Autumn 2024 Update: Calm before the Storm
When the weather permits, Autumn can be an amazing time to explore the New Forest. The turning leaves, rutting deer and brightly coloured fungi provide an array of sights and sounds during our weekly morning walks and are often accompanied by some unusual bird sightings. This year, a spell of mild, dry weather provided good birding opportunities and some reward for our perseverance through the damp Spring and Summer. Our species count continued to rise throughout the season, with new records in both October and November; as usual, all lists are recorded on our eBird ‘hotspot’ which can be found by clicking on this link . There are also hyperlinks to photographs of the birds listed on this blog where their name appears in the text; for those readers who are unfamiliar with some of the locations mentioned, a map of the site and route can be found here. Devil's Fingers and Crimson Waxcap are common fungal findings on Setley Plain in the autumn The highlight of the passage migratio...