29/06/2024 9.00 - 13.30  Blashford North. + access to. Routine trimming of brambles and nettles as usual. All paths OK except for bracken that still needs cutting on the South side; on the verges from entrance to Rockford Lake along path between Dockens Water and Rockford Lake to the kissing gate leading to Moyles Court and continuing until reaching the left turn onto the footbridge over the Dockens Water to go out to the road and north. All hides seem OK. 5 ponies seen - happily grazing. Early warning: it will not be long before the reeds alongside the boardwalk need trimming.

27/06/2024 Spinnaker Lake. 11.36 to 13.50

Starting from the Ivy Lane east wntrance I did a circuit of the lake, returning on the public footpath on the west side. The footpath on the east side was almost impassable -- and I have the scratches and stings to prove it! Bramble and Nettles are inundating the track beside the wire fence from w3w thread.framework.delay through to gilding.chestnuts.scuba. At one point I came across an angler with shears trying to make a difference. Along the south side the path was passable - just. The little island was deserted apart from a BH Gull and a juvenile. The west public footpath was passable. Bird wise, there were a pair of Common Terns above the lake but no sign of Oystercatchers.

To Goosander hide

 11.40 1 hr on 24 June. Litter pick and cutting back to Goosander Hide including around layby and kissing gates.

Nicky

Jacki 22/06/2024

 22/06/2024 9.00 -13.30  Blashford North [+access to]. Bracken needs trimming beside the path from exit gate to Moyles Court around the corner to the footbridge. Usual trimming of bramble and nettles along northern paths, otherwise all seemed OK. 6 Ponies seen. 

Sightings of note - 2 Lapwing seen on the Scrape, Little Ringed Plover resting on shore to right of Tern Hide plus four Lapwing chicks seen in the area with adults on guard.  Swan numbers increasing - ?coming in to moult. Meadow Browns, Marbled White and a Small Skipper seen in the Hanson Plant., Dragonflies on the pond behind the Centre - female Southern Hawker ovipositing, plus female Black-tailed Skimmer [I think]

Nigel - Ellingham circuit/Pound and half of north side circuit.

19/06/2024, 10.00 to 12.00. 

Ellingham Pound produced a Marble White, but it was the only one of just 2 butterflies seen. The second was a Gatekeeper on the Goosander link path. Nothing to report on Ellinham circuit except that the Willow Hut was beginning to get unindated by brambles and nettles around the base. Will take some shears to it next week. Some nice invertibrates around including 3 firsts for me - Semaphore Fly (poecilobrothus nobilitatus), Stripe-faced Drone Fly (Eristalis nemorum) and Grey-spotted Sedgesitter (Platycheirus albimanus).

Rockford Lake Path

 17 June 2pm 45 mins litter pick to Rockford Lake/Ivy Lake path also cutting bramble and nettle. Nice view of swans with 8 cygnets on Rockford, Great crested grebe pair with 4 young on Ivy, kingfisher flying down the path.

Nicky

Ellingham Loop and links

 17th June 10.30 for 1.5 hrs.  Loop of Ellingham Lake including paths to road exits.  No litter except at A338 gate.  Cut back nettles and brambles.  Link to E. Drove needs more work but passable.

Nicky

12/06/2024, 10.45 to 12.50. Ivy east path, north side and Tern Hide area

Trimmed encroaching bramble and nettles along the Ivy East path. Walked the north side circuit. No issues. Checked Tern Hide area and found 4 Bee Orchid spikes on the platform footpath. Joined company with a couple of botanists who had just found Hairy Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus subbiflorus. Photo attached) on the lichen field, a national rarity. On further searching I found it over much of the area centred on W3W DELUDED.COMMITTEE.PENCIL.

 15/06/2024  9.00 - 13.30  Blashford North.  Issue of note: First section of post & rail fence, leading to gate into Hanson Plant, had collapsed. All rails dislodged. ? Cause. I reconstructed the section but the first/end post is very loose, reinforcement needed ++ otherwise it will easily be dislodged again.

All six ponies seen. For a time 3 were in the water walking along the shore line, while the other 3 were walking along the shore, ?dissuading the others from coming out. Eventually they did came out when the others held back. ?a bit of tension between the two groups.

Trimmed brambles and nettles as necessary - growth rate increasing ++. All hides appeared OK.

Male adder, 2/3 yr juvenile, seen at base of bank by Goosander hide.

Jack M. 12/06/2024. Ponies on-site!

 It’s that time of year again already! Three lovely New Forest ponies were dropped off by our new graziers Karen and Simon Crouch this afternoon. Three more (plus foal) are expected to arrive later in the week (date tbc) and will remain confined to the western shoreline for the time being.

I have circulate information amongst the lookers, team and graziers who will be carrying out the checks, however if you have any concerns over the ponies welfare or fencing, please call either myself or Pete.

We have a rota in place with Lynn kindly covering Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, the grazier covering Saturdays (and occasional Wednesdays), Pete covering Sundays and myself covering Mondays.

Thanks

Jack

Ellingham loop gate

 10th June 

Both today and last week  separate visitors have reported that they thought the gate on Ellingham loop was locked because they saw a padlock.  One couple turned back, the other climbed the fence.  They suggested a sign saying the gate is not locked. Otherwise they were all happy with their visit.

Didn't go far today due to saving my legs for cycling home (!) just Tern Hide to change board and update sightings and pick some litter say 30 mins.

Nicky

 08/06/2024  9.00 - 13.30 Blashford North   Usual trimming of bramble and nettle growth where necessary to keep paths clear. No obvious problems and hides all looked OK. Cloudy all morning until about midday. No butterflies seen at all but did see a female adder in one of the usual places. The lack of sunshine and cool temperature may have contributed to a later start for her. Lots of geese on Ibsley. Canada, Greylag and Egyptian. Numbers have definitely gone up. As have the numbers of larger gulls. 

Spinnaker and Ivy east path 05/06/2024, 15.45 to 17.00hrs

The Oystercatcher pair were present but their behaviour indicated an absence of young. They flighted a couple of times and seemed unconcerned with the oresence of gulls. being able to observe the site from a boat would be a great help because of the high vegetation obscuring the nest area. Ivy east path. No issues except for encroaching brambles and nettles north of the blind. Will take some shears next time.

Spinnaker Oystercatchers 01/06/2024. 14.15 to 15.00

Went to see what the Oystercatchers were doing and if any young were visible. The female was present but no sign of young. However she was very protective of something and any gulls coming close would be chased off. I've attached photos showing her concentration on one particular spot. No feeding behaviour was observed.

 01/06/24   9.00 - 13.00 Blashford North  A few brambles and nettles trimmed that had fallen after the verges were cut on Thursday. No obvious problems seen. 

Relatively few birds on Ibsley and those there were mainly on Gull Island or near the north shore because of the wind direction. A small number of sand martins were flying in and out of the wall and a bit later in the morning a flock of about 100 arrived/returned and flew around the lake. A very vocal cuckoo heard on Mockbeggar. A photo was taken by Doug and Hilary. A wagtail on the shore in front of Tern Hide. A Hobby seen flying over from the Welcome Hut.