A Patch of New Forest Heathland

  Finding the motivation to get out birding on an inland patch can be a challenge during the damp, dark days of January. Our plans to kick off 2025 with a New Year’s Day ‘bonanza’ were certainly scuppered by a dawn to dusk deluge, which returned the heath to its familiar winter sludge, after a relatively dry December. When we did manage to get out, our first circuit of the year was rewarded by a sighting of one of our most overdue target species, when two drake Eurasian Teal circled overhead at Setley Pond. Although plentiful during winter on the nearby coast, this was a new record for our patch, bringing the total count to 119, and a great start to the year list, which is marginally lower than in January 2024 at 58 species. As usual, all of this month’s checklists can be found at our eBird ‘hotspot’ , along with bar charts and other statistics. A map of the patch and usual route can be found here  for readers who are new to this site. A male Hen Harrier over Widden Bottom ...

  When all things are considered, 2024 was a good year for birding on our New Forest Patch. Despite a few disappointing omissions, our species list reached 102 by the end of December, equaling our previous record from 2022 and comfortably exceeding the 97 seen in 2023. Six new patch ‘lifers’ have brought the total count to 118 – as always, all lists are recorded on our eBird ‘hotspot’ , which now includes 4 full years of data; a map of the patch route is available here , for those who are unfamiliar with the area. Setley pond – usually a source of more hope than expectation – managed to exceed our wildest dreams in 2024, producing three of our six ‘lifers’: a group of three Cattle Egrets overhead in June, a single drake Wigeon in November and a pair of male Shoveler in December. A Moorhen lingered for most of the summer and was joined, briefly by a Coot in April. Mallards produced two broods of ducklings and Canada Geese were a regular presence during the Spring. Greylag a...