before the car park .

John Hammond

This morning 16 members enjoyed a wonderful 2 hour trip around Testwood Lakes seeing and having explained to us by Claire Bishop all about the wonders of nature, and all the wonderful things that go on around us whilst we live our lives. When you see nature actually in the wild,it is at its best and to my mind,always continues to astound and surprise us. It was so good that there is talk of another one,which some more of you might want to come on Many thanks to the 15 members who came on the trip, and for their continual support of our branch.

M. Page

Keyhaven January 2017

Nature watch 27^th January Key Haven

Seven very keen members including myself visited Key Haven.

The weather was very kind to us including the now usual sunshine, it was a little chilly but this was soon forgotten with the number and variety of birds seen.

The birds included meadow pipit, blackbird, magpie, crow, cormorant, reed bunting, Canada geese, brent geese, shelduck shovelor, pintail, widgeon, tufted, gadwall ducks, heron, kestrel, avocet, gulls, lapwings, redshank, spotted redshank, green shank, snipe, turnstones, black tail godwits, gold finch, swans buzzard, egrets, and finally a marsh harrier.

The next visit will be to Blashford Lakes on Friday 24^th February meet in car park near education centre 10am.

The visit to Eyeworth Pond will take place later in the year.

John Hammond

November

“On Friday morning at 10 am, five of us (John & Sheila Benfield, Jack Read,Jacks son in law Tom and myself) set off for another nature watch from Lymington car park at RNLI station around the sea walls and then dropped down and back to the cars, taking about one and three quarter hours

On our way round we saw many different  types of birds including Egrets, Mallard Ducks, Black Headed Gulls, Teals, Avocet, Robin,Canada Goose, Brent Goose, a Cormorant.

We did see others but could not identify them.  The weather  was fine and clear with glorious views of the Southampton Water and the Isle of Wight. However it was quite cold with a sharp wind blowing whilst we were on the sea wall.  But once we dropped down we were protected.

It was a good morning with no rain.

The next Nature Watch will be on Friday 27th January, starting as usual at 10 am. Location to be advised soon.

Michael Page.

Oct Rhinefield Ornamental Drive

“On Friday 28th October 6 members (John & Sheila Benfield.,Lea Whitfield., Christine Farleigh.,Jack Read and myself) enjoyed a very interesting and relaxing two hour walk around  Rhinefield Oramental Drive studying and enjoying

the local nature.

Various birds were seen, some of which were too quick for us to identify, some of the many varied interesting trees,

luckily Christine Farleigh had her tree book to help us.  Also which was very good were the many varied types of

fungi which were many   different shapes and colours. Some debate occurred as to whether or not we could eat

any of them, and one member commented that when out picking mushrooms you should not pick more than you can consume in the following 24 hour period.

 

All members thoroughly enjoyed the morning, made more so by the fine clear weather.

 

If you have been on this trip,why not try it out ,and give John Hammond a ring on 02380 812762 for more details.

 

The next Nature Watch will be on Friday 25th November at the usual place in Lymington,by the RNLI boat station.

starting at 10 am.

 

Michael Page

September 13th Eling
The walk was attended by 10 member including myself.
The weather as usual was fine with plenty of sunshine although we did have as short sprinkling of fine rain but this did not effect the enjoyment of the outing.
The walk along the river was flat and calm, several birds were seen including Kestrels, Ducks, Cormorants,Seagulls, and Buzzards. On one of the paths a feather was found which was identified as coming from a Collard dove.
It was obvious from the falling leaves that winter is on the way.
The next walk will be at Rhinefield A35, Friday 28th October meeting in the Blackwater car park 10am.

John Hammond

"THE NEXT MEETING  WILL BE AT ELING TIDAL MILL ON FRIDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER.

PLEASE MEET AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE MILL/TIDAL BRIDGE TOLL BOOTH FOR A 10 AM START"

"Nature Watch Friday 26th August 2016 at Salmon Leap"

"Nature Watch Friday 26th August 2016 at Salmon Leap" At 10 am 7 members-John & sheila Benfield.Pat PurseJack Read,Lea,Christine Farleigh and myself(Michael Page) set off around Lower Test Nature Reserve and had a very enjoyable 2 hours in lovely sunny day. We saw many different birds and some we could not identify- but the ones did see were :-- Herring Gulls. Wader. Lapwing. Mallard Ducks. Dipper. Heron(in flight) 3 Egrets. Lesser black backed Gull. Moorhen. Crow. But the best was "A KINGFISHER" which sat on top of a post a bare 6 feet away from us in the hide. He sat there for about 5 minutes and thn suddenly flew across the water and into the reeds. WHAT A WONDERFUL TREAT FOR US ALL. The location of the next one on Friday 30th September will be announced soon. Michael Page.

" On Friday 24th June 6 members-  Cris and Ken Farleigh, ingrid and Brian Summersby, Sandra Higginson and Michael Page 

enjoyed a lovely 2 hour walk  on the sea walls  around the old salt pans at Lymington.

It  was quite windy  until  we dropped  off onto the paths/roads back to the car park.

There were quite a lot of people about walking the paths, some with dogs or children or both.

 

On our walk we managed to identify 14 birds, which were:-

Black backed Gull, Sparrow, Crow,  Red Shanks,  Mallard ducks, baby mallard ducks, Oyster Catchers, Brent Geese,

Black headed Gulls, Shell Ducks, Terns, Swans, Sand Martins and female chaffinch.

 

There were a few more but we could not identify them.

 

It was a lovely 2 hour slow walk around the coast,

 

Why don't you come along and join us on the next one- John to announce it soon- and enjoy yourself

 

Thanks

 

Michael Page(Chairman)

NATURE WATCH 27TH MAY

BLASHFORD LAKES

3 members plus myself enjoyed a very pleasant walk in the reserve with sunshine not too hot or cold.

The three hiders were visited and a colourful display of birds seen, several of which are shown in the photos, on the way to the first hide a large grey heron was seen on one of the lakes, with its image reflecting clearly in the water.#

I visited the fourth and saw greylag and Egyptian geese along with lapwings and black headed gulls.

The next meeting will be at NORMANDY MARSH, Lymington meet in the swimming pool car park 10am on FRIDAY 24TH JUNE.

John Hammond

Nature Watch 29th April

Testwood Lakes
12 member plus myself enjoyed a leisurely walk around Testwood Lakes in good weather with sunshine.
The blossoms were appearing giving a colourful display plus wild flowers, all signs  of the approaching summer.
Quite a variety of birds were seen including, Gold finches, Sand Martins, House Martins, Swallows, and Swift, and a very close hovering display by a Kestrel.

John Hammond

The Next meeting will be at BLASHFORD LAKES ON Friday 27th May meet in the car park by the education centre.

February 25th Keyhaven Marshes

7 members plus myself enjoyed a walk around Keyhaven Marshes, on dry paths all around, the weather being dry if a little windy.
The usual expected ducks were seen plus vast amounts of Brent geese, which gave us several V formation fly pasts. The unusual ducks seen were Shelduck , Shoveler, and Pintail, plus a little Grebe.
We were told there was  a long tailed duck was around  but we did not see it. on the walk back a single Gold crest was seen and in one of the fields a single deer.
There will be no meeting in March as the date falls on Easter Friday .
The next meeting will be at Testwood Lake on Friday 29th April meet in the first car park on the right 10am

John Hammond

January Nature Watch Eyeworth Pond
This was the first meeting when the sun did not appear, but on the positive side neither  did the rain, and we were greeted into the car by a solitary Muscovy duck.
Nine member plus myself enjoyed the rather blustery outing the original route was modified to stay on gravel paths.
Despite the weather quite a few species of birds were seen including blue tits, great tits, coal tits, chaffinch and mandarin ducks.
The next meeting will be at Keyhaven Friday 26th February 10am From Keyhaven Road turn left into an un named road just before the car park opposite the Gun Inn, free parking on both sides of the road.

john Hammond

Testwood Lakes 27th November
8 members plus myself were on this walk, sorry no photographs I forgot the camera, although not needed as it was agreed to have been a good outing.
The walk had everything light mist the usual glorious sunshine with quite an array of birds, both hides were visited among the birds seen were a pair of stonechats, greater spotted woodpecker, chaffinches, blue tits, great tits, buzzards, great crested grebes, cormorants, egret, a flock of wax wings, and a vast amount mallards. The discussion group came together again but were unable to come up with the collective name for mallards.  A check reveals  the name can be either a sute or sord of mallards.
During the walk interesting carvings were seen on a fallen tree.
A pair of peregrine falcons were seen overhead on the walk back to the car park.
There will be no meeting of the group in December, the next meeting will be January 29th 2016 at a location yet to be decided .
Happy Christmas to everyone and best wishes for the New Year
John

NATURE WATCH BLASHFORD LAKES OCTOBER 30TH

 NATURE WATCH BLASHFORD LAKES OCTOBER 30TH

 This months meeting was attended buy 4 members and myself, we did not get our normal sunshine but the weather turned out to be dry pleasant and warm. The Autumn season is now fully with us judging by the colour and the falling of the leaves. From the two lakeside hides ducks cormorants, grebes, and gulls were seen with blue, great, long tailed, coal tits, nut hatch, chaffinch, and brambling, seen at the woodland hide. At the Tern hide an osprey had been seen regularly but unfortunately it had just flown, when we arrived. I did return to the hide on the following Sunday and did manage to see it both roosting and flying well worth the visit

 The next meeting will be TESTWOOD LAKES ON FRIDAY 27TH NOVEMBER 10AM IN THE FIRST CAR PARK There will be no meeting in December John Hammond