New Forest 17-23 June 2016
We stayed in a nice large cottage, Oak Tree Cottage, on the edge of an oakwood at Eyeworth, near Fritham.
Peter, Steph, Matthew and Daniel joined us for the first weekend. The weather was not great for this time of year, with temperatures below average and quite a lot of rain. We didn't do any major excursions so I'll keep the event log brief. We didn't do too badly for wildlife with Red Deer seen every day, a Goshawk in the wood near the cottage, Bullfinch in the garden, several Spotted Flycatchers and Redstarts and Woodcock seen flying over at dusk and Nightjar heard. Most nights were poor for moths, due to the sky miraculously clearing to reveal a full moon and causing the temperature to plummet (only to be replaced by more cloud and rain by the next morning --- but two night were nicely overcast and reasonably humid, and on those nights I managed 3 new moth species.
I've also done two 'plants of the day' - Foxglove and Common Centaury.
Peter, Steph, Matthew and Daniel joined us for the first weekend. The weather was not great for this time of year, with temperatures below average and quite a lot of rain. We didn't do any major excursions so I'll keep the event log brief. We didn't do too badly for wildlife with Red Deer seen every day, a Goshawk in the wood near the cottage, Bullfinch in the garden, several Spotted Flycatchers and Redstarts and Woodcock seen flying over at dusk and Nightjar heard. Most nights were poor for moths, due to the sky miraculously clearing to reveal a full moon and causing the temperature to plummet (only to be replaced by more cloud and rain by the next morning --- but two night were nicely overcast and reasonably humid, and on those nights I managed 3 new moth species.
I've also done two 'plants of the day' - Foxglove and Common Centaury.
Saturday 18th: Cycle ride from the cottage to Frogham in the morning (P,M,D and me); BBQ lunch and a short stroll in the afternoon.
Sunday 19th: Short circular walk from the cottage to Fritham plain and back through the woods
Monday 20th: A longer walk from the cottage through Islands Thorns Inclosure, onto the open heath of The Butts and Coopers Hill and back via Amberwood inclosure.
Tuesday 20th: Hurst Castle and Keyhaven Marshes
Wednesday 21st: Walk from the cottage through Eyeworth Wood and Franchises Wood and then to Nomansland and back through Bramshaw Wood and along the track through Howen Bottom back to Eyeworth.
Thursday 22nd: I completed a jigsaw puzzle in the morning and did a long cycle ride to Frogham, Gorley Common, across the heath to Hasley Inclosure and then Sloden Inclosure and back across Fritham Plain.
Thursday 22nd: I completed a jigsaw puzzle in the morning and did a long cycle ride to Frogham, Gorley Common, across the heath to Hasley Inclosure and then Sloden Inclosure and back across Fritham Plain.