Bloody Turtle Dove!! I spent 2010 thinking they were made up! Everyone else was seeing the apart from me! Then I got lucky.. A few weeks ago on Stockbridge Down - and one finally obliged. Wondering if Lightening could possibly strike twice I headed back today to 'grab a money shot'.. Ok, no joy there, but was v happy to hear then see one of these semi-fictional beasts. Purring away in one of the middle copses..
Shots arent great, they are hard to get close to, unless youre called Joe.From there I nipped down to Acres Down in the New Forest.
Got very lost in the woodland and thought I was a done for! but eventually found the Car Park again.. phew!! A walk up to the Raptor View Point proved the most valuable part of the trip as 2 Goshawk were flying over the treetops. (never seen more than 1 since this May).. and there were plenty of my new fave birds about too.. Sorry Wheatear, but Redstarts are straight in at No.1!! too bloody quick to photo though..
