Its that time again when we begin to think of tidying away the lakes in readiness for the winter to come. I spent the day chasing around in our old woods tractor with the heavy swipe on the back. Before we bring the winter grazing stock into the lakes I needed to take the top off some of the brambles that had encroached on the meadows. Its important the stock can reach the grass to graze yet its equally important to leave sufficient bramble protection to provide cover for the over-wintering invertebrates. The pattern of cutting only covers twenty or so percent of the meadows and we cut in stripes to enable disturbed life to pick up its bed and walk, should it wish to move quarters. The swipe is set at six inches or so above the ground ensuring the creatures disturbed have sufficient cover to enable them to survive even in the cut sections. By getting the brambles topped off at this stage it allows a month or so for fresh regrowth to attract the stock into the areas we wish them to graze, balancing the flora for next year.

Another entry for the carp guys in the shape of Owen Cutler with one of our old girls looking very well at 37.04. Owen was fishing as a guest with dad Mick and showing him the way to go, not that Mick will mind, having had fish of a similar size this summer. Super fish Owen, congratulations and thanks for the lovely pic.

Despite the gin clear water and fish that spook at the slightest shadow or vibration the river still looks magnificent. Several of you may recognise the swim in the photo, one or two of you have spoken to me about removing that branch, the remains of which can be seen in the foreground. Its a great looking swim but I'm afraid this afternoons rain and the low angle of the sun made fish spotting almost impossible. As I attempted to peer into the depths I could only see the bottom in the first four or five meters. That limited glimpse showed a brace of typical Avon chub, probably between five and six pounds, sitting behind the cabbages to the right of the trot, intercepting anything that looked remotely edible the current delivered to them. It had to be left to the imagination just what may have been hiding in the remaining forty five meters of that swim, down at the tail, on that six feet of gravel under the over-hanging willow.

Despite the wet and windy weather there remain surprisingly high numbers of butterflies around the lakes. The banks of blackberries are providing a great sugar source for species such as the Speckled woods, Red admirals and particularly Commas. In a casual count along the route of the transect, on a wider tract than the set five meters of the transect count, I managed to find one hundred and four Comma, fourty five Speckled Woods and over thirty Red Admiral. Its worth remembering that its not only butterflies that enjoy blackberries. I've certainly caught plenty of carp and chub on them and they are a perfect bait for ease of presentation and free offerings. They also have the definite advantage of being free.

A couple of shots for the carp lads in the shape of Chris with a beautiful common off the top from Kings-Vincents and Terry with a very big mirror from Meadow. Wonderful looking fish and a delight to see. Thanks to Chris and Terry for the reports and photos.

I had occasion to take the day off today and where did end up? Over the lakes working out how to remove the unwanted stock. The occasion to put the chest waders on and wander about in the lake doesn't arise that often and today, with no one fishing, I had to make the most of the opportunity. Wandering about up to my middle in North Bay at Mockbeggar, looking for snags and removing branches, is remarkably therapeutic. The wildlife seemed to accept my presence once away from the bank, Kingfishers and deer just watched as I wandered by. The hundred or so Swallows in the shot above, that were sheltering from the wind and rain on the dead branches behind the islands, showed little interest as I passed. I suppose its a different view of the lake achieved from out in the middle and the added concentration needed to avoid a ducking that makes it such an odd experience.

Autumn thinking turns to the tree work and some need a little more thinking about than others! Other thoughts have been directed toward the movement of materials as we repair the Park after recent events and consider repairs on sections of the river bank. Moving materials and machine work is a subject we're quite practiced in at Somerley in one form or another. The shot of one of the pits being restored, to include another lake, shows the extent of some of the operations. To provide a little scale the dumper on the left of the shot weighs in at over sixty tons when fully loaded! On the right is a plea to give me a break in that if you are to disappear up the river bank and leave your vehicle at the bridge please don't block our gate. Its not very often I need access but its a real pain on the rare occasion that I do.

Summer has waned and the season of mellow fruitfulness is upon us, the shots below capture the extremes of the estate and the changes of the year.

A summer scene from one of the busiest spots on the estate as visitors enjoy the New Forest. A scene now drawing to a close as the autumn weather brings wind and rain to keep the visitors indoors

The other extreme as the wonder, beauty and solitude of the estate is captured in an early morning visit to the river.
Thanks to James Agar for the stunning shots of the estate taken last week

Before you click on the silhouette can you identify the bird? Left click will tell you if you got it right.

Having been busy with the events I have neglected our woodland programme for a week or two. Today I dropped in to see how the contractors were progressing and was pleased to find the recent dry weather had help speed their progress. Hundreds of tons of birch logwood extracted and the newly thinned woodland looking considerably tidier.

The report below will be of interest to many of the stillwater syndicate who will have seen Brenda going about her work around the lake throughout the spring and summer. In isolation the report does not provide many answers but as a base document for ongoing recording it would point to us providing valuable habitat for our local warbler population. It is still very much work in progress, not only the recording but the management of the habitat that we are slowly continuing to change from species poor dark willow and alder into interspersed areas of margins rich in reeds and nectar providing plants.

Many thanks again to Brenda for all her efforts with the ringing and also providing this report to allow us to further enjoy and understand the wonderful environment we are charegd with managing.

Finally if I may just add that Brenda is a trained and registered bird ringer with the necessary expertise and experience to handle these delicate little packages, it goes without saying that we should not go looking for nests ourselves. Finally, finally, ensure you do not go crunching about in the reedbeds in search of that hidden swim, or a little unsanctioned swim clearance, you risk destroying nests and disturbing our wildlife and really p"**"^g me off. That's the reason the defined swims only policy is in force on our fisheries.

Reed Warblers in the phragmites bed.

REPORT FOR REED WARBLER NEST STUDY AT MOCKBEGGAR LAKE 2017

Brenda Cook - August 2017

Reed Warbler chicks showing characteristic, naked bare skin blackish-red, pale yellow gape flanges, mouth orange-yellow with two oval black spots near base of tongue.
Photograph Brenda Cook

The first two Reed warbler nests were found on 31st May in phragmites beds, at the entrance of the NW bay of Mockbeggar Lake, where we park for our CES (Constant Effort Site) ringing project. Each nest had 5 eggs, but they were both predated at the egg stage. I soon discovered that this area was continually predated at egg or young just hatched stage. There are Magpie, Jackdaw and Jay in this area who have a variety of watching posts and fences where they sit and watch the activity of the Reed Warblers. It became very frustrating and disappointing for predation to happen again and again, but these other species had young to feed and of course it is part of nature for this to happen. Monitoring began properly from the 6.6.17 the visits took place each week going round all the clumps of reeds which surround the lake. Once chicks hatched I then did extra visits to ring the chicks at the correct stage. My last visit was on 10.8.17 to check that the last pulli had fledged from the final nest.

The males sing persistently until they are paired up, then only in the mornings and evenings usually close to the nest from a song post. It soon became apparent that watching using my binoculars and listening to the males was a good idea and I would get an idea of an area where a nest was likely to be. I then entered the reeds by parting them with a stick to minimise too much trampling of stems. The stick was also very useful for gauging depth of water. Once a nest was found I then returned along the entry route placing markers so the nest could be found again, I also took a GPS reading for each nest. The only effective way of finding nests is by this method. I was soon able to detect territory lengths and get to know the height to look out for the nests. The Reed Warbler nest is a deep cylindrical cup of grasses, reed flowers and algal threads with plant down, moss and spiders’ webs woven around old and eventually new stems when the new reed growth begins to shoot up. The nest is lined with finer materials. I was delighted when I was able to notice just a few strands around some stems which meant a nest was beginning to be built. Nest height varied from 50cm to 1m.

At all stages and particularly once the young had hatched the adults used a grating churrr alarm call and often approached quite closely when I was near to the nest. I always tried to be as quiet and quick as possible when checking and ringing so as not to disturb them for too long. They all quickly resumed either incubating or feeding depending on the stage of the nest. The eggs are laid when the female has lined the nest. Numbers of eggs vary between 2 and 6 laid each day and incubation takes place from the penultimate egg. The eggs are greenish-white variably speckled, spotted and blotched olive, green and grey often concentrated at the blunt end. The tiny young hatch after 9-12 days and were then ready to ring between 6-9 days old at IP(in pin) or FS(feathers short). I found the more chicks there were in the nest it was better to ring at the IP stage because it was much easier to fold up their wings and legs to return them bottom first into the tiny cup of the nest. The next thing I discovered was that Reed Warbler chicks leave the nest before their wings are fully developed. They remain close to the nest hidden in the reeds calling for food to be delivered by the very attentive parents( I successfully saw this on many occasions) until they are able to fly and collect their own food.

The weather was particularly hot at various stages of the monitoring. The chicks all survived during this time, but when we had a couple of very wet days I did find a couple of dead chicks where parents had not been able to find sufficient food to keep the whole brood alive. Adult Reed Warblers are very attentive to their young and both the male and females feed the very fast growing chicks in the nest. Reed warblers can have 1-2 broods and it is said they sometimes refurbish the same nest but I did not find any nests re-used. I am unable to say definitely whether adults did have second broods as this would only be able to be confirmed by trapping and colour ringing the adults which would be very difficult in the reed bed and disturbing for the adults during the breeding season. There was certainly continuous building happening as I managed to find new nests every week.

I was able to record 32 nests to completion. 18 nests were successful and 14 were predated usually at the egg stage. I did find other nests at various stages of building, but these were not always completed and could have been the males building loose cock’s nests. All nests that reached the egg stage and beyond are included in the final outcome of the study. It became more difficult to find nests once the new reed growth came through, but it provided more cover for the nests and predation became less and even at the CES parking reeds young fledged successfully. A total of 58 Reed Warbler Pulli were ringed. A really pleasing result was when we re-trapped S970561 during our CES 10 mist netting session at Blashford Lakes on 6.8.17. I ringed this bird as a Pulli in the nest at FS on 3.7.17 from a brood of 3 in a nest in the second clump of reeds to the left of the gate entrance.

The first two Reed warbler nests were found on 31st May in phragmites beds, at the entrance of the NW bay of Mockbeggar Lake, where we park for our CES (Constant Effort Site) ringing project. Each nest had 5 eggs, but they were both predated at the egg stage. I soon discovered that this area was continually predated at egg or young just hatched stage. There are Magpie, Jackdaw and Jay in this area who have a variety of watching posts and fences where they sit and watch the activity of the Reed Warblers. It became very frustrating and disappointing for predation to happen again and again, but these other species had young to feed and of course it is part of nature for this to happen. Monitoring began properly from the 6.6.17 the visits took place each week going round all the clumps of reeds which surround the lake. Once chicks hatched I then did extra visits to ring the chicks at the correct stage. My last visit was on 10.8.17 to check that the last pulli had fledged from the final nest.

The males sing persistently until they are paired up, then only in the mornings and evenings usually close to the nest from a song post. It soon became apparent that watching using my binoculars and listening to the males was a good idea and I would get an idea of an area where a nest was likely to be. I then entered the reeds by parting them with a stick to minimise too much trampling of stems. The stick was also very useful for gauging depth of water. Once a nest was found I then returned along the entry route placing markers so the nest could be found again, I also took a GPS reading for each nest. The only effective way of finding nests is by this method. I was soon able to detect territory lengths and get to know the height to look out for the nests. The Reed Warbler nest is a deep cylindrical cup of grasses, reed flowers and algal threads with plant down, moss and spiders’ webs woven around old and eventually new stems when the new reed growth begins to shoot up. The nest is lined with finer materials. I was delighted when I was able to notice just a few strands around some stems which meant a nest was beginning to be built. Nest height varied from 50cm to 1m.

At all stages and particularly once the young had hatched the adults used a grating churrr alarm call and often approached quite closely when I was near to the nest. I always tried to be as quiet and quick as possible when checking and ringing so as not to disturb them for too long. They all quickly resumed either incubating or feeding depending on the stage of the nest. The eggs are laid when the female has lined the nest. Numbers of eggs vary between 2 and 6 laid each day and incubation takes place from the penultimate egg. The eggs are greenish-white variably speckled, spotted and blotched olive, green and grey often concentrated at the blunt end. The tiny young hatch after 9-12 days and were then ready to ring between 6-9 days old at IP(in pin) or FS(feathers short). I found the more chicks there were in the nest it was better to ring at the IP stage because it was much easier to fold up their wings and legs to return them bottom first into the tiny cup of the nest. The next thing I discovered was that Reed Warbler chicks leave the nest before their wings are fully developed. They remain close to the nest hidden in the reeds calling for food to be delivered by the very attentive parents( I successfully saw this on many occasions) until they are able to fly and collect their own food.

The weather was particularly hot at various stages of the monitoring. The chicks all survived during this time, but when we had a couple of very wet days I did find a couple of dead chicks where parents had not been able to find sufficient food to keep the whole brood alive. Adult Reed Warblers are very attentive to their young and both the male and females feed the very fast growing chicks in the nest. Reed warblers can have 1-2 broods and it is said they sometimes refurbish the same nest but I did not find any nests re-used. I am unable to say definitely whether adults did have second broods as this would only be able to be confirmed by trapping and colour ringing the adults which would be very difficult in the reed bed and disturbing for the adults during the breeding season. There was certainly continuous building happening as I managed to find new nests every week.

I was able to record 32 nests to completion. 18 nests were successful and 14 were predated usually at the egg stage. I did find other nests at various stages of building, but these were not always completed and could have been the males building loose cock’s nests. All nests that reached the egg stage and beyond are included in the final outcome of the study. It became more difficult to find nests once the new reed growth came through, but it provided more cover for the nests and predation became less and even at the CES parking reeds young fledged successfully. A total of 58 Reed Warbler Pulli were ringed. A really pleasing result was when we re-trapped S970561 during our CES 10 mist netting session at Blashford Lakes on 6.8.17. I ringed this bird as a Pulli in the nest at FS on 3.7.17 from a brood of 3 in a nest in the second clump of reeds to the left of the gate entrance.

Ringed Reed warbler pulli.
photograph Brenda Cook

Its that time of year when the Commas begin to sample the blackberry crop and become drunk on the fermenting sugars. I can assure those of you that like a challenge that there is definitely a Comma hiding in the first shot of the blackberries. For Chris and those that struggled with previous searches its a case of where's the Brimstone in the second pic, you know who you are!

We seem to have dialled up the perfect weather for the beer festival with sunshine and still warm evenings making for a wonderful atmosphere. After several extremely long days the festival is now behind us allowing my thinking to once more return to the fishery.

We enjoyed perfect weather for the beer festival.

The salmon season is all but run and with autumn rapidly drawing in the coarse fish will be reaching peak condition in readiness for the harsher weather ahead. Its hard to see just where our fish have room to improve as we have seen summer barbel over fifteen pounds and chub over eight. Just what weights fish of such calibre may achieve in the months ahead is the material of dreams.

I make time today to take a relaxing walk around one of the pits and reset my equilibrium after the hectic events of the weekend. The sunshine and warmth of recent days has given the butterfly world a boost providing lots to discover on my wandering. The Marbled Whites are long gone, the Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Silver-washed Fritillaries and Common Blues won't be far behind and we are seeing the beginning of the Autumn broods of Clouded Yellows, Painted ladies, Small Tortoiseshells, Brimstones, Commas and Small Coppers. Wonderful richness of colour and after a good summers feeding the autumn broods look huge compared to some of the battered spring broods.

The first and middle photo in the top line show a first for the Mockbeggar transect with our fist recorded Small Heath. Not a rare butterfly in many habitats but not a regular with us and this one had the good manners to flick open its wings just as I pressed the shutter providing a rare open winged shot. Don't get distracted by the shoal of 30's and 20's that can be seen in the shallows its the rich margins that are the star of the middle photo. Hemp agrimony, fleabane, purple loosestrife and perhaps the most important at the moment, mint. Apart from the butterflies the bees and hoverflies are creating a continual hum that fills the air.

Back down to earth and reality with a bump this evening with a run-in with several members of the our nomadic community offering to break my face for giving them their marching orders. I suppose I must take comfort from the fact that little changes in the rural scene, feral communities driving a pony and trap through holes in failing legislation and running rings around its regulators. Its like some scene out of Dickens! No that's not true, no such flagrant breach of societies rules would have been tolerated a hundred years ago.

I think this had to be some sort of record. Only my third set of paddle-boarders and by far and away the most. Fortunately having explained the situation they apologised and left the river. Oh for every incident to end in such a trouble free manner!

Not only is this a romantic possibly nostalgic scene, depending on your age, its the most efficient and environmentally friendly manner in which to work on the current soft ground of the water meadows. To venture out with a tractor drawn tedder would result in a rutted, quagmire. The horses travel over the ground, completing the urgently needed turning of the hay, with the minimum of impact and the added benefit of a rare working scene.

A wonderful day strimming the paths up at Ibsley gave plenty of time to consider the current state of the river. I have to admit to having neglected my strimming duties in recent weeks due to the busy event season on the park. With two of the larger events now behind us I can once again get my fishery head on. I will need to strim for several weeks to get the banks back in hand and ready for the winter. I also needed to ensure that Pete Reading could lay down his scythe, for which I must add my thanks for his considerable efforts, able to venture forth without fear of further painful rashes brought about through that most startling of experiences, the stinger up the shorts!
My deliberations about the fisheries state came to the conclusion we are doing okay, given the pressures society inflicts upon us through its demands on our river. The impact of my simple task of strimming the banks has many connotations other than the obvious ease of access. Our autumn clean up can get underway as the nesting season is now over and we do not risk disturbing our residents. The clean up isn't total, many areas marginal reed beds are left to provide cover during the coming winter for our birds, mammals and insects. The provision of cover also applies to the river channel itself with overhanging margins and woody debris left wherever it doesn't create flood risk problems. With the current water clarity a glance into the sunken stems of the poplars that have fallen into the weirpool shows chub, perch, dace, pike and minnows. The fallen willows between the weirs provide cover from Cormorant and Goosander attack for large shoals of dace and chub. It may look untidy and neglected in parts but we have a plan, it is all considered and very deliberate.

Bullfinches seem to have enjoyed a very successful breeding season with several pairs about the lakes. The one in the photo is feeding on ragwort seeds one the Cinnabar caterpillars have failed to eat back to bare stems.

After the concerns for the state of the ground, after the recent rain and the damage sustained from the Focus take-down, the Ellingham Show enjoyed a fine day and from what I hear with good crowds coming along to enjoy the attractions. Another twenty four hours to clear the site and we may just have got away with that one!
The river continues to produce huge barbel and chub and now multiple catches of single figure barbel are showing in one or two spots, which is a comfort for the future. The lakes have produced both mirrors and commons to mid-thirty with great back-up fish which is all one can ask of a fishery. As the night time temperatures start to fall and the water temperature follows we are being to feel the misty morning chills of autumn catching up with us. After the morning dew had burnt off I stopped my playhouse building once again to head out to the lakes in search of butterflies on my weekly transect.

The nectar flow is an ever changing scene with the creeping thistles and trefoil being replaced with fleabane, hemp agrimony, mint and loosestrife. The Superb looking Musk Long-horned Beetle was one of two that I disturbed on today's transect. They are a very large beetle that looks quite intimidating but is completely harmless, so please treat with care if you bump into one, or more likely, one bumps into you. In most instances the count remained well above that of last year with the sun breaking through sufficiently to keep the butterflies on the wing.

Here's a date for the diary if you're down in this part of the world and fancy a beer.

With "Focus 17" finished and gone its been a rush to get the park back in shape in readiness for the arrival of the set-up crew for next weekends Ellingham Show. From what little news that has filtered through to me the river has continued to produce some fine specimens whilst the lakes have been a little more hit and miss. There have been several big carp yet others have struggled. I guess that's just fishing. The Parasol Mushrooms are a shot from the Park where they are putting on a fine display under several of the large oaks. It looks as if I may have to lay in a large supply of garlic as I'm fond of them fried down in butter with lashings of crushed garlic.

Several of these great looking Wasp Spiders in the meadows today. The two views are from opposite sides of the same web, top and underside of the spider.

Jonathan popped over with Katie and Nathan for a couple of hours the other evening. Leaving the children with Nana we headed for the lakes for a couple of hours before dark in hope of a bite and the chance for a natter.

A couple of nice shots of John playing and landing a fine male tench this evening. The rain of the weekend has brought the river up which can only be good for the fishng. There were reasonable numbers of grilse in the system last week so I imagine there will be one or two added to the tally this week. As the river has been fishing so well for barbel and chub prior to the rain I find it hard to believe it has much room to get any better but I can't see it doing any harm. I hope that's not tempting fate!

There's a bit of a bug fest going on at present with the weather of late seemingly suiting our insect population. Butterflies, dragonflies, damsels, beetles and bitey things are on the wing in swarms. I don't want readers to think I'm softening when I attached the pix below but the moth populations would also appear to be enjoying the current conditions. Simon was with us again a couple of evenings ago and ran his trap down by the Lodge with, I have to admit, a fascinating haul of beautiful, multicoloured specimens that went a long way to dispell my long held "only grey and at night" views on moths.

I would have put this entry up yesterday but my computer succumbed to the thunder storm of that evening. Despite having two surge protectors in line and not running through the height of the storm, I switched on after a twenty minute lull only to have a single thunderbolt from above render my machine a jibbering idiot. Twenty four hours without my AI assistant was all too much and the sound of his father in tears brought son Jonathan over tonight to calm both my and my machines nerves. It would seem my parallel hard discs have been knocked out of sync, causing windows to throw a similarly unseemly spat and refuse to allow me to boot up. Well I'm prepared to take Jonathan's word for all of that but I'm extremely grateful for him getting me up and running once more.

Its good to see a man content in his work! Simon delving into the mysteries of his overnight catch. I'm not going to name them all as it would just involve me replicating what I have just had to look up. Far better those of you that are interested take half an hour and look through some of the ID sites that can be found on the net. Suffice to say there are "Lovers Knots", "Footmen" and "Yellow Tails" to name but a few, the lid of the trap alone was a delight of form and colour. Thank you Simon, a thoroughly enjoyable half hour.

Perhaps a timely occasion to give a seasonal warning about ticks. As many of you are aware the wretched things will swim the lake to get at me and I have had a fine crop in recent days. Please take care and do a thorough inspection of inner thighs and tummy buttons when in the shower. Thats your own thighs and tummy buttons, I'm not advocating any voyeurism here!

Butterfly Bonanza

After a day cutting and constructing my latest project, in the shape of a play house, a walk around the lake seemed a good idea this evening. It was good to meet one of our new members, Mike Blackmore, making his second trip of the season in the hope of a Somerley leviathan. Openings on the syndicate are all too rare I'm afraid but there is always hope as Mike's appearance proves. Tightlines Mike, lets hope Lady Luck smiles tonight.
I also bumped into long standing member, John Slader, out looking for the tench and bream. Unfortunately, despite scaling right down to a 3 pound bottom and a size 16 banded pellet, it had been hard work. Fishing such light gear on a very soft wand always gives rise to the question of just what happens if one of our larger inhabitants joins in?

As things stood it looked as if John was more likely to get a bite from one of those ducks as our tench seem to have switched off for the day.
In typical fishy fashion just as John was about to call it a day several patches of classic fizzy bream blows started to rise right on the spot he's been baiting. Nothing else for it, another cast was called for, in fact another two or three. Eventually the tip nodded in response to an inquisitive pull, sufficient to strike at least. Thankfully resulting in a solid resistance to save the day and answer that earlier question.

That's better, the man behind the tench. Hugh was back again today and as I arrived this afternoon was busy with this six plus hen. To add to the seven fish the other day when I turned up today the tally stood at a further four, which included a 5+ male. As can be seen the tench have spawned out completely and whilst we won't see the massive spawn filled hens of the early spring they provide great fishing, in lovely weather in the perfect setting.

James Channel also enjoyed some great fishing when he landed a round dozen carp last night, all but one of the fish was in excess of twenty up to the thirty plus mirror in the photo. Quite a wonderful nights fishing but James looked a little the worse for wear through lack of sleep when I saw him in the morning. It was also pleasing to see the carp have spawned out completely allaying some of the fears for their wellbeing in the warm weeks ahead. Well done James and thanks for the pix.

"Waggons roll" twenty odd trucks heading for the park as the set up for "Focus 17" gets underway. The recent warm weather has also seen the hay and silage making in full swing adding to the feel of high summer. Many of you will be pleased to hear we have renewed the deck on Ellingham Bridge, which should make the passage to the river a little smoother.

To give a further flavour of the summer the butterflies are enjoying the warm weather with numbers remaining satisfyingly high about the meadows and lakes. I did manage to find a White Letter Hairstreak (see the white "W") actually on the transect, which after many frustrating near misses raised the spirits at the weekend. Whilst I don't normally put "A fish on a net" photos up, peferring to have the captor captured for posterity, this one is slightly different in that I don't get to see that many tench photos. Thanks to Hugh for this lovely shot of a classic "tinca green" specimen. Green is my favourite colour by a long measure and "tinca green" must be high on the preferred shades. The only problem with such a shade is that it only looks right on a tench. Trying to match and use that colour anywhere else in life just doesn't do it justice. Our fine tench is bordered by yet another butterfly in the form of a beautiful Silver Washed Fritillary. The sight of half a dozen specimens on the brambles and thistles in the sunlit meadows beside Mockbeggar provided final proof of summer's arrival.

Sadly I have to report that Orri Vigfusson, that most passionate campaigner for the protection of our salmon, has passed away. The long standing readers of the diary will remember Orri as a staunch supporter of our local salmon trust from the early days of the Wessex Salmon Association. His fight for the protection of our salmon took him all over the world and into the presence of Presidents and Kings yet he remained committed to the grass root supporters that shared his passion. He brought with him from his Icelandic home a very clear and considered message that we all shared. He will be missed by those that had the privilege of knowing him across the entire range of the North Atlantic salmon from Russia to the States.

Orri addressing the Wessex Salmon AGM in 2006.

On a happier note and as an effort to expand our knowledge and aid in the conservation of species, one of which Orri would have thoroughly approved, the photos above are a series of shots showing Brenda Cook ringing a brood of Spotted flycatchers up on the estate. Many of you will have seen Brenda recording the warblers around Mockbeggar and we are delighted that she was also able to find time to ring these delightful little birds that are sadly decreasing in numbers across their range.

A wonderful weekend for the butterflies. The forecast showery, overcast weekend failed to materialise and we enjoyed sunshine on both days. The flowers had been refreshed by the recent rain and the butterflies were making the most of it. I did the transect Saturday lunchtime and had the astonishing count of eighteen species totalling over seven hundred individuals. Off transect I added a further four species making a count of twenty two for the weekend. As with my birding I am someone who might be considered a "patch man" butterflies don't come any better than that on the home patch. We seem to have our own little embryo colony of Silver-studded Blues with five males being present at one point. The fallow fawn required a detour but not before I had counted the two Marbled whites and the Meadow brown that can be seen in the photo if you look closely. Finally I found perhaps our rarest species again with the appearance of a freshly minted White-letter Hairstreak on a patch of Creeping Meadow Thistle. Its a pity I had finished the transect when I found that little beaut.

As flaming June leaves us flaming July arrives and the fishing would seem to be carrying on in a similarly hot fashion. A shot of Kevin Welch with a fine looking common of 32 pounds, the best of four he enjoyed in his short session. Dave Winter was just packing up having enjoyed four off the top when Kevin arrived. Kevin had forgtotten to pack the mixers so Dave kindly left his pack of floaters, on the condition he didn't land a lump. I think Kevin owes Dave a pint! Great fish Kevin and thanks for the photo and report.

Chris Ball with a 28 off the top, the best of well over a dozen fish from a couple of short day sessions. The second is Chris Flack with a thirty plus, one of several 30+ fish last week with Paul Sladers 34.5 the best I heard of. Its pleasing to hear of these fish have come through the spawning well. Thanks for the photo's Chris and Chris

Rain at last and not a moment too soon. I don't imagine it will be sufficient to lift the river but it will certainly save our acres of newly planted grass seed and reinvigorate the nectar flow on many of the wild flowers on which our bees and butterflies depend. I've still been strimming in an effort to catch up with the summers growth, Ringwood and Ibsley are looking a great deal tidier but there's still plenty left to keep me occupied for a day or two elsewhere on the river and lakes. Whilst out on the river I came across a couple of sights that gave rise to very mixed emotions. The first, two dead salmon, caught up in the weed raft that drifts downstream and collects above the hatches. Just what killed them wasn't obvious, in that there appeared to be no large lumps out of them. Lost fish? Badly returned fish? Fish that have suffered injury and have subsequently succumbed to a secondary infection. We will never know but if you are tempted to try for a salmon now the water temperature has dropped below 19 degrees please be very, very careful when playing, unhooking and returning any fish that you are lucky enough to land. The second sight was spotting a huge shoal of dace, barbel, roach, perch, gudgeon and most notably chub, literally dozens of chub to about two pounds. There are several such shoals dotted about the estate, consisting of many different year classes that bodes very well indeed for the future of the fishery.

Some of you will be aware that I have considerable misgivings about the way in which our rivers, or more correctly our catchments are managed. You will have seen my frustrations at a local level where those currently charged with the issues impacting on the Avon seem incapable of dealing with problems such as the continued menace of the aquaculture industry and water quality degraded through abstraction, discharge and agricultural leaching. The failure to meet the legal obligation to maintain, improve and develop the fishery asset is conveniently ignored. I spent a great deal of yesterday down at the bottom end of the fishery strimming paths around Ringwood Weir and Lifelands. Always a difficult area of the fishery through the proximity of the road, which contributes to the frequency of trespass as well as the continuous noise of the A31. It also has the abandoned weir that the EA refuse to manage as it functioned at the time of the notification of the SSSI.

I've had it confirmed that the EA consider the current management of the hatches at Ringwood to be in the best interest of the fishery at a species level. This of course fails to recognise the complete destruction of a multi-thousand pound private asset and absolutely no stats or data to substantiate their policy. In actual fact the only stats I can find related to the Avon, which are produced by the EA, would seem to point in completely the opposite direction. I refer to the Avon salmon population that was at its numeric height at the time of the EA taking responsibility for the river to its current stuttering base level. In all seriousness I do not believe the EA are responsible for the perilous state of our salmon but they certainly haven't done anything capable of evaluation to assist in any recovery of Avon fish. The fact they were responsible for dredging the heart out of the Stour and the Avon in the 1960's, destroying the natural regime of the river for over half a century with their weed cutting boats and removing every shred and vestige of cover from the channel, doesn't seem to have any bearing on their competence or suitability to manage.

The history of outside agencies, NGO's and Quango's meddling in the Avon is an extremely long one. Management of catchments goes way back into the 19th century when the concerns mainly focused on flooding and drainage concerns. Sounds familiar! As far back as the 1930 fishery interests came under their wing of the Catchment Boards,. The Catchment Boards became the River Boards in early 1930's, which in turn in 1963, became the River Authorities. From the River Boards, Regional Water Authorities oversaw the policy and allocation of government funding. Next came the National Rivers Authority, shortly followed by the EA, when the water companies were hived off to line the pockets of private interests taking with them the funding that protected the river from their own abstraction and discharge excesses. That final issue is the one of real importance, when the water companies were privatised the funding base was no longer guaranteed.

It was the income, derived from the water companies, that underwrote the GIA begrudgingly released by the Treasury. That reluctance on the part of the Treasury, read government, to fund the protection of our rivers has been further demonstrated by the continued reduction of funding. Is this down to ignorance on the part of the government/Defra I don't imagine that to be the case. Cynical political manoeuvring would I imagine be closer to the mark. You might refer to the piece I wrote about nationalisation by stealth many years ago to see that private control of the rivers is not where the government wish to go. I've written before about the loss of rates as a funding source when sporting rates were removed from the rivers at the time the EA came into being. The withdraw of the rateable system, that went to the Local Authority, was to clear the way for the introduction of the 142 payment system which was to be paid directly to the EA and subsequently reinvested in the maintenance, improvement and development of the fishery. Political lobbyists, many of whom purported to represent rural communities, saw off the need for riparian interests to put their hands in their pockets. Where does this leave the protection of the river? Firmly in the hands of an under funded, emasculated organisation, with a sidelined management, totally incapable of meeting its statutory obligations. I will refrain from pointing out the glaring gaps in the capabilities of the EA, they are all too well known to us all. Our regulators no longer regulate, they react, its about time we had another reshuffle and changed their name to the Reaction Force.

What of the future? Unfortunately it looks as if it will only get worse as we head out of Europe under the guiding influence of Michael Gove as the minister responsible for the environment. I hope there are some hidden green credentials that I have missed in our shiny new minister. Our rivers will remain under the mandatory control of the EA who in turn will look to enter into partnerships with every Tom, Dick and Harry in an effort to keep a profile on the banks. Funding will include the million or so from the rod licence and the ever reducing GIA, which doesn't hold out a great deal of hope for any improvement of the situation. Probably sufficient to keep the offices and fleet of vehicles on the road and hide behind a national policy incapable of evaluation. The river and the private fishery asset will continue to bear the cost of the EA cuts. Just how long do we sit and allow the government to ignore the plight of our rivers, allowing water companies to use them as a free source of income for both abstraction and discharge without any direct form of conservation levy. Heavily subsidised through the public purse, agriculture continues to pollute the catchment without consequence or responsibility. The pariah of aquaculture that at local level uses the river as a waste disposal system. The consequences of the escapes, the pathogens and the entrapment still after fifty years remains any ones guess as the EA rush around like headless chickens every time we endure another escape or batch of unexplained salmon mortality.

Perhaps its time for serious consideration of removing Fisheries from the responsibility of the EA. The Rivers Trusts are established sufficiently to take on the mantle. Dependent of course on Defra finding sufficient balls to stick its nose out from behind the curtains of its Ivory Tower to fight the corner of the rivers against the cold, reptilian approach of the Treasury.

In conjunction with the universities the funding can be targeted at catchment level where local concerns can be met. Issues such as enforcement simply revert to the police who are already supposed to enforce the criminal laws of the land. Today's situation, where-by the EA and the police double up regulating the same legislation would seem a profligate waste of money. From a personal perspective the proper funding of local Countryside Watch Officers, who would be versed in our concerns, is a far more attractive proposition. Unfortunately the local police have fallen foul of the same political manoeuvring that has seen their funding drastically cut with the rural community taking the brunt of the belt tightening. Believe me I feel pretty exposed each time I approach poachers and trespassers on my own. There is absolutely no chance of any back-up from the EA and only a lucky fluke if there's a police officer in the area to come to my aid in the event of trouble. When I say the rural community is taking the brunt of the cuts, its worse than that, its simply being ignored. To the extent the police website that enables the reporting and recording of incidents, in conjunction with 101 and the lack of officers, doesn't have a single business category to cover any rural occupations; no farming, forestry, fishing, shooting, greasy pig catching or pole sitting. I usually put academic in the box to describe the occupation of the affected business. Perhaps the government might think of funding the traffic cops entirely from the road tax and leave the element of local and central government funding to support the day to day policing of the community. It might also consider giving those over in Black Horse House, totally insulated from the realities of rural life, a lesson or two in the real world. I believe that's where the CPS hide away with their coverall, “its not in the public interest” to avoid prosecuting bandits.

Enough of the “Grumpy Old Git” back to our rivers and here's the paradox. Our fishery is for the most part thriving. Our stillwaters do have problems, one of which many of you are familiar with is having too many fish. Who or what is responsible for that? Circumstance, good spawning bays, that warm quickly permitting high recruitment and ample natural food. Given such conditions fish will thrive. All we have to do is remove the excess and keep an eye on the place to provide the backdrop we desire. Our river is also in brilliant form, wonderful specimens and recruitment that has literally thousands of juvenile year classes throughout the fishery. Who or what is responsible for that? A more difficult question. You first have to discover the extent of the fishery success. That's a relatively simple task, you simply ask the anglers. It may be dismissed as anecdotal, I prefer to think of it as empirical information. It would appear that we are fortunate at Somerley but the rest of the Avon is catching up quickly. The number and size of the chub and barbel we enjoy is quite remarkable. Fish that in many cases are over twenty years old that possibly enjoyed the benefits of the estate not allowing the EA to cut the weed in waters that we controlled. The new generations of fish that appear more widely spread throughout the river are perhaps benefiting from the recent change of weed cutting regime. It may of course have nothing to do with weed but climatic as conditions have been more benign. All I can say with certainty is that nothing the EA has done has had a positive impact capable of evaluation.

A photo of John Hawkins, local archivist and historian down at The Meeting House, in Ringwood. John is currently putting on the By-Gone Fishing exhibition a the Meeting House, if you have an hour when you are in town I can recommend you take the opportunity to drop in for a look and perhaps a chat with John. Unfortunately the Meeting House is only open between 10 and 12 Monday to Saturday with an extension to 02:30 on Wednesdays. The exhibition is running until the 8th of July. If you can't make it before the 8th July all the docs will be available in a folder from the Meeting House archive. You can buy a coffee for 90p and spend a pleasant hour browsing the records.

Paul Fuller with a cracking summer barbel at 13.4 Congratulations Paul and thanks for the photo.

A lovely transect today at lunchtime with 471 butterflies on the route.

The carp are still shoaled up in the Back Lagoon waiting to spawn. Just what they are waiting for is any ones guess. Judging by the number of fry in the margins something has managed to spawn, I only hope its roach and rudd fry and not the bream. On the right is a photo of John McGough with his second eleven pounder of the day. Pleasingly both fish were completely clear of spawn looking as if the fish that were cutting on opening day were the last to finish.

Whilst I am delighted with our flower meadows that result from our winter grazing regime the stands of tall meadow grasses are equally important for many species. Many butterfly larval stages, Small skipper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Speckled wood feed on the grasses that we find in such patches of timothy, cocks-foot and fescue. Getting the balance of flowers and grasses in harmony on such a small area of land such as we manage around the lakes is fraught with problems. The demise of the rabbits through myxi and hemorrhagic disease has given the edge to the course grass. The flocks of moulting geese many with their rapidly growing broods are tipping the scales back in favour of the flowers.

Solstice Sunsets.

The coarse river season, the beginning of bait for salmon and Meadow lake opening made for a pretty hectic week. Despite the chaotic rush to get banks and swims trimmed and cleared it all seems worth the effort when we see the anglers back on the bank. The first shot shows Dave Winter with a 28, he went on to add a 27 and a 23. His fishing buddy, Malcolm Tryhorn had the pick of the catch with a 37+. It all sounds almost too easy but in reality it was a very difficult couple of days, hot days and cold nights provided the backdrop for a typical beginning of the season. John McGough in the middle shot posing with a sparkling little chub, John had landed nine to four pounds when I last spoke to him with the witching hour yet to come. The chub would appear to have got their spawning over and done with the barbel yet to complete. There were several shoals of barbel cutting on the shallows and I was pleased to see members spot them yet leave them undisturbed to get on with their efforts. Dominic Longley also enjoyed a day doing what he does so well, trotting maggot with the pin. Pleasingly numbers of dace, grayling and chublets would seem to have held up well over the winter with fish throughout the section of river he visited. The start of the salmon bait fishing saw four fish landed and several more lost. Paul Greenacre took the laurels with three on the bank, taking his tally for the year to eleven. With the water temperature now back over 19 degrees it would seem we will have to wait before we see any more fish in the book.

Three male Eristallis nemorum, doing what we associate with hover flies, hovering, in this case as part of their mating ritual over a female of the species. The middle shot shows a "Where's wally" shot of the flowers with a Meadow Brown hidden in there somewhere. The Meadow Brown numbers have risen from a single specimen on the 31st May to several hundred in the meadows by this evening.

I have to admit to having been a little distracted myself in recent days with preparations for the off, yet I did get some time to fish, landing some stunning specimens.

Frustratingly I have to report a break in from a members car last Thursday evening whilst parked at Ibsley Bridge. Sadly if you park at Ibsley Bridge sooner or later your car will get broken into. all the forest car parks, both Ringwood Forest and the New Forest and all the open anglers car parks get visited on random occasions. We must see these people as we go about our daily routines unfortunately we are unable to recognise them for what they are. The answer is NOT TO PARK AT IBSLEY BRIDGE use the new car park at Fools Corner, which is behind the locked gates of the estate.

I haven't put up a photo of a butterfly for over a fortnight, so I'm sure you all must be missing them desperately! To make amends for my tardiness the shot above shows the first Large Skipper that emerged with us at Mockbeggar this week.

If you have been fishing Mockbeggar recently you will undoubtedly have seen two people, Brenda and Simon, staring at the reed beds in an effort to locate and record our Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting population. Brenda is a schedule 1 bird ringer and will hopefully provide the base information for the warblers we have present on the lakes. Hopefully in the not too distant future I will get a few shots of the actual ringing in progress and at the end of the summer I will let you know just what they found. Thanks to Brenda Cook for the photo and also for taking on this difficult and time consuming work.

They may disappear every winter but as regular as clockwork, when the water clears, they are back in their summer haunts as if they've never been away. The shoals in mid river were mainly C3 and C4 but if you looked in a deeper hole, tight under the bank, much larger speciemens can be seen.

The track down to the lake. Only three days to go and the lakes and the river open up again for the coarse season. It was the first really hot and sunny days for weeks and the carp were soon up on the surface soaking up the warmth. The fish in Meadow have yet to spawn and it looks as if they may be spawning when the season starts. If they are still spawning I will shut the Back Lagoon, between to car parks, to allow them to complete their spawning with the minimum of disturbance.

The dragon and damselflies were also out in force today with flocks of Azure and Blue damselflies on the wing. The female Emperor in the photo on the left is engaged in egg laying.

Worth another look, the flower meadows looking magnificent including a scattering of Bee Orchids, this one being a much richer colour than our usual creamy white blooms. Despite this relentless wind one or two butterflies are doing their best to enjoy the surplus of nectar. The first Large Skipper and Marbled White of the season put in a brief appearance, disappointingly proving too difficult to get a decent photo.
Like the butterflies there are one or two salmon still reaching us despite the less than favourable conditions, well done to Colin Goh, Paul Greenacre and Richard Murawskifor finding fish in the last day or two that was willing to join in. After I had finished picking up the empty crisp packets and pop bottles left by the weekend trespassers I returned to my strimming in an effort to get the lakes and the river ready for the arrival of the members as the new river coarse season gets underway on the 16th. The river is looking well if somewhat weedy which should provide plenty of food and cover for the fish as they go through their spawning rituals. Due to the poor weather spawning has been a little eratic. I think most of the chub have managed to complete their cutting but I'm not sure the barbel have finished which means we may see fish on the shallows at the beginning of the season.

The Treecreeper that is feeding young in one of our workshop walls carrying a beetle, I hope the young are close to fledging as that will be quite a mouthful!

A wonderful summer wild flower meadow, the only problem is not a butterfly in sight. The constant wind we seem to suffer these days appears to have driven them all into hiding, lets hope its only a temporary dip.

Lots going on but just a flavour of one or two interesting pieces that cropped during the week. The "Night Ropes" clipped up ready for the off in a fortnight. My strimming and topping has proven of interest to the local Buzzards as a new source of insects and small mammals were exposed. The Heron is a juvenile from the heronry just over the river at Ashley. They young have just fledged the nest and juveniles can be seen dotted about the lake trying out their new found fishing skills. Unfortunately one or two are learning the hard way that landing on the water isn't a good idea. Should you bump into one of these individuals ensure you keep hold of the beak and don't let your dog go near it as they instinctively strike for the eyes as a defensive measure.

The web of Ermine moth caterpillars high in a Sallow tree and a closer look at the caterpillars. There are also several hatches of what I believe to be Peacock caterpillars on the nettles, lets hope they all grow into adults later in the year.

The Southern Marsh and Common Spotted Orchids are looking well and we have one or two early Pyramidal Orchids now in full flower. After my earlier concern over the appearance of the Bee Orchids we now have thirty plus putting on a show in two areas on the lakes.

Good to see the large Mandarin brood is still intact with all fourteen ducklings looking well in today's sunshine. There is a second brood that has about nine ducklings but the duck is far more secretive and we rarely see them about the lakes during the day. Not quite so rare but very much as welcome are the broods of Long-tailed Tits that are to be seen in the willows and alders all around the lakes.

Today's sunshine was just the tonic I needed at lunchtime to ease the stresses of a very frustrating morning. What to many appears the perfect job has several drawbacks and one is the almost certain knowledge that these days I will have an argument with some trespasser, poacher, canoeists and the latest disrespectful intrusion on the private property of the estate, bloody drones. Three in recent days who seem to think they can fly just where and when they feel like it. I must take my telephoto lens around to their place and stand on the lawn taking pix through the windows, the mind boggles! Back to my lunchtime walk and today's selection from the transect, the first Small tortoiseshell for some weeks, another fine example of our summer migrants from Africa and last but not least the first Meadow Brown of the year.

The River water-crowfoot (R. fluitans) is well established in some sections of the river.

Salmon Fishing appears to be okay today.

I'll move the Knappmill link to the header on the diary to enable ease of access. It may be sensible to click on the temperature link to ensure you have the correct day.

Salmon fishing is suspended on the Hampshire Avon as in accordance with the riaparian owners agreement when the water temperature at Knappmill is reading in excess of 19 degrees centigrade salmon fishing will cease.

I've been informed that the EA thermometer at Knappmill is not functioning correctly and we may fish up to 19.5 but as this is not confirmed by the EA and we do not have any means to notify the membership I fear we must adhere to the original agreement and fishing ceases at 19 degrees when shown on the Knappmill webpage. If it is simply the case the thermometer is caput I'm sure the EA will be on the case first thing Tuesday and have it sorted asap.

Knappmill website

The river has cleared, dropped back and the water temperature is rising to within a degree of the fishing cut-off point. We did see a surge of activity when the spinning came in but the few fish we managed were for the greater part colouring up and had been in the system for a week or two. We are in desperate need of a really serious summer spate to get the fish that are now down in the harbour and lower river up into the system but I fear a flood of such proportions is unlikely. I should most definitely say well done to Stephen (Mr Consistent) Hutchinson who has done it yet again. In four visits between the 12th and the 19th of May he landed four fish, a habit that stretches back many years, just how he does this is starting to take on the proportions of legend!!!

If you're wondering why the diary has stuttered to a halt again it's because I've spent three nights out on the lakes looking to test my skills against one or two of our commons. Its been an interesting time and I've seen some fine fish but not the leviathan I was hoping for. I also discovered it takes me a geat deal longer these days to get to my rods when the action kicks-off and three nights has tested the system to the limit!

Safely back at first light.

Syndicate member John Slader paid a visit without his rods when he came down to do a kick samples up on the shallows at Ellingham. Nothing like a bit of pond dipping to conjure up the kid in me and I was delighted to join him for an hour. John has considerable experience with riverine invertebrates through his work with the Salmon and Trout Conservation UK and his teaching work with young anglers. The new weed growth has yet to provide the habitat for the huge number of creatures we will see in a couple of months but there was still plenty to provide interest. The Salmon and Trout Conservation have been taking a close look at the invertebrates in many of our rivers including our southern chalk streams. Their findings are proving extremely interesting and more than a little worrying. The 2015 report can be found at the link below, it's well worth a look.

S&TC Riverfly Census 2015

John, out on the shallows at Ellingham taking a kick sample. A sample showing the grannom in their vegative cases and a sample of the more familiar stone clad caddis. The final photo shows a less welcome visitor in the form of a tiny Signal crayfish.

Southern marsh orchids beside the lakes. Having earlier in the week said during a conversation that the bee orchids weren't out, two days later I find a dozen! On the right is a juvenile Lapwing tucked down in the grass where it hopes to remain unseen by any approaching predator. The problem with this tactic is that we may also fail to see them and tread on them, so please be careful if you are off the beaten track. Not that being off the beaten track is the only place you are likely to see such behaviour. Last week a brood of Little Ring Plover attempted the same tactic in the middle of one of our gravel tracks, which is certainly bound to fail in front of approaching vehicles.

Just a shot or two of the weeks butterflies and moths of course.

A thoroughly enjoyable butterfly transect today, not perhaps the perfect weather as it was a little too windy but it was near enough. As well as the butterflies the first brood of Mandarin were out and about. There are fourteen in the brood although the photo only shows thirteen, one must be tucked in behind the others. The Small copper is in recognition of having found specimens on seven of the ten sections, which is a definite record. The fox just resented my disturbing his sunbathing to the extent he almost braved it out and sat tight until I got within twenty meters of him.

I always enjoy the arrival of the Painted Ladies as they migrate north from their African home. Across the Med, up across Europe, across the channel to arrive on our shores. It never ceases to amaze me just what Mother Nature can achieve.

The back garden is full of juvenile Starlings as the broods in the nestboxes on the side of the house fledge. The second shot is of a bumblebee hoping for a little pollen or nectar from a yet to fully open Southern Marsh Orchid. The bumblebees have struggled with the late frosts and limited supply of early pollen, from a promising start with higher than usual numbers on the wing in March, April saw numbers tumble.

The rain has done wonders for the meadows which have already flushed with green after the slow, cold start to the year. The tadpoles have survived well with thousands in the shallow margins of the lakes. On my way home from the river this evening I called at Mockbeggar and was rewarded with a wonderful sunset. Such a sight makes even the toughest day seem a great deal more worthwhile.

Not everyone, or everything, was as pleased as me to see the gentle rain we have enjoyed all day. The rather damp Kestrel sat and watched us from the top of a nearby lime tree as we carefully dug across Ellingham Drive, doing our best to avoid the fibre optic cables that the water main has to cross at this point. The river will undoubtedly benefit from the fresh water and this evening the forest streams were beginning to add some colour to the main river. There was a very large, fresh salmon lost today after being played for some considerable time, lets hope the fresh water will encourage others to push on into the river.

I took the opportunity this evening of getting a Woodcock count under my belt. The late frosts and recent windy evenings have been less than ideal. This evening started well but as sunset came and went the rain arrived too, spoiling the final half an hour. Having said that no evening spent in the forest can be classed as wasted or spoilt. My survey square seems to be as far from roads as is possible to arrange and the walk to the count site provided some interesting viewing. A pair of Curlew drifted in to the nearby heathland where Cuckoo and Stonechat could be heard calling and making the presence known. Thirty odd fallow does and a pair of Nightjars as the light faded along with thirty million midges. Added to that I did spot seven roding birds beating their bounds so I will enter the count and return when a more settled evening is on the cards.

Dusk at the survey site.

The valley is beginning to fill with the broods of the Mute swans, geese and duck. The terns are collecting fry on every beat and the Black-headed Gulls are up to their usual trick of pillaging the scattered hatch of Mayfly. A spell of warm wet weather would be gratefully received if it could be arranged.

Add to the new life in the bird world we have the barbel and chub busily cutting on the gravel shallows. As with the carp in the lakes their chasing and cutting easily visible if you stand quietly and keep a low profile. I also spotted a 20+ hen pike being closely escorted by a pair of Jacks. Late for the pike to be spawning, I presume this is a second attempt, the earlier more normal time having been delayed by the week or two of frosts we experienced during March.

One of the odd things about the spawning in both the river and the lakes has been the size of the fish involved. Strangely its the number of small fish that has come as a surprise. In the case of the lakes I was beginning to think we were getting near the correct balance of large fish. Some of the members catches have seen multiple numbers of thirties and high twenties giving rise to an average considerably higher than in previous years. I was expecting to see these large hens almost out numbering the attendant males. Nothing could have been further from reality with probably the larger fish being outnumber in the region of thirty of forty to one. Its normal for hens to have three or four cock fish following them not the numbers we witnessed. It looks as if a further five or six hundred smaller fish will have to be removed. On the river the shoals of chub on the shallows appeared to have far higher numbers of small fish, two to four pounds, than the huge fish we were seeing being landed throughout the winter. The big hens were present and we certainly have no intention of removing any of these smaller fish. It would be interesting to discover if the small fish were males of similar year classes as the large hens or younger fish coming through. I'm not sure we are going to answer that question but it was good to see them however old they are.

Yesterday on the salmon front spinning came into season and we have seen a couple of fish falling for the Mepp. Perhaps the most pleasing fish from my perspective was a fresh twenty plus cock fish that Rob Smyth landed Sunday evening before the spinning began. The fish came on a floating line and was seen taking the fly just below the surface. Surely the finest way to take a salmon, especially an Avon fish of such proportions.

Cygnets have started to appear about the valley along with a multitude of other juveniles. That man again, Paul with a 20+ coloured hen he took on the mepp today. I'm not sure you've worked out how those waders work yet Paul! Luckily Colin Morgan was on hand to do the honours and take the snaps. The final shot shows a frosted Phragmites bed which I'm sure will recover but it will be interesting to watch to see if it effects the warbler and Reed bunting nesting results. Not only phragmites was hit hard by the frost, bracken and pleasingly Japanese Knot Weed were also blackened and knocked over. Hopefully such a hit will slow the invasive progress of both these undesireable species.

Salmon were not the only fish we have seen landed in recent days as the invading hoard has moved through the estate. They have been caught down as far as Ringwood and Ellingham and Mike Beauchamp landed forty of the wretched things today at Ibsley. Hopefully the next day or two will see the latest round of rainbow escapees clear through the estate and any that remain are quickly devoured by the pike. Its surely time that Defra had a very close look at the trout farm industry and made them accountable to the law. I'll await the EA investigation into this latest incident with considerable interest.

Ah, summer's here at last; Common Blue, escaped rainbows and Brown Argus!

Whilst its interesting to see the spawning carp, especially as it appears to be a mirror, its the juvenile Oyster catcher on the island that's particularly worthy of note. It's the little guy at the front watching the carp so very nearly ready to fly I would imagine. The middle shot fails to do justice to the size of the magnificent queen hornet photographed inspecting a patch of lichen, she must have been approach 35mm in length. Being a European hornet she has legal protection and if you leave her alone she will not bother you. Just enjoy her company and remember like many of the fair sex she has a sting in her tail! I put up the shot of the Greater spotted as we seem to have flocks of GSW and Greens about the lakes at present. I assume, in the case of the Greens at least, its to do with the ants nests.

The carp have been very busy with their spawning for the last couple of days.

Paul sent through this lovely underwater shot of his third of the season, taken last week. He landed his fourth this evening, from the lower end of the estate, which is quite an achievement with low numbers of fish struggling to reach us at present.

This week has seen the Swifts return and our four pairs are back in their boxes on the back of the house. They join quite a list that are already in residence in the garden and our nestboxes, it includeds; 5 pairs of House sparrows, 3 broods of Starlings, 1 Blackbird, 1 Song thrush, 1 Wood pigeon, 1 Collar dove and probably a Wren and a Dunnock. The last two can be seen in and out of the various shrubs and ivy but I can't locate their nests.

I don't imagine the majority of readers will share my enthusiasm for the difference between the Small Coppers in the two photos. As with the photo from yesterday the one on the right is the aberrant form; caeruleo-punctata, its all about the little blue dots.

A picture in shades of green as the Green Veined Whites go about their business.

An enjoyable walk despite the best efforts of kayakers and bogged down cows to take the edge off the day.

Despite the fact the fishery value of the Ringwood weirpool has been totally destroyed by the mismanagement of the weir I still find myself down beside the pool strimming out the banks. I was down there at the weekend to witness the passage of a boat through the gates in line with the EA management strategy of setting the gates in the best interest of the trespassing boaters, completely ignoring their statutory obligation to; improve, maintain and develop the fishery value. The two bordering pix are from the days when the pool was operated with a fishery interest in mind. These days it seems that unless you are a water company or a trout farm hiking up the head of water and exploiting your fishery asset is frowned upon. We were promised a meeting to sort out the management, or should I say mis-management of the hatches but that seems to have been forgotten. As with the Highways Department and their obligation to keep the nearby balancing pond clear to prevent pollution of the river, you can ignore any statutory obligations you might have toward the river and the assets of the owners as no bugger is going to fight that cause. When the fly tipping and squatting travellers turn the place into a tip once more we might see some action on the part of those insulated from reality in their publicly supported ivory towers. Chocolate bloody fireguards spring to mind!

Bank holiday weekend and I was hoping for three days of torrential rain the forecasters had promised us. To put the river up of course, not to keep the Great British Public from stamping all over the estate, although rain is always a blessing on holiday weekends.

Not the rain we were promised but several good showers did arrive providing some dramatic skies.

As it happened we did see a little rain but nothing like the forecast deluge, we also experienced the GBP in the form of a couple of idiot boaters in an inflatable. Totally ignorant and too stupid to understand the concepts of English law and respect for other peoples property. Whilst I was at Ibsley Bridge I also bumped into a potential poacher who turned up and asked me if he were to have a fish what was the likelihood of the keeper coming along! I assured him it was almost a certainty as the miserable bugger that looks after this bit of river is backward and forward over this bridge all the time. Thanking me for the tip he headed off upstream to try further afield. Add a couple of individuals who couldn't read or understand what a simple; private, no unauthorised access, meant and it wasn't an overly taxing weekend on the trespass front.

The unforeseen bright start today did hold a bonus in that I was able to get the early Breeding Bird Survey completed on the valley route I survey each year. My recent travels, frosts and high winds had made last week unsuitable and I was beginning to worry it was getting late to get the route walked. From the results it would seem the birds had yet to get into full breeding mode with numbers down on recent years. Despite the low numbers it was a fine morning to be in the valley and I worked up a good appetite before heading home for breakfast.

This evening my rounds took me through the lakes and out into the river valley once more. The lakes continue to fish well with some superb carp being landed, which always cheers me up on my travels around the estate. I also enjoyed a call from Simon Tomkinson telling me of his second salmon of the season in the shape of a fresh, twenty plus fish. Great result, congratulations Simon, well fished.

I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the Harrier that was spotted at Ibsley yesterday, unfortunately luck wasn't on my side and it looks as if our visitor has moved on. There was a Montagu's recorded in the valley down at Christchurch yesterday and it would have been nice to think it was this bird, unfortunately the description didn't tally so I think this one will have to go down as a “don't know”

I spent the day strimming, which didn't provide much opportunity for any photography, so I will just put up this shot from yesterday of the new donkey foal up on the Marsh.

Not perhaps as dramatic yet even with this stubborn north wind the Avon valley is a wonderful place to be at this time of year. The first Goosander brood of the year, the single Whitefront that has been in the valley all winter remains with us and at least three pairs of Mandarin are currently sitting. This particular pair have learnt that anglers bait is an easy hit for dinner.

The flowers are also looking well with the bluebells enjoying the extra light where we have coppiced the hazel. The kingcups on the Northern Marsh surrounding the first donkey foal of the year and the cowslip over the lakes putting on a brave show despite the overnight frosts.

Despite the frosty nights and the cold northly wind the lakes continue to provide some excellent fish. Richard Handel with a brace of thirty plus fish and a big twenty for Russ Breckon.

As some of you were aware Anne and I have been away for a break in celebration of a significant birthday and monumental wedding anniversary. Having enjoyed some wonderful R & R in warmth and sunshine, which doesn't do justice to the sun and the sea we enjoyed, I am once more back in harness. Probably a strimmer harness as all the salmon pools could do with a trim by the look of it!

I have to admit to being a little surprised at the state of the river and the lack of growth of the vegetation in many spots. I was expecting the banks to be waist high but it would appear the cold north wind and frosty nights you have endured have applied the brakes to the spring growth. It was a little disconcerting to see the new growth on the brambles limp and blackened by the frost. You also appear to have experienced a total lack of rain, hence the low clear state of the river. If ever we could do with a good soaking to reset Natures time clock now would seem a good time. The fish will still be creeping through and as if to prove a point to welcome me home, Colin Morgan had one stay on in the shape of a sixteen pound cock fish, which I was very pleased to spot in the book. Well done Colin, good fish and thanks for the photo.

Elephants and butterflies, it was all very dramatic.

Well done Paul, second twenty of the year in the shape of this great looking 23 pound hen and I've heard just this minute that Mike Tolley has added his second to his 2017 account in the form of a 12+ fish. Congratulations all around and I appreciate the updates.

That's more like it, yet another fish, in this case a bright summer fish for Pete. Smart fish Pete plus a smart photo.

A most welcome sight. Ray Finch with a fabulous Avon Springer. Great stuff Ray, congratulations and thanks for the pic.

Its the Julian Ward show! I just had to share this as its one of the best looking commons I've seen. Julian kindly sent me a couple of shots of this fish, which was 25.8 and was one of three 20+ fish caught last night. From a fishery perspective this is where we're looking to be with absolutely scale perfect fish. Wonderful common to add to the catch from Meadow last week. Brilliant stuff Julian and thanks again for the photos.

Like father, like daughter. Julian has had a good week to round off his Somerley Lakes season. He did a single night session with daughter Eleanor and between them managed six 20+ carp up to 29.12. Not content with his haul he spent a couple of hours beside the lake today and landed this magnificent looking creature, quite one of the most stunning fish you are ever likely to encounter, an absolute gem at 34.14. Well done Julian and Eleanor. Its somewhat odd for me to see Eleanor with her dad as many moons ago, when I was secretary of one of the local angling clubs, I used to take the junior section with Julian as one of the young anglers when he wasn't a great deal older than Eleanor! I can assure you that a great deal of water has run under Ibsley Bridge since those far off days. Julian and Eleanor weren't the only members to finish in fine style as Nigel Keats added to his top catch of last week with a further eleven carp to 31 pounds in his last two night stint. Nice one Nigel, you should take Adam along with you to show him how to do it, like Julian and Eleanor!
Along with Kings-Vincents the lakes have done us proud yet again this year. There have been lean spells but that is what makes us all keep coming back, if we caught every time we went fishing it would soon loose its appeal. With Mockbeggar now open again after its six month rest the challenge of a wild more natural water lays before us once more and the old girls of Somerley can take a well earned rest for the close season.

Odd world; this is not a tenth of the roach that I netted out from behind a hatch board today as they were struggling to get through into the lake beyond. The problem is I don't want them in the lake in question as we already have far too many small fish already in there. I am also reluctant to apply to move them into any other water as although I didn't spot any today, there is the chance that hidden amongst the many thousands there may be rudd or hybrids. If I were being hard nosed about the management of the lake I should take them out, dig a hole and bury them! That doesn't quite fit with my philosophy, particularly when applied to roach and I lifted them over the hatch. I just hope the Cormorants and Grebe are hungry to help balance the scales.

Yesterday I spotted the first Orange-tip of the season, which was an early record for us. Today I spotted three different specimens! Just what that has to say about the climate change our butterfly populations are undergoing I wouldn't like to say but its certainly not the norm with us. The photo's are of different males with the classic orange wing tips and the wonderful pattern on the underwing.

Thanks to Karl for the shots of the two "Old Girls" he managed from the lakes at the weekend. I'm not axactly certain how old those two fish are but they are well over twenty and are probably approaching thirty years old. I believe the second fish, which is an ounce or two short of 35 pounds, is a personal best for Karl from the lakes. Well done Karl, great result.

With Anne having just finished her fourth night shift the chance to soak in some vitamin D in this afternoon's sunshine was just too good an opportunity to miss. It also provided me with the excuse to visit the lakes as we have now removed the last of the winter grazing stock and I wanted to have a look at the sward to see how it might fare this coming summer. One of the meadows running north south and sheltered from today's cold north east wind seemed as good a place as any to spend an hour peering at my feet. Anne stationed herself on a sunny bank over looking my eratic wanderings as I sought out the sorrels and the plantains, sorted the bents from the fescues and the colts-foot from the cocks-foot. With cowslip and dog violet seemingly established well and not forgetting that important food plant for so many of our resident species of butterfly, the common nettle, I have to say the meadows are looking very well indeed.

I was pleased to see increasing numbers of dog violets, I'm sure the fritillaries will be even more pleased than me to see them. It was not only Anne that was enjoying the sunny aspect of the bank as within 50m of her at least six commas and three peacocks were also soaking up the sun.

I was supposed to be bobbing about in a boat off the end of Portland Bill in search of turbot today. As it happens it was wisely decided by the skipper that Portland Run was no place to be in today's blow so it was cancelled. On the principle that its an ill wind that blows no good I did get to visit the lakes this morning and timed my visit to coincide with Paul Powell photographing this scaly 20+ mirror. Cracking looking fish which I would like to know a little more about, if any members have landed this fish in the last couple of years could they email me any pix they might have. The lake has produced several good fish this week with Nigel Keats timing his visit on Wednesday night to find commons of 25, 32 and 38 nice one Nigel, that'll do nicely.

That didn't take long to find out a little more of its history. There's a photo of it on here on 3rd October 2015!

Whilst on the subject of stillwaters. All members should have received an email reminder that subs are due at the end of the month. Contact the office if you failed to receive the email.

Spring's here, the Red-eared terrapins are basking in the trees beside the lakes. We don't see as many of these as we did a couple of decades ago, which is probably a good thing. Still plenty of "Red-necks" about the valley, which probably isn't a good thing! The Tortoiseshell is a shot from last week, which I've put up just for balance and because I like it.

Peter Morrison returning a good common, despite the cold snap that has slowed the fishing considerably this week.

After a dinner of seared pigeon breast, on a bed of mashed potato with romanesco broccoli, pigeon courtesy of Acker and a glass of fine port courtesy of an extremely considerate traveller returning from Portugal, I feel almost human. I never did get out to look for a super chub, or mega barbel come to that but knowing so many of the members had a great end to the season is reward enough, honest!

With the coarse season on the rivers over we can draw breath and look back at events that made up the year. As I write I sit with my aching muscles slowly recovering having spent the best part of the day over at Mockbeggar clearing a window through the willow and alder to allow light onto an area of meadow that lay in shadow. As regular readers are probably aware I have a thing about light and flow, the balance of the two control a significant proportion of all our lives. As with the light and flows in our rivers being critical in ensuring their health, light, along with a drop of rain and a few other bits and bobs, controls the life in our meadows and woods. My current distraction involved managing our fishery habitat for the greatest benefit of the creatures that share our valley with us is strapped for time so every opportunity is welcome. I had a couple of hours clearing the last of the swims and waiting for the loos enabling the chance of a little light and shade balancing. It was of course also the opening day on the lake, providing the opportunity for a chat with some of the members. As it happens I didn't see any anglers, only the toilet delivery man and Frank Lamb, who I caught up with just as he was leaving. I'm not saying Frank isn't an angler, or the toilet man come to that, but Frank didn't have his rods and I don't know the toilet guy, he may well be a fisherman elsewhere. Frank was just out on a recce and expecting to see others on the water, he convinced himself the lakes weren't actually open and was about to leave when I bumped into him. The lakes looked superb in today's warm sunshine and as Frank and I chatted, looking out to the islands, several large carp threw themselves clear of the water returning with seriously impressive splashes. I know the other lakes are fishing well but not a soul on opening day is slightly disappointing. I guess tearing yourself away from the known and taking on the vast unknown of Mockbeggar is a hard choice. Whilst talking of Lakes I should say well done to Alan McAvoy who landed eight fish in his session last week including a new English PB common. Nice one Al, well won.

Back to those mega barbel and super chub, the numbers that we are currently blessed with is simply astonishing. I find it hard to believe the Avon has ever produced fish and fishing of such quality. Certainly not the chub in the fifty plus years I have fished it. Perhaps in the dim and distant past the chub may have achieved such size but never such barbel as they simply didn't exist. To see the shoals of chub moving over the gravel last summer gave a hint of what lay ahead but this angler friendly winter had excelled itself. The prolonged clear water of the late summer and autumn, combined with the reduced flows of the winter seem to have held the weights back a few ounces. I didn't hear of an eight pound plus fish this season, having said that the number of seven plus fish in the last week or two of the season was just fantastic. Not only huge fish but scale perfect, as if just out of the makers mould. A maker who has obviously smiled benignly on us at Somerley for yet another year.

There are probably over a dozen barbel that exceed fourteen pounds to be found on the estate at the current time. At least four or five of those huge fish are upstream of Ibsley Bridge where members appear reluctant to fish for them. I appreciate its our mile or so of shared bank and being a club water is busy. In fact extremely busy but it is a wide river and several of those fish spend a great deal of their time under our bank. A little disappointing not to see that big brace in Botney on the bank this year. Plenty of other doubles and thankfully shoals of baby barbel visible on the shallows. The chub and barbel are undoubtedly in good shape, lets hope it continues to be the case for the foreseeable future.

I know a man that knows how to cheer me up in the form of Mike Tolley who rang this afternoon to let me know he had just released a 21 pound Springer. Just the news I needed after the recent loss a couple of fish and the numbers starting to come out at the bottom end of the river below the Great Weir. Well done Mike, may it be the first on many in 2017. With the Wessex hydrology making pretty depressing reading I fear we are going to struggle in the higher river as fish hold for longer and longer periods as they wait to run those bloody hatches. We are entering the most productive time for the salmon with the next couple of months being the cream of the Avon salmon fishing. Make the most of what flows we have as the fish will still be getting up to us at the present time and cross everything you have in the hope of regular rain to keep the river topped up.

To end with a slightly easier spot the bug shot. The Red Admiral on the tree trunk proved vexing for several readers so this one will hopefully restore the confidence.

One day left of the Coarse season on the river and this is a taste of what is possible, alternatively of what you've missed! The shots are of Ollie Johnson with a brace of sevens at 7.2 and 7.1 that are simply stunning. To complete the day, Ollie added chub of 6.10, 6.3, 6.2, 5.14 and a tacker of 4.8. What can you say to such a bag other than well done Ollie, brilliant catch. Perhaps the icing on the cake was that they came on the traditional Avon tactic of float fished maggot. Ollie used one of his own Avon floats, part of the Clearwater series he designed and manufactures, which are almost tactile they are so elegantly balanced and have tips that even I can see, if I could get out that is. I suppose that's the coarse equivalent of a salmon on a self tied fly, surely a personal Red Letter Day of a lifetime and the chub catch of the season across the country. Superb Ollie and thanks so much for the report and the photos.

A few photographs to provide a flavour of the last day or two. The top line shows two good double figure barbel, the first by Mark Sherborne the Second Jim Innes, both taken when the fishing has been difficult over the last few days. The middle shot shows Bob Windsor and Paul Shutler with Bob's salmon from the compound last week. Nice one Bob, even if you did catch it on the wrong part of the river! Thanks to all for the photos, there have been some stunning fish in recent weeks.
Elsewhere, the middle line starts with a shot of the coltsfoot that is a welcome sight signalling the change of seasons in the meadows. I'm desperately trying to finish the coppicing, the stools are all cut I now have to pile the brash over the top to keep the deer off. Beside the lakes the toads are in full spawning mode with what can best be described as toad balls as clumps of males fight to gain prime position with the females. The two males in the shot having turned their backs on the melee as they stopped for a rest. The bottom line captures some of the other welcome arrivals as the weather warms. Buff-tailed and Tree bumblebees in their dozens, all seeking early pollen to get their new nests underway. The over-wintering butterflies have emerged in good numbers from the cool dark shelters they have occupied for the last four or five months. I imagine the old control tower and the other WW2 shelters that are dotted about the lakes have provided perfect cool, cave like quarters to pass the cold months.

A day or two of sharp contrasts, particularly when it comes to the weather we have experienced in the last seventy two hours. We had strong winds and heavy rain at times earlier in the week that made fishing extremely difficult yet there were some great fish caught. Today we enjoyed a wonderfully warm afternoon, we had bright sunshine and light winds yet the fishing was really difficult. What the sunshine did manage was to bring out the syndicate members and I believe we enjoyed probably the busiest day since the fishing came back in house. With less than a week until the end of the coarse season the river coarse members were doing their best to get a last session in and the near perfect state of the river for salmon has brought the salmon rods out onto the bank. From what I can make of it and according to those I spoke to today the salmon rods fared no better than the coarse guys with no sign of any fish being landed. Thats not quite correct in that Bob (The Mars Bar Kid) Windsor departed south to the the Great Weir compound and produced a 18 pound hen fish, at least proving there are one or two in the river. I should mention one other fish that came out during the rain earlier in the week, that being a 7+ new PB chub for Mark Tutton, well deserved for persevering through the rain and wind, great fish well done Mark. Mark also happens to be a fellow butterfly enthusiast who spotted the first Small tortoiseshell of the year during the earlier part of the week. Today butterflies seemed to be everywhere and during my travels I spotted 8 Brimstones, 4 Commas, 5 Peacocks, 1 Red Admiral and my first Small Tortoiseshell, definitely good for the soul.

Hooray summer is here! Long may it last.

The Snowdrops have faded back into the woodland floor litter and the wild daffodils have taken their place. Its a good year for the dafs with carpets of yellow covering the undisturbed woodland floor. The middle shot is of a Red deer hind, which are now becoming a more frequent sight on the estate. They are a very large beast and increased numbers grazing alongside the existing fallow, roe, sika and muntjac would be a disaster for the wild flora we are attempting to preserve. Finally its been a bad week for otters with the second dead one of the week turning up beside the Trout stream. Just what killed this one is a mystery. It looked as if it had been dragged out of the water by a fox scavenging a free meal but there were no obvious signs of the cause of death.

I just love getting reports and photos such as the one above, it shows Mike Skittrall with one of our lunker chub that beats his PB of 20 years standing. I don't need to go fishing when I can share in the pleasure such a fish brings, its simply superb. Congrats on the PB Mike and many thanks for the great report and pic.

You know how I feel about Avon perch, they absolutely conjure the magic and mystery of the underwater world of the Avon. That's Dominic Longley holding that piece of perfection for which many thanks for the pic. I'm now convinced I have to get a trip or two in before the close in ten days time.

Definitely three in the valley this year. Two Great White Egrets both unringed, going to prove we had three in the valley for several weeks this winter. I think the regular ringed bird has now gone back as I haven't seen it for a day or two but these two seem to be happy in each others company. There has been a very large number of Great White Egrets in the south and south west this winter and it won't be long until they are breeding as they do down in the Somerset Levels. The Curlew have been here for about a fortnight. They arrive every Spring as they make their way back to the nesting grounds, either further north or out on the forest.

Finding the two Great White Egrets today was the icing on the cake for what was a fine walk from Ibsley up to the northern boundary of the flooded marsh. Last nights rain had done its job and the water had risen to spill out into the fields attracting a diversity of our valley wildlife. I'd parked at the Botney car park and climbed the style that immediately allows a view out over the river to the Ibsley Splash and Harbridge Church beyond. The swans and geese could be seen dotted about the meadows enjoying the shallow flood. Canadas, Greylags, Egyptians and if I could be bothered to scan the flock with the binoculars I would probably find the White front that has been with us for several months. The far bank of the river was also dotted with the coarse lads who are keen to fit in a few last visits before the close in ten days time. The barbel fishing, along with the chub fishing, has been unbelievable with multiple catches of big fish through out the river. I'm not sure we've seen the biggest barbel on the bank yet this season with several of the summer fourteen pound fish yet to show this tail end. With possibly six different summer fourteens between the weirs and what ever lives in the section I was now walking beside, I imagine we may well see a sixteen or even a seventeen plus fish if someones luck holds. Certainly the big brace in Botney are under threat judging by the attention they are receiving in recent weeks on the far bank.

I waded across the dodgy bridge just below Ham Island and out onto the southern marsh. Twenty or so Tufties departed upstream and as I watched them go I spotted a pair of Goldeneye keeping them company. The first Redshank of the Spring piped his annoyance as he drifted off up a side carrier where he joined a Green Sandpiper seeking his lunch in the soft ooze of the margins. As I drew level with the top of the island a group of seven Goosander flushed and followed the Tufties up river. The gravel at the confluence of the Hucklesbrook was well under water and a pair of Little Egrets stalked the margins seeking unwary fry. On reaching the Hucklesbrook stream the depth meant I had to detour upstream to the ford just below the Red Bridge car park. At least the extra couple of hundred meters allowed me to wade the stream and approach the North Marsh without being seen by the wildfowl enjoying the flood. A hundred Wigeon even greater numbers of Teal and good numbers of Mallard and Gadwall. The Shoveler were tucked up under the clumps of Soft Rush and the odd Snipe could be seen picking its way from clump to clump. A scan of the marsh with the bino's showed several pairs of Lapwing, a pair of Oystercatchers and the first pair of Shelduck I'd seen for quite some time out on the shallow flood. In the far distance I could see the flock of Curlew that has been with us for a fortnight but they were too distant to get an accurate count so I headed over to Gorley to follow the river north in an effort to get a closer look. A Cetti's on the corner and a second called from the island to let us know this was their patch. Another Little Egret and a couple of pairs of Coots departed as I made my way upstream and as I cleared the corner I came across a syndicate member sitting at the head of the island shallows. Ten minutes chewing the fat and hearing the highes and lows of recent weeks and I left the river bank and headed out directly across the field toward the Curlew. As soon as I changed my direction from following the river, where I was taken as an angler and no threat, the heads of the geese came up to take a closer look. The Crows and Jackdaws decided descretion was the better part of valour and left for fields anew. The geese also decided to walk to a safer vantage point whilst the Curlew failed to even notice my approach. I didn't have to get too close to establish that there were nine preoccupied with probing the soft soil and turned south back toward the river and the car. I hope these birds are heading north to breeding grounds in Scotland or even further toward the Artic Circle. If they are local birds I hold out little hope for their survival in what has now become the New Forest urban park the uncontrolled dogs, ramblers, mountain bikers and horse riders that will eventually drive them out. I think I might suggest to the National Park authority they stop playing lip service to conservation and ban ALL people from the majority of the New Forest as they do in areas of the world where the well being of creatures that share this planet with us are taken a little more seriously.

Having got that off my chest, back to my wandering, which now took me back to Gorley Corner and the Old Man with his attendent Buzzard watching my approach. I hadn't taken much notice of the bird as I walked by, aware he was still there watching me splash through the shallow flood water. I has thirty or forty meters beyond the Old Man when a Red Kite drifted no more than twenty feet over my head. Definitely a case of failing to check the obvious. No panicked departure, a casual drift with cocked head looking down at me through his pale yellow eyes, truly magnificent bird at close quarters. I would imagine he is one of the resident breeding pair we have in this section of the valley, what ever the reason his presence is certainly a welcome sight.

On over the culvert on the central drainage ditch where the presence of our otters was very evident in the number of prints in the soft mud. A casual look over the white lumps of the Mutes out on the marsh, just checking the obvious, where two slightly smaller stationary lumps looked out of place. The photo above captures the reason for the odd appearance of the lumps making for a super end to my walk.

On a different subject I'm sure many readers will be aware that the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust have been monitoring breeding waders and the various predators that impact upon them for more than twenty years at Somerley and other estates in the valley. This has taken many different paths to establish the various impacts such as mink and otter monitoring, corvid counts etc. Just yesterday Mike Short of the trust contacted me to ask if they could collect fox scat (poop) to analyses to establish diet of flood plain foxes. Not unlike the recent otter paper on here.

To say I'm impressed with the GWCT is an understatement, just 24 hours in and they have the foxes trained to crap into bottles ready for collection!

I walked a couple of hundred meters up the A338 from Ibsley Bridge this morning to check on a road casualty that Phil had spotted on the way into work. What ever your views on otters the sight of such a beautiful creature laying dead amidst the accumulated rubbish beside the road is a pretty depressing sight. It was the bitch that was a regular visitor around the river at Ibsley, she has certainly been with us for three years. It probably means we will have a new incumbent taking up residence in the near future, I just hope she is as well behaved as this one. The middle shot shows the accumulated rubbish I referred to previously. What is going on when it comes to the people and I use that term loosely, that throw this rubbish alongside one of the finest rivers in the country? What sort of individual leaves such rubbish anywhere? We have fly tipping down at Ringwood weir that the Highways Agency are supposed to be responsible for clearing. Its probably been there almost a year without so much as a hint of removal. The regular tipping at Ellingham beggars belief, its almost become a weekly event. If you ever see rubbish being dumped see if you can get a car reg or a pic on the mobile and text it through, I'd just love to find out who our local cowboys are. The final shot is to brighten the mood, its some of the thirty odd Goldfinches in the front garden. I was actually trying to photograph the Bramblings but they would never stand still long enough. With 96 Starlings, 70 House Sparrows, 22 Chaffinches, 10 Siskins, 16 Collared Doves, the 30 plus Goldfinches and an assortment of Blackbirds, Thrushes, Robins and the odd Blackcap the front garden is thankfully pretty busy at the moment.

The last day of February and the star of the photo above made me feel a great deal more positive about winter finally loosing its grip on the countryside.

Here's an article that many of you may find of interest, produced by Bournemouth Uni's; Prof Rob Britton, Matthew Berry, Samantha Sewell, Corina Lees and our very own Pete Reading.

Avon Otter Diet

Definitely a foot in many camps when it comes to work in recent days. Liming and clearing line from the lakes, trees, ditching and strimming on the river and resetting the water meadows in readiness for the new growing season. Add in a sea fishing trip and my weekend breadmaking, time has been in short supply. The river continues to fish well for chub, pike and barbel with the lakes providing some lovely days in the recent mild spell, I really must get the rods out before the end of the river season and have a look for a chub or barbel or two.

Tom Fowler grinning over the top of a fine double figure Undulate Ray. We also managed Thornbacks, Spotted and a good 20+ Blonde, add several Conger to 35 pounds and some reasonable Whiting, we enjoyed a good day for a February boat. We organise our boat and beach fishing through our local Armfield and Ringwood Sea Fishing Club, of which Tom is our chairman and in reality is a small group of about a dozen of us who meet for a couple of hours each month to plan our events. We are always on the lookout for new members so if you feel like adding seafishing to your calendar on a couple of occasions a month drop me an email. If I could remember who our membership secretary was I would give you his email but I've forgotten who we voted into the post in their absence!

Sourdough bread making becomes a routine where producing the leaven, making up the dough, folding, resting, proving and baking all take set times which can't be rushed. I enjoy the set routine of producing the basic loaf and the ability to try out all sorts of recipes that you are unlikely to come across in the local bakery. I think it must be the total opposite from the never ending changing aspects of my usual day that appeals.

Even in the grey of late winter there are splashes of colour supplied courtesy of Mother Nature in the form of the Scarlet Elf Cups.

I was pleased to see the livestock we have grazing Mockbeggar have managed to get out on to the islands. This will save me hours of strimming and provide a far richer flora for the butterflies in the coming summer. Its the hope of a warmer spring for the emerging butterflies this year, which is at odds with my wish to see higher flows in the river for the well being of the valley creatures. I don't suppose I will influence what we eventually receive, which ever way it goes I must take the positive view that it will benefit one or the other. I noticed the number of Shoveler at Mockbeggar is beginning to reduce as the birds begin to return to their summer haunts. Today there were less than two hundred, down over a third on the counts of three hundred plus earlier in the year. The number of Shoveler that have been present throughout the winter are of national importance, which would seem to point to us getting something right. It was good to see four pairs of Goldeneye had joined the Shoveler today, the displaying drakes always make a fine show.
The second photo shows the unringed Great white egret that has been with us since the middle of November. Usually seen on the Ellingham meadows, often with the long returning ringed bird. I did also spot a further one at Hucklesbrook but I can't be certain it wasn't one of the usual pair so I will have to settle for just the two. Goshawks, lots of croaking Raven and pleasingly, at least one and possibly two Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, spring is on its way.

I think that's the first cut of all sixty pools complete, at least they're all fishable, unless of course you know differently! I will replace the seat at the head of Blashford when we can get out on the meadows without sinking. In the meantime treat with care as we have lost a further meter of bank alonside it this winter.