View from the van.

Another early start this morning with breakfast by the sea.

SS Queen Victoria entering Southampton Water. I do not think she has been anywhere in this lockdown world. I did hear they were taking some of the liners out to give their engines a run.

Although the tide was in and the nature reserve closed there were plenty of passing birds.

A Dunlin fly past.

Common tern.

As well as a Common tern there was also a Sandwich tern fishing off the beach (note the black beak compared to the orange of the common tern).

Looking over the fence into the temporary closed nature reserve I spotted a Redshank and a pair of Oystercatchers.

 

In support of mental health week.

Into another world.

Having spent most of my working life working in mental health services I can fully understand the pressure of what isolation and lockdown mean in the current uncertain situation of Covid 19.

Staying sane for me is going to another world.

After a short walk down the road and cutting across a field under a fence, I reach. “my safe space”. Mentally free from a world in lockdown and the spread of a virus that has infected millions worldwide and killed thousands to date. for a couple of hours, all appears normal. The best treatment for stress at this time is to get at one with nature.

# Wordless Wednesday.

Return to the New Forest.

A return visit to the New Forest yesterday. The car parks re-opened at the end of last week so with a drive for exercise and fresh air acceptable the short drive out to the forest was our treat today.

Parked up near Hatchet Pond. A family of Moorhens were my 1st spot. There were about 4 youngsters.

Around the pound were many Dragonflies.

Visitor arrived.

This beetle flew into our house this afternoon and crashed into the window. Looking it up I identified it as a Rose Chafer or the Green Rose Chafer, a large beetle about 20mm long. https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/beetles/rose-chafer

More Monday birds.

Some more Starlings.

And a Goldfinch.

Monday bird watch.

Only birds today no deer! A male House Sparrow, enjoying a high perch in the morning sun.

Alone Starling also enjoying the sun and a wash and brush up.

Wonders on a Sunday.

Back into local woodland this morning disturbed a female Roe Deer which ran from the centre of the field into cover at the edge of the field. From the film, she appears heavy with milk so a fawn must be not far off.

 

Wildflowers have changed a bit in recent days with both Foxgloves and Ragged Robin now in flower. The Ragged Robin is a species native to Europe, it is found along roads and in wet meadows and pastures. There is far less of this plant around my home in recent years.

Mr Fox was happy to watch who was passing then walk off a bit sit down and watch me move closer then walk off a bit sit down again and watch me again move closer I repeated this a few times before he decided to move off.

The woodpeckers were feeding their young in their nest hole in a Silver Birch Tree. Both the Male and female birds were visiting the nest.  Males can be identified by a red patch on the back of the neck.

First pictures show the male bird at the nest hole.

After the male bird had finished feeding the chicks the female came into feed the youngsters she was waiting near the hole.

Lockdown – extension.

From Wednesday (13th May)  we in England are now allowed to have as much “outside” time as we want and can drive to enjoy that outside time, provided social distancing is maintained. We were at the sea by 07.00hrs this morning breakfast in the van before a walk on the beach.

Views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight and Norris castle. The Castle was designed by James Wyatt as a marine villa and built-in around 1799.

At first, I thought this duck was dead but it was just sleeping. I have never seen a duck sleep like this they usually just tuck their head on their back.

No trip to the beach should be without a crab hunt.

Common Terns had arrived while I was in full lockdown and the Sanderlings had left for their summer breeding grounds.

HMS Queen Elizabeth was at anchor off Isle Wight.

A couple of favourites a Redshank and a Turnstone.

Found a new plant to me on one of the footpaths found on-line it is called Common honesty, it has oval and translucent seedheads.

Some things seem like nothing has changed however there are lots of signs of our Covid19 new normal world. A closed nature reserve and toilets and people wearing strange protective suits!

Cows – Wordless Wednesday