It is always a pleasure to get out for a full day's birding with Paul and Pete; yesterday we visited Hampshire and Wiltshire. An early start in the New Forest gave us singing Woodlark and the first of several Crossbills (seems to have been a good breeding season). We moved on to look for Firecrests and had close views of 2 birds vigorously displaying for several minutes.
From late morning we spent 3 hours looking for Honey Buzzard but had to content ourselves with Goshawks, a Red Kite, Cuckoos and more Woodlarks.
We spent most of the afternoon at Martin Down where the highlight was watching 2 Hobbies hunting low and fast over the chalk grassland but also higher up, hawking insects. Lots of Corn Buntings and Yellowhammers. Butterflies included a beautiful Marsh Fritillary (below) , Small Blue and both Dingy and Grizzled Skippers.
We arrived on Salisbury Plain in the late afternoon and found a pair of Stone Curlews. Although we stayed until dusk, we didn't see Montagu's Harrier. However, what a privilege to watch the sun set behind a quartering Barn Owl whilst listening to Corn Bunting, Grey Partridge and Stone Curlew.
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