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keeroo92 · 3 years

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Flights of Fancy

My NSFW contribution to @jackpot-dantezine, where Dante and Reader discover they share a hobby. Enjoy!

Word count: 1,679

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Dante hummed and adjusted the focus, bringing his latest quarry into view. Brown feathers, a pointed beak, the last remnants of the avian’s breakfast still hanging from its beak. A robin, male, maybe a year old or so judging by the plumage. Gorgeous, though common.

It had been a productive morning; he’d catalogued a young pair of goldfinches and a plump great tit already. The spring always brought more activity, but this year was truly a treat. Now, if he could just spot that evasive starling...

“The heck are you doing?”

He dropped his precious binoculars and whirled to face you. Shit, how was he gonna explain this? The last time he told someone he watched birds, they’d laughed him right out of the room.

“Uhh…”

You kicked off your shoes and came closer. His palms were sweating. Shit, shit, shit. You weren’t supposed to come over until six. Why the hell were you so early?

“Spying on the neighbors? Anything good?”

Dante swallowed, his mind frozen. That sounded like a trick question…

“Uhh…”

Your hands wrapped around his binoculars and raised them up, fiddling with the dial to focus them. All he could do was watch as you peered across the divide and into the next building.

“Oh, wow! Is that the lady with the border collie? Hard to tell from this angle…”

Fuck, this can’t be happening!

He was so screwed. Either he confessed to his ridiculous hobby, or he surrendered and let his partner think he was a voyeur. Talk about getting stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“You know, if you’re into watching, all you had to do was ask,” you said with a coy smile, lowering the binoculars to meet his panicked gaze. What the hell was he supposed to say to that?

“Wh- what?” he stammered.

You stepped back and ran your hands lazily across your chest. “I’d be happy to give you a show.”

Still trying to assemble a coherent sentence, Dante didn’t resist when you pushed him down onto the cushion of the reading nook under the window he got the best views from. If this was going where he thought, he had no complaints, but it didn't sit well that your teasing came about from a misunderstanding.

You turned away from him and bent over, your ass swaying exaggeratedly. The first stirrings of heat came to life in Dante’s groin as your hands slid across your body, taunting him and toying with the edges of your clothing.

“You know you don’t have to do this, right?” he said. He’d be kicking himself if you stopped, but still.

You looked back over your shoulder and winked at him.. “I know.”

Dante’s mouth went dry as you slowly faced him, your hands drifting to take off your top. Each button you released revealed a few more inches of your body, the slowness of it close to torture. He licked his lips and tried to relax, but his mind refused. This wasn’t right.

“Wait, just… hang on a sec.”

“Why? Do you not like it?” you replied with a slight frown.

“Are you fucking kidding me? I love it, babe. I just… I gotta tell you something.”

You bit your lip and shifted your weight. “That doesn’t sound good…”

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, searching for words. This really shouldn’t be so hard, it wasn’t like he was trying to dump you.��

“I wasn’t peeping. Voyeurism isn’t really my thing,” he began. “At least, not when the person doesn’t know they’re being watched. What you were doing, that was hot.”

You rolled your eyes and took a seat beside him. “You just haaaad to say something...”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“Do you have any idea how often you've left out your bird book? Pretty dead giveaway.”

Dante groaned and shook his head. Of all the stupid-

“Did I ever tell you about the time I spotted a Hawfinch?”

The red-clad man’s thoughts screeched to a halt. Those little fuckers were some of the rarest birds in the region. Just to hear their call was basically winning the lottery. Nobody who didn’t take part in his hobby was likely to even know they existed, which meant…

He stared at you in disbelief. “Wait, you too?”

You shot him a smile. “Yeah, though not much recently. I lost my binoculars when I moved here.”

Dante’s heart flipped. No, it soared - just like his beloved birds. Joy and warmth formed the air current lifting it, suffusing his chest until he could barely breathe.

How could you possibly be so wonderful?

“I’ll get you a new pair,” he said, “So we can do it together.”

You hummed. “Sounds great. But you know, there’s something else I was hoping we could do together today.”

Your weight shifted as you faced him, body language and the lingering flush in your cheeks enough to drive home the hint - that dance was meant to rile him up. Never one to deny the chance to tease you, Dante wrapped his arms around you with a smirk. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah,” was your husky reply, lids lowered and breath catching.

He leaned closer. “Like what?”

“Like this,” you replied, pressing your body against the twitching bulge in Dante’s pants. Gente fingers brushed aside his snowy locks and your lips descended, planting kisses up the column of his throat.

“Fuck, babe…” he growled. You hummed in response, dragging your hands across his broad chest.

The moment you came up for air, his lips crashed against yours, hungry and haphazard. He didn’t care when his teeth clacked against yours, or that your lunch lingered on your breath. It didn’t matter when his jaw complained or how his tongue strained to meet yours. It was all worth it.

The heat of your body, so close to his. The scent of your skin. The soft exhale of your breath. Your existence enveloped him and cast a spell on his senses, somehow too much and never enough at the same time. He’d never get tired of being with you, not ever.

His lips danced from your mouth to nip at your pulse, teeth and tongue toying with your flesh. Need overwhelmed him as you responded in kind, tearing at his shirt and belt until you found skin. Warm hands on his body, nails scratching each time he found the right spot to suckle; it wasn’t long before two sets of clothing lay discarded on the floor.

And then, his favorite part - when you took him inside you and welcomed him home. So deep, your body responding to his as if his touch kept you alive. Moans and gasps mixed with murmured curses, hips slamming together and spreading his need across your thighs and ass. He braced against the windowsill and thrust harder, stealing needy groans from your kiss-swollen lips.

“This what you were after? Huh?” he panted.

Your spine arced, body tightening around his length. “Shit, yes!”

Dante growled and flipped you over, his eyes fixated on beads of sweat rolling down your shoulders and spine. You buried your face in the upholstery, sharp cries leaking past the fabric each time he bottomed out. Lost in the throes of pleasure, he didn’t care that anyone who happened to gaze at the window had a full view of his passion.

He grunted and tugged your hips against him, grip gentle yet firm. He knew how you liked it, and giving you what you wanted came automatically to him after so long together. The look of euphoria on your face was gorgeous as your voice broke, your body clenching around him as your core spasmed. Dante reached around to tease at your front, elongating your bliss as he followed barely a beat behind.

“Fcuk, I’m - ah, shit!” he cried.

Energy surged from his body, searing a blazing path to his cock and into your body, thick ropes of his completion dancing against your innermost muscles. Dante’s vision flashed, his body arcing as if doing so got his seed any deeper. His hips stuttered, moving without any sense of rhythm or coherence until he came back to himself at last.

Panting breath spilled from his parted lips, beads of sweat cooling as they rolled down his brow and back. His body felt light and heavy at the same time.

“You good?” he asked.

But your attention was elsewhere, eyes locked on something far away. Dante pulled out with a quiet groan and peered through the window, looking for whatever stole your focus.

“What is it, babe?”

You didn’t blink. “Hand me the binoculars.”

The tenseness in your tone and the set of your shoulders allowed no argument, and Dante did as he was told, pausing only to grab his boxers. “Here.”

As you brought the lenses to your eyes, he set a dish towel beside you for whenever you were ready for it. Whatever you saw, you’d tell him eventually.

Then, a sudden gasp.

“I don’t believe it…”

Dante crossed his arms. “What?”

Still staring out the window, you adjusted the focus. “It’s a pied flycatcher.”

Now it was Dante’s turn to gasp. They were one of the ten rarest birds in the region, never seen within a hundred miles of here. What the hell was one doing here?

“Lemme see, come on!”

You still didn’t look away as you held out the binoculars to him. “It’s on one of the higher branches of the oak tree.”

He held his breath as he searched the branches, his well-trained eyes used to spotting feathers among foliage. There it was, its brown plumage granting it camouflage against the trunk. It was preening.

“Holy shit, I see it! I see it!”

You laughed and tugged him down to sit beside you. He settled in to watch the little bird for a while, his free hand reaching out to touch his beloved partner every few minutes. The two of them took turns with the binoculars, laughing and sharing the joy of their hobby for the first of many times.

#fanfic #my writing #dmc #devil may cry #dmc dante #dante x reader #spicy #fluff #one-shot

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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Post 17 and penultimate post of my wildlife and photography highlights blogs of 2021: Six wonderful day trips or time away from August to November

Our one night stopover in the East Midlands to visit Rutland Water in August

A heartfelt return to Rutland Water where we usually go each year for the Bird Fair since I was eleven, in which we had two of our most thrilling and packed days of the year seeing astonishing amounts of bird species, headlined by many amazing moments seeing Ospreys and Great White Egrets stars of the reserve both doing so well there and our first Water Rail and Yellow-legged Gull of the year. It was also a pivotal moment in my dragonfly and mammal year seeing my first of many Migrant Hawkers of the year and getting a breathtaking intimate moment with my first Ruddy Darter of the year getting stunning Brown Hawker views too as well as see a marvellous Muntjac Deer which was sensational. Other key birds we saw that weekend a perfect mix getting intimate views of many were Sedge Warbler, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Spotted Flycatcher, Ruff, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Stock Dove, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Egyptian Goose, Ringed Plover and Hobby. With great moments with butterflies like Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell too, other wildlife like spiders and black slug and white-lipped snail memorably on a quite wet part of the second day, wonderful flowers like viper’s-bugloss, pineappleweed, cuckoopint and wonderful marsh woundwort and great views, seeing early autumn leaves and lots of relaxation in that brilliant couple of days too. I took the first two pictures in this photoset there of a Great White Egret at the Egleton reserve and a view at the Lyndon reserve.

A blog about it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/660263327372558337/rutland-water-blog-4-21082021-egleton-nature

Visiting Portland Bill and RSPB Radipole Lake to open the week days of our brilliant September week off

A dramatic opening day of leave which was a brilliant day’s birding at these beloved and stunning looking as we enjoyed on that day Dorset locations for us, where it was fantastic to get cracking views of the Little Owl at the quarry at Portland and be stunned to see our first Cattle Egret of 2021 late in the day at Weymouth’s Radipole Lake reserve which I got the third picture in this photoset of one of my very best and most important bird moments this year. Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk in a great day of raptors and House Sparrow and Raven starred at Portland as well with Teal, Shoveler and Cetti’s Warbler heard other Radipole highlights. It was a good butterfly and flower day too with Red Admiral and Meadow Brown and Michaelmas daisies, water mint, lovely montbretia, knapweed, St. John’s-wort, honeysuckle and my first ever red hot poker which was great.

A blog about it on the day: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/662256750169325568/13092021-blog-2-of-2-rspb-radipole-lake-cattle

Our annual visit to Richmond and Bushy Parks in the September week off

An autumnal trip we aim to do every year with a summery twist. The trip is focuses on rutting Red and Fallow Deers and we saw so many of these two of my favourite mammals again at both of these Royal Parks getting amazing and intimate views, and we also saw our first Black Darter and Emerald Damselfly of the year very well two of my most crucial parts of my dragonfly and damselfly year making my year list for that my second highest ever with amazing views of Migrant Hawkers that day too. Other standout species seen on an amazing day of wildlife watching and wildlife and landscape photography with some of my most photos produced on a day ever included usual stars of the trip Ring-necked Parakeet, Egyptian Goose, Cormorant like the one in the fourth picture in this photoset at Richmond, Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker and Pochard. Also starring were Green-veined White and bee on water mint a standout flower seen alongside tormentil and my first ever touch-me-not, Carrion Crow, Shoveler, Little Egret, lots of brilliant moments with Coots including chicks, Small Heath, Speckled Wood, and even a Black Swan, bathing terrapin and a Macaw a lady was flying around. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of a Red Deer at Bushy Park that day.

Blog about it on the day: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/662438212784029696/15092021-part-2-bushy-park-the-sun-was-shining

Visit to the Hawk Conservancy Trust also in the September week off

An inspiring first visit since 2017 to this centre and charity which I have loved visiting since my early birdwatching days and helped sow the seeds of my love of birds of prey. A fun, packed and brilliant day where we thoroughly enjoyed watching the captivating displays learning a lot about the birds and the vital work the trust does, the birds in their aviaries, tea and cake, walking around Reg’s Wildflower Meadow and taking many pictures throughout which felt so good and all with our admission fee going to the amazing cause of the work they do. My standouts of their birds included Barn Owls flying gently over the audience in the woodland display, Secretary Bird, Snowy Owl shown in the sixth picture I took in this photoset, Hooded, White-backed and White-headed Vultures, Long-eared Owl, Great Grey Owl, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Yellow-billed Kite, African Fish Eagle, Black Kite, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Troy the famous Tawny Owl, Golden Eagle. Wild Buzzard, Red Kite and Kestrel were seen well throughout the day and it was also great to see Meadow Brown, dragonflies and wildflowers yarrow, carrot and marjoram key flowers for me at that stage and bits of knapweed and wild basil around in the meadow too.

Blog about it on the day: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/662614703848259584/17092021-part-2-of-2-hawk-conservancy-and-some

Another day trip to Radipole Lake and Portland Bill

On Saturday 23rd October we did this trip again visiting Radipole first this time and it was one of my days of the year. At Portland later on we got a sensational view of a Short-eared Owl, my first of the year confirming this as my first ever year that I’d seen all of the four owl species I’ve seen in my life within a little goal I had and that there was only one of my thirty one favourite birds this year I did not see which was a massive thing in my wildlife year. It was something of a raptor fest that day again with many Kestrels and a Buzzard seen at Portland and Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzard seen at Radipole which was great. At Radipole it was also amazing to see more Cattle Egrets, six of them in one of my greatest ever moments for this wonderful species. Other bird highlights that day were intimate Dunnock and Tufted Duck views, Gadwall and Cetti’s Warbler heard at Radipole. At Portland other highlights were Linnets and Magpies with many Herring Gulls at both. There were also lots of flowers still going strong like knapweed, self-heal, Herb-Robert, yarrow, carrot, thistle, bindweed, chamomile and many more Michaelmas daisies/sea aster across the day. There were butterflies, dragonflies and mushrooms seen that day too and there were some moody and dramatic sky and landscape scenes with great bits of sun too I took the seventh picture in this photoset of a view with sun rays over the sea at Portland.

A blog about it on the day: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/665876993876819968/23102021-blog-2-of-2-short-eared-owl-and-more

A one night weekend stopover in Gloucestershire visiting WWT Slimbridge on the Sunday and RSPB Otmoor and Rushy Common Nature Reserve and Tar Lakes in Oxfordshire on the way on the Saturday

A wonderful November weekend in which we saw an incredible amount of birds with so many of an extremely high calibre, timing it right with migration in full swing as the season progressed and I saw so many bird species for the first time this year which in a pivotal weekend for my year list took it beyond how many I had seen last year and in 2017 in total and to very high places when comparing to my previous year lists. So many of the usual Slimbridge stars shone a place we love so much as we saw many Bewick’s Swans and Common Cranes, White-fronted Geese, Barnacle Geese, Lapwings and Golden Plovers as shown in the ninth picture in this photoset I took there that day, Shelducks, Pochards, Pintails, Ruff and Peregrine with one seen exceptionally well on St. John The Evangelist Church in the village on the way in too. On that extremely sunny day we also got some of our best ever views of a brilliant showy Bittern in one of my moments of the year allowing top photo opportunities I took the tenth picture in this photoset of it and saw Ross’s Goose and Bar-headed Goose with other geese which was different. Skylark and Rook other stars with intimate views of both Rook and Jackdaw at Slimbridge. At RSPB Otmoor we were thrilled to see stunning Red-breasted Geese among Barnacles and many Red Kites well, Peregrine, Pheasant, Reed Bunting and Great Spotted Woodpecker. At Tar Lakes we were thrilled to see some beautiful Red-crested Pochards as well as Green Woodpecker, Great White Egret and Great Crested Grebe. This relaxing weekend away was also great for photos I took so many I produced my most ever in a day at Slimbridge, taking in smashing colourful autumnal leaves scenes, seeing berries and generally picturesque wetland scenes I took the eight picture in this photoset of a view at Tar Lakes and seeing some flowers still going strong as well as enjoying the captive birds and a mammal in Slimbridge a lot.

Blog about it at the time: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/668586714988691456/21112021-wwt-slimbridge-part-2-of-2-bittern-and

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abirddogmoment · 18 days

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New lifer: least flycatcher!

#ndr #find me where the wild things are #birds my beloved #least flycatcher #im sure ive seen them before but ive never photographed them so its a lifer for me #very very very cute tiny bird

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rexscanonwife · 5 years

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U g h mood @ Mike Haggar. He’s one of my most obscure f/os and I’m so lovestruck for him and just so..... stupid in love with him!

UGH that's so valid!! We out here loving on our relatively obacure f/os ahdjfjkf. Flycatcher is at least beloved by the fans of TWAU/Fables cause honestly who could hate him, but there's still very little content thatimwillingtoreadcausefuckthatcanonloveinterestnonsense.

Mike Haggar loves you so much!! You're his everything!!!

#brie babbles #self insert talk #hop into my heart

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atalfon · 5 years

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I was born eight years before the burning. I was born wise, they said, silver hair a sign of promised greatness on a new child. I was born in the water, as all children of the Vinegeda clan were, my first memory is the ocean, breathing salt and water before I breathed air. My Mada said I hollered myself purple until I saw the water. Then I fell to sleep, sun and waves, soothed by my two mothers of flesh and water, sun and sky. I was born without a need for words like forgiveness, anger. Raised to protect our home. I know many things from that time. I know how to tap a tree in the right place so the sweetest coconut will fall. How to set the wing of an injured flycatcher. How to build a fire from green wood without the smoke eating at my eyes. How to swim faster than a reef shark. How to stand in the undertow without falling. Falling. My cousin Segedi and I had been by the tidepools, catching snail for their ink of purple, and sunfish to wrap in banana leaves. A gleeful harvest, abundant. We gathered our bounty in our skirts and woven baskets, carefully moving through jungle without stepping on the lithe, green river snakes that trailed the ground like vines. He was a five years to my eight, just becoming a warrior. Our home, a ruin polished like jagged glass by the sea, hard place made home. The light through the palms turned the tips gold, birds sung us to wake and frogs and insects sung us to sleep. I still remember the sounds, sweet, better than music.

Through the stone walls that encircled, black. Black rising, licking at the palms, turning green and gold to orange fire, ash. First beetles ran by our feet. Then the frogs. Then the birds in great clouds, trying to outrun the smoke. Birds and frogs are faster than trolls. They were not so lucky. Pillars of fire in the shapes of men and women. Each fell, desperately running to tide, a fevered prayer from a burning ruin. Many died as they ran to water, many before. We dropped our fish, our bounty of snails, gasping for life as they flailed on the ground. My eyes met the eyes of the fish. I knew the helplessness in their eyes. It was the same expression in my chest. We saw the medicinewoman, fire burning her robes, then her skin. She fell before us, eyes unblinking. We each grabbed a hand, trying to return her to the ocean mother. But we were so small, then, and she was so heavy. It was then I remember the screaming. Some screams had names, a frantic searching, but some only had the name of pain. My own name came in a scream. Mother. She was alive, burned only a little, a deep cut on one arm. A trail of bodies from her to our home. More still from her to me. Green skin, not like our blue. The forest fire, the dark tribes. She cut down each, for nothing is more determined than a mother to reach her child. Segedi and I were scooped under an arm, her footprints swift and heavy in the sand. I saw glimpses of things. Blue cut down by green, more smoke rising, the cracking of a great temple unbound. Up ahead, a line of men, my father among them, my aunt and uncle, a line of men pulling our hunting boats fashioned of leaf and tree trunk to the water. Some already set adrift, the young and old piled within them. My mother turned to my father, an embrace, aunt and uncle, Segedi and I, a togetherness meant to remember forever, knowing the possibility it would never come again. Like trying to hold sunlight in the hands. Segedi and I in a boat, pushed off to lapping sea. Little more than leaves bound by sticks, something only children could rest within. Not meant for hunting, but for learning. My mother held my face in her two hands, her forehead to mine. “Aor Fon-Aka, my beloved and only daughter. You must go now. If anyone is to survive this, it is you. This is the person you must become until we meet again. The one able to survive. I will find you again, wherever you may be. Segedi is yours, care how I care for you to him. Go, child, I will find you in the end.” She did not cry, and for this reason, I did not either. I simply nodded, held onto her hand, and let go. The waves took us far from the shore, fighting upon it. I remember a stone dropping in my stomach when I could not see her, holding Segedi like a child of our village cradles its first kill. Days and nights passed. At first, we made friends with the others, children and elderly. They shared their berries and moss. Some were able to catch gulls and fish, eaten raw and without ceremony. But then the deep water came. The turquoise water I loved so, sun and lapping waves, like a bathtub, was no more. All memory of it was lost in a deep indigo, cold and bitter salt, sun hidden above by dark clouds. There are things in the deep ocean the Darkspear know of, do not go near, for not even the greatest hunter is able to fell the tiger shark, the ray, the swarms of barracuda and piraña.

Those who had been there in the night would vanish, only bits of skin, blood, and tattered leaf telling of their fate. They were lucky, I think. They did not see the screams as they were pulled below. We could not sleep. In so many days passed, we longed for water. Some drank the salt, and became mad. They drowned in their own madness, their own sorrow, taken by the tides. Segedi’s lips paled, then cracked open in purple blood. My mind became a fog. The sea turned to bodies and blood beneath us, more and more fish drawing. I remembered my mother’s words, ashamed. I did not know how to survive such a thing. As night fell, a waterlily floated by. Without thinking about danger of beast, my hands snatched it from the water, squeezing every drop into my mouth, the mouth of Segedi. Fibers chewed, every morsel devoured. The feeling of fullness after so much emptiness made us sleep, for how long I do not know. When we awoke, few boats remained around us, most no longer conscious. An elder meekly paddled toward, holding a braid, a knife. We do not cut our braids unless one dies. I cut all of my own. We, the remaining, were woven together in the great sea. Those dead were laid to rest in the ocean every day, more each night. When so few remained, I felt myself too beginning to journey to the beyond, Segedi at my side barely rousing. I placed my hand to the water. I prayed, not to our loa, not to my mother, not to the elders or tribe, but to the ocean itself. I prayed, as a child, for the ocean to move us safely, to somewhere that felt like home, without teeth or thirst. I prayed with all my might, then finally fell to a sleep. I thought it may be my last. I remember waves lapping as I fell. When I awoke, it was to the clean smell of air not marred by the scent of blood. A gentle seabreeze. My hand remained in the water. I felt the ocean moving in my hands, moving forward. I continued to pray, the waves came harder and harder, a flotilla guided, an arrow through the water. We moved like a barracuda, more and more hands extended to the water. Something on the horizon. A dream, at first, for we had learned many waves betray the shape of land to the crazed eye. This was no dream. A small island, connected by land, closer and closer, until sand was visible underfoot. Some fell and wept, striding onto shore, some dragged those too weak to move through water, onto sand. A mangrove was quickly felled, sacred water held within cradled and consumed like the nectar of the sweetest mango. We found coconuts, wood, fish, things we had known before, what felt like so long ago. Boats we had traveled on burned in a pyre, ash spread on our faces. Segedi began to rouse. I wanted to tell him it was a dream. We had survived, but loneliness and longing still gathered in my stomach like stones. The elders remaining gave me the name Fon, then, the lone, the only. I was not to be alone forever, but I did not know it then. Mothers keep to their words, and I knew then I had two mothers. My own, who had given me life, and the ocean-mother, who had spared my life in the great, terrible sea.

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abirddogmoment · 1 year

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I love a grasslands songbird (or six)

#find me where the wild things are #birds my beloved #in order left to right top to bottom:#black capped chickadee #house wren #savannah sparrow #fledgling flycatcher #eastern kingbird #red winged blackbird

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leopardsealz · 1 year

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as a kid i used to not care for "little brown job" type birds but now i love them. sedge warblers & spotted flycatchers are my most beloved little brown jobs <3

#sam.txt #i hear theres good LBJs in north america. must go back for a holiday & see them all <3

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dansnaturepictures · 4 years

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The fifth of my ten wildlife and photography highlights of 2020 blogs: My wild week off in June

Arne, Thursley Common, Knepp, Durlston, Portland, Lodmoor and more

Dartford Warbler, White Stork, Purple Emperor, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar, Purple Hairstreak, Spotted Flycatcher, Osprey, Stag Beetle and more

So 2020 was supposed to be like any other year ending in an even number for me, we were to continue my run of me having visited somewhere outside of England in such a year every time since 2004 as we’d return to Anglesey a place we had a great day trip to on our Snowdonia 2016 holiday and a return to our beloved Wales for the first time in three years. Indeed like any other year for me in general with a late spring holiday. Then obviously the coronavirus pandemic happened and we could not due to restrictions and nor did we want to continue with the holiday as the health of everyone had to come first. So we luckily managed to postpone the Anglesey trip until 2021. But around the beginning of April with me working from home and us in lockdown for only a week I didn’t know what would happen so with my new annual leave allowance I booked off the dates in June intended for Anglesey and the ones for the other trips away we had planned this year. I am glad I did keep the June week as obviously I was still working just at home I needed a break.

But also because restrictions lifting slightly meant at that time as long as we socially distanced and could return home the same night, we could go on outdoor day trips and walk whilst enjoying our hobby as we had done on more local daily walks. So we lined up a smorgasbord of slightly further afield day trips to do that week to surrounding counties as well as more local Hampshire trips on the weekends that flanked the week, in many cases ones or for species we could not do and see during the strictest parts of the first lockdown. It was just nice for us to have some relaxing time to ourselves that week and I was so excited for it to come.

It all started at a glistening sead Farlington Marshes on the Saturday where it was an honour to see some Common Seals in Langstone Harbour I had not expected this nor seen them here before. I was lucky enough to spot and us and some kind people we spoke to at a safe social distance saw the Common Seals again in the harbour here later in the year in September. A hatrick of terns seen back on that June day opening my week off Sandwich particularly, Common and Little not for the first time this year as well as views of many Mediterranean Gulls, many Linnets, Oystercatchers, Avocet, Curlews, Shelduck, Little Egret, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Reed Warbler as well as Swifts against a bright blue sky in what turned into a summery afternoon also stood out. It was also nice to see Common Terns and Black-headed Gull chicks on nesting rafts on the deeps here and a great selection of butterflies and a day flying moth with the Cinnabar moth and Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell and Small Heath. A great start by the sea. I took the first picture in this photoset a view here that day. It was a day I took so many pictures and for landscapes especially enjoyed what a fabulous grassy habitat it is here which it is quite famous for and also took in other key habitats like lush summer growth and beautiful sea views in Langstone harbour on a great afternoon.

The next day a classic butterfly one this year when we went to Bentley Wood we got the quintessential summer sights of three Silver-washed Fritillaries and four Purple Hairstreaks dancing along the oak tree tops. Both my first of the year and my second earliest and earliest sighting ever respectively of them in a year two of our finest butterfly species. Getting very clear Ringlet views like the one in the second picture I took in this photoset and seeing many Large Skipper, Marbled White, Red Admiral, hornets, bee and a lovely Common Lizard helped it be another packed and fantastic afternoon at this special spot.

On the Monday it was a brilliant trip to Arne in Dorset our first further afield one for months. I took the third picture in this photoset a beautiful view from here into Poole Harbour and the winder area including Corfe Castle. A social distancing walk on a hot and sunny day across a very beautiful blue and purple looking landscape with the heather starting to emerge was headlined by seeing our first Dartford Warbler of the year a special moment seeing this one of my favourite birds flit about on top of heather and many of one of my favourite mammals the Sika Deer for the first time this year. A heath teeming with Silver-studded Blue butterflies among others one of my favourites also stood out some of the most we have ever seen on one day which was great and seeing our first ever Smooth snake was special. A Green Woodpecker in a field also stood out I took my first pictures of this one of my favourite birds for years. A Southern Hawker we saw that day as well as Sandwich Tern in a great year we had for them, a few Red Admirals and Large Skippers, Comma, Small Heath on the heath, Peacock butterfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Common lizard, Swifts, Little Egrets, Shelducks, Buzzards, Black-tailed Godwits and a nice hornet view completed the highlights that day. On that day I was impressed with how the RSPB welcomed visitors safely back with bits of trails and hides rightly closed off it was obvious how and where we couldn’t go and there were great signs stipulating the need to socially distance too. That was what you call a great outdoor and safe day out. We ate a drive through takeaway tea at a beautiful looking Picket Post car park in the New Forest in bright sun that evening seeing two New Forest ponies well which was nice.

Tuesday 23rd June brought a visit to Thursley Common in Surrey shortly after an extensive heath fire there which left much of the landscape charred including the precious habitat I had seen things like Dartford Warbler in before, but new green growth there did symbolise hope and I was just thrilled to be able to safely get here. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of a view here on that scorching day. It looked very other-worldy and did present unique natural landscape admiration and photography opportunities for me. Wildlife wise we got brilliant views of Redstart and Red Kite that day both stunning birds and particularly beautiful ones to see up close we had a great year for both and also saw Four-spotted Chaser dragonfly another we‘ve had a great year for and lovely bright golden female Keeled Skimmer dragonflies and Small Copper butterfly, Treecreeper, Mistle Thrush and Robin. Other highlights were things I had seen well in recent days before it as well such as Green Woodpecker and Dartford Warbler, Small Tortoiseshell, Silver-studded Blue, Large Skipper and Marbled White butterflies and a common lizard for a third day running which was quite remarkable I thought. I thought on that day how there and the three previous trips of the time off we had at a safe social distance managed to talk to so many kind, like-minded and engaging people of various walks of life a key theme of the Tuesday and week as a whole. As an ad-on we went back to Thursley Common on the Sunday of the August bank holiday this year, that day after seeing it really devastated by the fire when we last came in the June week, I was encouraged after perfect summer rain and heat conditions for lush growth to see nice green bits of gorse and trees starting to grow back from the ashes and a fair bit of heather looking nice and purple as it should at that time of year across the landscape too in a strong few weeks for observing stunning heather scenes for me.

A key moment in the June week off was Wednesday as we had a brilliant, very hot in a little heat wave that helped that week be what it was looking back, sunny and therefore pleasingly exhausting day in the oak tree clad renowned rewilding project at Knepp in Sussex. We took in stunning South Downs views on the way and ones of Chichester Cathedral and there too. Wildlife wise I had a year-defining moment when we looked at the famous White Storks there who produced the first British born of the species for 604 years I took the fifth picture in this photoset of this family and behind us saw Purple Emperor butterflies the main drawing point here and what made us first come here in 2018 and 2019 dancing along the oak trees. It was lovely to see an adult White Stork fly and feed in a bit of meadow and hear the lovely sounds the storks were making too. We got top flying and still views of both those and the emperors throughout the whole rewarding and sensational walk that day. Our first of the year for Purple Emperor as was a White Admiral seen for my first time in 2020 that day the next key butterfly I needed to see. The Purple Emperor my earliest ever sighting and White Admiral joint earliest of the species in a year once more for butterflies.

Other highlights at Knepp was our first Red Deer of the year seen brief but closely, Buzzards, Jay, Green Woodpecker yet again that week to complete a hat-trick of favourite birds of mine seen at Knepp with Red Kite seen from the car on the way home and make it there Green Woodpecker sightings in as many days and counties (Dorset, Surrey, West Sussex) which was notable. Marbled White, Ringlet and Purple Hairstreak once more stood out from a strong other group of butterflies seen that day and Fallow Deers too, and it was nice to see an Old Lady moth. What a day one of my best this year!

It was one of the other headline trips of the week on the Thursday as we caught up doing one we’d traditionally do in Easter in years gone by or somewhen in April when we were more locked down this year of course we did one in July last year when we went to Durlston Country Park again in Dorset. Here we caught up with some of my favourite bird species a lot as I saw my first Guillemots, Razorbills and Fulmar of the year birds we had normally seen usually here by this point so this felt amazing to spend some minutes watching them over the sea or off the cliffs on a brightly sunny and scorching day again. Guillemot and Razorbill would have been key birds seen at RSPB South Stack on the Anglesey holiday that this slot was meant for so this felt especially good. As I did last July here we also saw among many other butterflies some delicate and very pretty little Lulworth Skippers out maybe a bit early due to the heatwave. What an honour to see these rare little butterflies again such a beautiful insect and a lovely one to follow Purple Emperor in this strong and hot week off I hoped it could for butterflies too. What a moment one of my best for butterflies this year.

Other highlights at Durlston included; Shag, Gannet, Great Black Backed Gull and Kestrel with a chick on the cliffs which was great the latter shown in the sixth picture I took that day in this photoset, brilliant Bullfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat which I took another photo I was proud of featuring, Swift and Swallow views adding a real richness to the day of birds, Marbled Whites yet again we saw so many that week, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Skippers, many Meadow Browns and in a very good site for flowers for us traditionally we saw for the first time I can remember one of the key ones I learned, loved seeing and photographing in my best ever year of flowers a common toadflax. Before we left that scorching day, in which I took the seventh picture in this photoset looking over the sea at Durlston, it was great to see Large White butterfly in the garden and Holly Blue the other side of the railway track at the petrol station. I also saw House Martins flying over the house which was nice when home alongside a nice sunset to end a very hot and sunny day. In the week off I still got chances to photograph things like flowers in and around the garden and house which defined my pictures in part through spring and summer leading up to it which was nice and I carried on with after the week off.

We closed the week days at Portland and then RSPB Lodmor in Dorset again. Portland on a greyer day there was rather the surprise package of the week as we saw my first Wall Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies of the year, the latter my earliest ever sighting of one in a year the last real very common butterfly I needed to see in 2020 making my year list my joint fourth highest ever at that stage and ensuring there were only eight butterflies I had seen in my life which I needed to see this year at that stage which felt very early to be saying! Five-spot Burnet, Ringlet, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown and Marbled White sightings completed a very impressive list of butterflies/day flying moths seen on a grey day here I thought. I reflected at how different it was to a usual year not just seeing Marbled White locally which I love but at multiple further afield locations where there was any bit of grassland which felt great.

As I saw more Fulmars dart right past us and get some time to linger with Guillemots and Razorbills from the day before seeing some more I got reflective about how exciting coming to Portland to see these some of my original favourite birds were in my early birding days and how Fulmar experiences held the fort for closer seabird views in years like this we couldn’t visit large seabird colonies where you see them so close. So it really made me appreciate getting to be here this year and see these. Shag, Cormorant, the wail of the Herring Gull making me feel I was really at the coast, more Great Black Backed Gulls, brilliant close views of two Ravens I took the eighth picture in this photoset of one, Skylark, lots of Linnets, Rock Pipit, Swift, Swallow and House Martin completed the notable species seen at Portland that day. With a second Kestrel and chick seen in as many days at the quarry with its parent a key and memorable moment.

New life was the order of the day a little as we called into the Lodmoor reserve at Weymouth on the way back seeing young Mallard and Black-headed Gulls as well as many Common Terns, Shelduck, Little Egret, Lapwing and more. I got a finch hattrick of Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch seen there too. I also saw some sea aster flowers here a brilliant flower and a key species of this habitat. I noticed some early signs of autumn with some blackberries seen growing that day and very early autumnal leaves it seemed in the weeks leading up to it. We also got talking to some more lovely people at a safe two metre distance and I enjoyed taking in the sights of our family holiday when I was a kid location Weymouth and nearby such as the famous clock and the White Horse on the hill.

On the second Saturday of the time off I was thrilled to see my first Spotted Flycatchers of the year at Pig Bush in the New Forest my favourite spot in our beloved national park which looked lovely and green with some more bits of purple heather observed on a heath this week with some brilliant sky scenes there too as I have seen at Pig Bush before. I took the ninth picture in this photoset of a view at Pig Bush. We got some really good views of the Spotted Flycatchers one of my birds of the year seeing how beautiful and well-marked they are and I felt there was something so delicious and satisfying about seeing them in woods on the edge of the heathland on a day that was quite grey in places too. Another key moment this week with a real New Forest speciality for me over the years. On that walk it was also great to see foxgloves and other flowers, Redstart, Stonechat, young Robin, two Buzzards soaring beautifully over our heads and another earlier in the walk and nice views of Pied Wagtail, Swallow and Swift. A very nice and wild walk. When home I had a memorable evening for taking photos of hanging basket in the garden, a nice sky with lowering sun and a Woodpigeon against it out the back I did take lots of photos I was happy with at home during bits of my week off on mornings and evenings.

We had a fittingly sensational Sunday to end the week off. We firstly went to Fishlake Meadows and saw a bird that has fascinated and excited me ever since I first got to know of them in early days of my birdwatching one of my favourites the Osprey. It was one that had been around for a while at this very local reserve for us. We had a smashing time watching it fly around and sit on one of the distinctive dead trees of this rising star of a reserve for sure for a long time. Whilst flying a Red Kite another of my favourite birds was flying too and they had aerial fights which was stunning to watch. In a raptor fest a Marsh Harrier was on the wing at this time too and a Buzzard was about before and after this. This was amazing and it was just stunning to see the Osprey. Yet another of my favourite birds I saw for the first time this year that week at that stage meaning I’d seen a healthy 22 out of 30 of them this year after a surge after a drought of seeing them for the first time in the post-strict lockdown I went onto see 24 of my favourite birds this year in total. It made Fishlake Meadows the closest I’d ever seen these birds to home and fifth location I have ever seen one at. It was my earliest ever sighting I’d had of one in a year one we usually see at Rutland Water when we go for the Bird Fair which in its physical form was cancelled this year. This bird that was here last year was reckoned to be a Rutland born bird so I felt connected to those English comeback colony again. It made it a thirteenth consecutive year I saw an Osprey in 2020 something never guaranteed especially this year so it felt like a great relief. I also saw female Pochard, Great Crested Grebe and Great White Egret here in the way of favourite birds of mine.

That day at Fishlake we also got four great natural moments in a walk around the reserve, seeing Purple Loosestrife beside the canal my first time seeing it this year, seeing a Blue-tailed Damselfly land right in front of my face on the wood at the viewing screen and hear a very loud Cetti’s Warbler calling beside us there which was great. Additionally as we walked back along the canal path I was thrilled to spot a massive Stag beetle making its way across the path onto grass. My first ever in a year when I got more interested in beetles and it was a trend of the year I had some absolutely amazing moments seeing a few different species of beetle what a moment! It was quite a rare one to see. I took the tenth and final photo in this photoset of this Stag beetle at Fishlake Meadows. I saw a Red Admiral butterfly here too which was nice. I remarked again what a truly special and biodiverse reserve and urban haven Fishlake Meadows is becoming a real credit to Hampshire. That day at a safe distance we got talking to some more lovely people on the Osprey we were watching, other natural history topics and more.

That afternoon we then did a walk with Missy our dog and my Mum’s husband at the Titchfield canal path. Here it was nice to end my week off seeing a decent selection of butterflies and a few species with mini swarms of them as the sun and some heat well and truly emerged as expected that afternoon after brief showers earlier on. Comma and Meadow Brown swarmed a bit with Peacock, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and two of my favourites the Large Skipper and Red Admiral also seen. It was also great to see other wildlife here such as more House Martins over Posbrook flood and lovely bronze looking Black-tailed Godwits there.

So this brought to an end one of the weeks of my year and a fantastic time. I really did get to over the five days off in surrounding counties to our own and more locally at the two weekends safely in line with restrictions go on some incredibly beautiful and wild walks at nature reserves etc., some of the best in the country seeing some of the rarest and greatest animals in the United Kingdom and photographing them with possibly my highest ever amount of photos and highest ever average amount produced per day ever in a week at that stage. I witnessed history for UK wildlife during this time and I feel like in this unique year this week will stay with me forever. The weather was a key factor of that we timed the week perfectly to coincide it with a bit of a heatwave really we had such high temperatures and strong sun in places for our walks and time at home which was lovely. It was particularly useful for the extensive butterfly watching aspects of the week off and very nice to be beside the sea at times during it. I think that’s the most important thing I took from that week was those moments of relaxation be that when out, more lay ins in the mornings or just simply listening to music in the car with the window wide open. It was the perfect relaxation I needed after three months working from home in great uncertainty all around the world. I found it a real brilliant substitution to the holiday that couldn’t (rightly) be. Pragmatically it was a great chance to catch up with some of the species and trips we couldn’t see or do during the first strict part of lockdown. But emotionally I barely remember thinking “We should be in Anglesey now” and that’s because we just safely packed so much in at brilliant locations and ones that mean so much to us that it felt like a holiday without the need to find accommodation or have a very long car journey etc. It was a special time for me for many reasons and one I counted on a lot this year.

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dansnaturepictures · 4 years

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The third of my 10 wildlife/photography highlights of 2020 blogs: My year in the New Forest

I do this post every year now and as I felt it worked well last year I’m structuring this post like this again. I will roughly talk through notable New Forest walks and trips we had this year in chronological order, but then introduce thoughts about subsequent walks at the same place, a similar or nearby one or one that featured the same or similar wildlife next so it does flip around back and forth around the months a bit. It was another special and varied year visiting our beloved national park, even if coronavirus meant there was a hiatus where I really missed going to the forest during the first lockdown as has happened before for a different reason a long time ago for me.

It all started with an early winter visit to Denny Wood to help build my bird year list early on, for the first time since 2015 we didn’t visit here alongside Lakeside on New Year’s Day to see woodland species but still made it here early on and I had a little look at the heath between it and Shatterford on 3rd January. As well as taking in a really nice landscape as it got sunnier and sunnier that packed day for me I was happy to watch the feeding woodland birds spending precious moments with them seeing my first Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Nuthatch and Treecreeper of 2020, with my first Rook and Mistle Thrush of the year on the way driving in and on the way home nearby respectively.

Blashford Lakes was our location of choice on 4th January getting memorably lots of year ticks of bird species beginning with G. Standout birds I have seen at this rich reserve this year have included; Goosander, Goldeneye, Goldcrest, Great White Egret and Siskin. A standout visit to Blashford Lakes this year was my second of the year on 1st March which was one of my most special days of photography this year. I took some of my pictures I am most proud of this year as part of a high amount produced that day, including ones of a Robin one really closeup one that was one of my favourite ever pictures to take an early favourite of mine that I’d taken with my new camera that I got for Christmas, rainbows especially over Ibsley water, general landscapes, a Great Spotted Woodpecker one of my favourite birds and the nice bit of red fungi that there was so much of in the woods in the early days with my new macro lens which I got for my birthday shown in the first of my pictures in this photoset.

I had another strong year at other New Forest reserve Lymington-Keyhaven on the coast. Key species I saw there this year included; Kingfisher, Spotted Redshank, Spoonbill, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Slavonian Grebe, many Bar-tailed Godwits on multiple visits this quite special bird became a regular here this year I thought, Greenshank, Ruff, Knot, Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail which I took the second picture in this photoset of at Pennington in early September, my first Sand Martin of the year in March and many more seen well in June, Common Tern seen fishing really closely that day too which was great, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern and Reed Warbler those three for the first time in 2020 on the same day on what was a memorable late spring return in May to here and the sea after two months away from this habitat during the first bit of the lockdown which was really a sweet and special day for us, Avocet, Shelducks and Little Ringed Plover well with offspring in the spring lovely to see in great numbers in some cases, Black-tailed Godwit, Eider Duck and the lovely Grey Phalarope and its rarer cousin the Wilson’s Phalarope on one amazing October day as I mentioned in my first highlights post. Many lovely Cetti’s Warblers’ calls heard here was great too and it was even delightful to see two Black Swans here in late January. The day I saw the lovely white headed Ruff and another later on stood out for visiting here in late February I saw the white headed and another Ruff there again in October in my best ever year of Ruffs generally this year as I took a large amount of photos and ones I was very proud of that stood out this year of flying Mute Swans, lovely sunny beautiful landscapes, Rock Pipit and more. I had an equally as high yielding photo day I was happy with on 5th September producing photos of Knot, the Yellow Wagtail, Mute Swan and Little Egret flying, young Shelduck, Turnstone up close, many landscapes, flowers and some autumnal sights which I liked a lot. I got a delightful moment on a June Pennington visit seeing two Mute Swans with eight cygnets my first seen anywhere this year cross the footpath and go down the bank into the sea to swim. I enjoyed seeing flowers such as sea aster at this reserve a lot this year too. I enjoyed other flowers at this reserve this year too including common toadflax and broad-leaved clover. On the way back from seeing those three species at Lymington on 31st October it was atmospheric and brilliant on Halloween to see a gigantic full moon in the sky over the lovely forest landscape on the way back.

Another really pivotal day in my year which I already mentioned in my bird highlights of the year blog was a January visit to the Whitefield Moor/Holmhill area of the New Forest as part of one of my biggest weekends of the year. The Great Grey Shrike was an absolutely rare and mega bird to see one that had been widely seen by many that winter and a largely reported bird in the forest it was true joy to finally see it after a few attempts, as was the Hen Harrier very likely the same bird that had been my 200th of 2019 here on my last day of birdwatching/photography that year. My all-important first Bullfinch of the year completed a golden hat trick of bird year ticks with my first Fallow Deers of the year seen from the car on the way in at a part of the forest and some seen on the walk, and I took once again so many photos and some I was so proud of. The weather was amazing and sunny and the day felt part of something important for me. The Great Grey Shrike was only my fourth ever time seeing one (all in the forest over the years) but I soon got my fifth as on a trip to Milkham in the New Forest in March we were surprised to see one far away fly high into a tree. It was a sensational sight and made me really happy after a quieter period of birdwatching when coronavirus uncertainty had just started to hit I could be seeing a really rare bird and one we’d sort of found too it was smashing. I took the third picture in this photoset of this bird. It was generally an amazing day at Milkham a real rising star of a New Forest location wildlife wise for us as we are starting to see so much there where I also got my first year tick of March seeing my first Crossibills of the year late on. A fantastic and classic woodland New Forest species always an important one for me to see in a year this was my sixth straight year list I recorded this species on which I liked. That day I also saw Hawfinches in woods near Broomy Walk on the walk, a Grey Wagtail unusually on the path and got great views of two of my favourite birds the Buzzard and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Like I said in my highlights post about my favourite birds generally this year I’ve had brilliant years for both these species. I also took many landscape pictures I was happy with that day. It was a classic New Forest day in rich and varied habitat it has so much of and with iconic forest species.

I had a sensational day back at the Whitefield Moor/Holmhill bog walk on 11th July right in the summer especially for insects. I saw my first Common Grayling of the year one of my favourite butterflies always a top one to see in a year and Common Darter dragonfly of the year that day. I also got cracking views of an Emperor dragonfly flying over a pool right beside us it was fantastic to see such an intimate moment, and I saw male and female Silver-studded Blues on the heath on a sunny and hot day two species I had an especially good year for. Butterfly wise I managed to submit some sightings to the Big Butterfly Count that day from a small patch of the walk. Large White 10, Silver-studded Blue 6, Peacock 3, Brimstone 2, Meadow Brown 2, Red Admiral 1 and Ringlet 1 were the results great to chart them at this location. There was also so many Keeled Skimmers one of my favourite dragonflies out on the heath especially lots of golden females which was great I took one of my best photos this year of one with my macro lens it unusually staying still enough for long enough for to get a closeup picture. Buzzard, Jay two of my favourite birds, lots of Redstarts, Stonechats, Greenfinch and Chaffinch completed the highlights that day. As well as common red soldier beetle a species I saw so much those few days and Black-headed Gulls in the car park which I’d not seen here before. It was also amazing to see a Spotted Flycatcher on the way back at Football Green on the edge of the forest and get some nice Song Thrush views.

In late January myself and my Mum participated in an arranged walk with two lovely New Forest seasonal assistant rangers at Kings Hat as a result of a micro photography competition I had entered late last year. On quite a dark but lovely day walking in nice light rain it was great to go about the precious landscape and learn about the amazing work being done to manage the forest and how the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme works and its benefits. I especially liked learning about the iconic and unique to the New Forest rare tadpole shrimp, the important commoning, history of the forest and the work being done to recover the area from the impacts of verge parking. We also met like-minded people on the walk that day and it was a very polite and satisfying time. It was very memorable and a day I looked forward to a lot. Later that day we came back into the forest with the dogs and enjoyed a walk around Eyeworth Pond one of our top forest spots. As I said in my first highlights post the next month I saw my first Mandarin Ducks of the year in a call in there. In early March we were back there for another call in after a walk elsewhere and it was nice to see Mandarins, a Goosander up really close and enjoy some Mallards in a bit of sunlight on the pond on a day that had been showery that the sun brought out its colours so well. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of a Goosander.

Nearer to the outskirts of the New Forest at Badminston and Badminston Common I began my February by seeing one of my birds of the year when we managed to spot a Hoopoe that had been seen there, only my second ever. It was so amazing and perfect to get to spend a few minutes watching this esteemed, iconic and in some ways ultimate bird species moving about in horse fields. One of my best bits of the year for sure I was proud to have this experience and I took a record shot the fifth picture in this photoset of this remarkable bird. It was a beautiful new spot to discover in the forest too whether it be one offs or regular species birds often lead us to discover New Forest locations. We had a nice walk at nearby Calshot afterwards on the day where it was nice to see Brent Geese and a Little Grebe. aAs February went on a string of wet New Forest walks would provide us an outlet to still get out with the dogs and walk through named storms Ciara and Dennis. This included woodland walks at Acres Down and Hawkhill. It was quite something to see nature’s full force with trees swaying in the wind and that rain a moment in the year as such that will stay with us it defined those few weeks and what better place to observe this than the forest. This little period of time culminated in a walk at Blackwater where the weather wasn’t so bad throughout it eased off rather and it even got a little bit sunny, as the landscape my sixth picture in this photoset shows. I took a good few more photos that day after a slight drought for them with the weather and I got a surprise when at a strong place for them and a place we only discovered for them we got a distant view of my first Hawfinch of the year late on in the arboretum. Always a big moment for this strong forest species for me.

To end February on Leap Day at Pig Bush we had another classic New Forest day for us at this my favourite forest car park and walk. In the height of my boom period of photos at that stage where I’d regularly produce around 20 per trip and it became the new normal for a bit the new normal would be even higher later in the year of course I took yet another high amount of photos and some I was so happy with wildlife and landscape. I also got some top birdwatching done with views of my first Lesser Redpolls and Jack Snipe of the year in the woods and a boggy area respectively. It was great for the first time ever for me to see redpolls out in the wild sort of so not at a place where there were bird feeders. Obviously Blashford Lakes is where I usually see them in this setting and I’ve had some amazing up close views of them there especially last year but seeing some in the open like this shows another side to the species really. Like many of my walks this year there was a brilliant supporting cast of other species seen on this walk including Treecreeper, Redwing, Goldcrest, Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker and Buzzard again. Both the February Pig Bush and March Milkham visits gave me huge senses of being in a wilderness and both stood out for months to come. The weekend after this before the March Eyeworth Pond call in I referenced above in another sunny patch of the day we had a great walk at Hawkhill again seeing the duo Buzzard soaring against a brilliant bright blue sky and Great Spotted Woodpecker flying high into trees again and I took some memorable landscapes including the seventh of my pictures in this photoset showing its distinctive grassland.

On a grey Friday off work on 20th March I spent part of it at Acres Down where I got a brief view of a Goshawk flying in the sky, only my second ever of a top bird we first discovered this place partly for. One of my standout birds of the year again. There were also a lot of Buzzards around in what became a day of raptors with Peregrine and Sparrowhawk seen at Winchester Cathedral later in the day and Buzzard at home too. Alongside a Pennington visit the next day where I saw my first Sand Martins this year these were to be my last New Forest trips before the Covid-19 enforced hiatus in the first lockdown. What a way to sign off for a bit. When there later in the year I was happy to see my first Tree Pipit and Redstarts of 2020. Both exceptional species especially the former that I felt so lucky to see this year. I’ve had a great record for seeing Redstarts down the years especially in the forest which I was proud I could carry on with but the Tree Pipit I didn’t manage to see last year at all after a three year run of seeing them before so I was happy to see it on a hot and sunny day singing a bit too these two are among my birds of the year for many reasons. On a showery but quite humid July Saturday it was great to see a Red Deer in the New Forest on our way to nearby to Acres Down Millyford Bridge. A pretty nice view of it through vegetation. The second Red Deer I’d seen this year at that stage, quite unusual for us even more special that it was a New Forest sighting though as they’re such a key part of the biodiversity of the forest a key mammal there and I’ve not seen them here nearly enough in truth. On the walk at Millyford it was nice to see quite a few Song Thrushes and some foxgloves that appeared to have been knocked over but the flowers had started growing upwards from a sideways plant beside the river in woods it was beautiful to walk in that day a really sweet habitat I find which the New Forest hosts well which was interesting. It was also good to see a tree with mushrooms on that day too. We came back to Millyford Bridge later in July seeing more mushrooms, as well as Robin and cow both with young which was great, lots of Grey Wagtails it was lovely to see a great bird in this watery habitat, New Forest ponies, some Fallow Deers running through, lots of little moths and a Large Red Damselfly on a very relaxing Monday and tranquil walk on a Monday I had off work.

On the way back from Martin Down in May it was great to see a couple of adorable New Forest pony foals and Canada Geese with goslings by Janesmoor Pond. On the way back from Martin Down in July it was good to see some Fallow Deers and get great Stonechat and Goldfinch views in a layby on an ice cream stop by Stoney Cross when the forest landscape looked nice and atmospheric on a rainy day after seeing Goldfinch well before and after the walk at home. I had an astonishingly good day’s wildlife watching on a walk from Fritham to Cadman’s Pool in the New Forest on a very beautiful, hot and sunny second May bank holiday Saturday. On it I saw two beautiful Cuckoos and heard them on the walk my first of the year and I got second views this year and pretty spectacular ones too of Tree Pipit and Goshawk with two each seen. One Tree Pipit view was classic Tree Pipit with it singing loudly on top of a tree which was brilliant. On that day I also saw my first Southern Hawker and Keeled Skimmer dragonflies of the year, many Fallow Deers, many House Martins and Chaffinches, Redstart, Mistle Thrush, Buzzard and a few Small Heath butterflies. What a late spring day!

On 6th June I had a brilliant walk on a dry patch of a grey and showery day from Turf Hill to Deadman Hill. I felt a strong sense of wilderness of hearing the trees swaying a bit in the wind and smelling a summer heath. I also saw a little bit of early purple heather coming out and one of the habitat’s star species my first Silver-studded Blue butterfly of 2020 an amazing moment to see this precious species so nicely an early sighting for it in a year really on a mostly grey day slightly hunkered down on the slopes of Deadman Hill. A view of Yellowhammer, a young Stonechat, some Fallow Deers really closely, bog cotton grass and an adorable New Forest pony foal completed my highlights that day.

On a scorching Sunday at the height of a heatwave at Cadman’s Pool on a brief walk after another elsewhere in another national park the South Downs I was so happy to see my first Golden-ringed Dragonflies of the year flying over the steam here. Classic New Forest wildlife on a vintage summer wildlife day for me always a beautiful and well-marked dragonfly I aim to see in a year. I also got great Southern Hawker views of a female and did my last of many Big Butterfly Count surveys there seeing 8 Large White, 4 Gatekeeper, 4 Small White, 1 Holly Blue and also 1 Peacock which was nice adding some real variety of habitats for my butterfly counts this year. That day I was also thrilled to see like Golden-ringed Dragonfly a summer New Forest speciality two young Siskins, Bullfinch over a period I saw them a lot and lots of New Forest ponies on a hot day including foals after seeing adorable baby donkeys on the way there and a pig. The weekend after the weather had changed and it was a wet day the Saturday but on it I discovered a new place and had my first ever walk at Matley. It was nice to photograph a view here I had seen lots of times from the car on the way to and from other car parks we walk at very nearby and could never photograph I took the eighth picture in this photoset of this. The walk and on the way in was the first time I saw heather gloriously purple and at its peak this year so I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and appreciating that and getting photos I especially loved seeing it and photographing it when it rained hardest looking very atmospheric. A sight I adore in the forest especially. Wildlife wise it was great to see on that walk a Kingfisher briefly flying along a stream, Swallows quite late in their season over the heath, moths and lots of Robins. Lots of autumnal sightings that day too as I address early on in my autumnal highlights blog. The heather at its purple I expect of late summer but the autumn really was seeming to have come early in this strange year.

The heather looked glorious on a walk at Ashley Walk in the New Forest to the Leaden Hall area and back it was so purple and carpeted the landscape so nicely. I saw some top wildlife that day including another Common Grayling butterfly, Wheatears including young, Linnets, Stonechats, Meadow Pipits, Mistle Thrush, Buzzard, many Fallow Deers out on the heath two herds which was so nice to see it was particularly a great day for grazing animals with cattle calves, donkeys and New Forest ponies both with young also seen very well and included in my photos a few taken that day. In a great bit of flower action alongside the lovely heather I loved spotting my first ever devil’s-bit scabious a wonderful flower to see which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of. I identified it using the plant net app photo identification a kind Twitter friend suggested it to me and it became invaluable in my best ever year of flowers which I speak about more in my two butterfly related highlights posts. Other autumnal colour in the landscape and nice sky scenes on a showery to start the walk but mostly very nice afternoon stood out that day. We were back at Ashley Walk for our now annual October walk from here up to Leaden Hall of an afternoon to try and catch the Ring Ouzels coming through on their outward migration and we were so delighted to see at least two of these beautiful thrushes really well that day. It was a brilliant afternoon watching this truly special bird it was special to see them for a fourth time for me, and get views as I did of them they really were my best ever views of these birds for the length of views time wise and how clear I could see them in binoculars and landed the birds showed well and did exciting flyovers which I loved and make out the differences to the very similar Blackbirds which were about namely the white bib on the plumage of the male, the lighter and quite creamy underwings when flying and how much bigger they are which I particularly noticed that day. One of my best bird species seen this year too without doubt and it makes me so proud of the New Forest having these birds around they really are incredible. I also heard one make its nice “tak” noise that day and in the rich berry bushes with them and the Blackbirds was a Song Thrush. I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of a Ring Ouzel that day. That day I also enjoyed seeing Buzzard flying over, get stunning Kestrel views of one right beside the path and with Meadow Pipits and Stonechat get brilliant clear views of a delightful Dartford Warbler one of my favourite birds flitting around at the tops of bushes. A famous New Forest species that I’ve had such a good year for them this was however the first I had seen in the forest this year which really matters to me as for such a rare bird the New Forest is a key refuge for them and it’s a key bird of the habitat and where I fell in love with it. We also took in great mushrooms, landscapes and sky views. And as I mention in my seventh of these posts about my autumn on the way home by Bramshaw I saw my first pigs out for pannage of the year which is always a memorable moments and some Fallow Deers during their rut at Leaden Hall.

I had a brilliant walk at Blackwater on 4th October when as I mention in my seventh of these posts about my autumn in which I mention the New Forest quite a bit as usual in also seeing a herd of Red Deers and red fly agaric mushrooms. But on that day I was so happy to see a cute, fascinating, beautiful and shy mammal a Muntjac Deer briefly it was a fantastic view of only my third ever and first of the year. It took my mammal year list to 17 making it my second highest ever after last year’s. It also meant for the first time ever after the Chinese Water Deer sighting in Norfolk meant I’ve seen all six wild British deer species in my life that I saw all six of them in a year quite special following last year seeing the five deer species I’d seen in my life this took it a stage further nicely. I also loved seeing another Lesser Redpoll on this fairly wet walk yet another I’d seen in the open forest this year which felt very satisfying to see this beautifully marked bird again I did enjoy seeing it as well as Coal Tit and two Treecreepers. The wildlife I saw on this day made me so proud to know, love and live so close to the New Forest and I enjoyed some great atmospheric views on a mostly wet day which I always love at Blackwater.

On 24th October one of my best days this autumn and ever for two autumnal features as I wrote about in my seventh of these posts about autumn we went back to Pig Bush for a third time this year. Alongside the autumnal bits it was a classic Pig Bush visit as on a pretty wet day it was interesting and beautiful to see the rain showers move through the big landscape. I also enjoyed seeing a second New Forest Kestrel in as many Saturdays quite close after the one at Ashley Walk, a dragonfly quite late either Migrant or Southern Hawker, lovely New Forest ponies and cattle with calves too. There were also lovely flowers around some nice yellow ones and scabious probably small scabious. This was a special day as our annual October Pig Bush visit as that’s when we first ever went there one of if not the favourite individual spot in the New Forest for me so it reminds us of how it looked that day and it was actually 10 years on from when we first went there. It was a fitting top afternoon for that occasion. I wrote about Pig Bush in my autumn as I have said and week off in June highlights posts in this year’s thread of blogs. The next day at Rockford Common I really liked seeing a rainbow over the heath and being the backdrop of New Forest ponies this was very beautiful, especially lovely with what rainbows came to mean in honour of our National Health Service this year. Other highlights were Roe Deer seen quite closely, Stonechats in the sun which was quite nice to see and some other autumnal things as I wrote about in that highlights post later in this thread of blogs. Also that day the day after the clocks went back this autumn as the sun came down over the heath walking through fairly dark woods we heard a loud barking noise. To my delight I looked up to see a smashing looking Raven fly over with its big beak and I got some great views of it. A really fantastic wild moment, as it had done before elsewhere it epitomised the wilderness of the New Forest for me, beautiful. A fitting end to what was a thrilling and packed wild New Forest weekend for me.

I wrote a little bit about the New Forest in my fifth highlights blog coming up in this thread about my week off in June this year, during which I saw my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year at Pig Bush which was a great moment for me. The New Forest gets mentioned in and indeed began with me seeing devil’s finger and the very rare and New Forest speciality nail fungus near Bolton’s Bench my bonus 11th and final post about my November and December.

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