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 migration season was the appearance of a Yellow-browed Warbler, the first record for our Patch. Found by another local birder, Nigel Matthews, one afternoon in mid-October, I was fortunate to be able to call in to Longslade on my way home from work to see it feeding in the trees along the old railway line with a group of Chiffchaff. Migrants were otherwise hard to find this year, with only small numbers of Whinchat, Wheatear and Redstart, and sadly no Ring Ouzel or Pied Flycatcher. The summer birds departed slightly later than usual, with the last Swallows and House Martins lingering until mid-October; Willow Warbler and Whitethroat were last seen in early September, while Chiffchaffs were still evident in good numbers until the end of October.

Hawthorn berries were in short supply this year, perhaps one reason for the absence of Ouzels, but also reflected in the number of winter thrushes which have been well down on the on the huge numbers recorded locally in 2023. The first Redwing flocks appeared in the second week of October, followed two weeks later by sightings of Fieldfare, although the latter have continued to be seen only in groups of 2-3 birds so far.

Our usual wintering Lapwings returned to the heath in November, along with Common Snipe and a single Woodcock, which was our first autumn sighting for a few years. A group of four Golden Plover was a surprise sighting on 9th November, passing over the heath at Longslade View, and another new record for the patch. Stonechat numbers dropped dramatically in November, which has been noted before, although Dartford Warblers have remained relatively abundant, even as the weather turned colder, with several males still singing in the November sunshine.

On the pond, our usual Grey Heron and Mallards were joined briefly by a drake Wigeon on 9th November, a second patch ‘lifer’ on that day. This was an unexpected sighting for Setley and appears to be the first record at this location. Cormorants have also returned on a regular basis and overhead views of Greylag and Egyptian Geese and two Little Egret added to a good seasonal list of water birds this year.

Drake Wigeon: a new record for Setley Pond

The appearance of a Merlin over Marlpit Oak was our first record for two years, and a female Marsh Harrier coursing the heath on two occasions was unusual for this time of year. The pattern of white on her mantle was less pronounced than on our regular summer visitor, suggesting that this may have been a different individual. A distant Peregrine Falcon could be seen perched on Sway Tower as we crossed the heath one morning but we did not get any further Goshawk sightings during the autumn. A Common Buzzard was regularly seen enjoying the worms on the football pitches at Sway along with several Kestrels over the heath and an occasional Sparrowhawk.

A dusting of snow in Hincheslea Woods was a surprise at the end of November

Three additional records have brought the overall patch list to 117 species, and the 2024 year-list now stands at 101, four ahead of last year's total and just one short of our 2022 record. Hawfinch, Crossbill and Brambling have eluded us so far this year, and all are possible winter visitors to the patch woodlands, while Great White Egret and Goosander have also been seen previously on the pond in December. The change in weather at the end of November with a brief drop in temperatures, a light dusting of snow and the arrival 'Storm Bert' may be harbingers of worse things to come – but might bring some unusual wildfowl during the coming winter months. We will forever live in hope.