A weekend of birding in the woodlands and heathlands of the New Forest, based at Lyndhurst. On the Saturday, in warm early Spring weather, I embarked on a solo visit to the Clay Hill Heath area in search of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker sighting; though a sighting of this species eluded me, the Merlin app did pick out an individual calling. The highlight of the day was disturbing a Woodcock, which took flight at my inadvertent intrusion.
On the Sunday, I joined a group from the Wiltshire Ornithological Society (WOS) for a visit to the Acres Down area, this time in much poorer weather (rainy, breezy, chilly). Again the, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker avoided being sighted, but highlights of the day were Goshawk, Meadow Pipit and Woodlark.