Snake-sharma

The last week or so has seen me leave the New Forest with a touch of sadness. No more Wheatears and Woodlarks on the drive to work. No more Redstarts and Nightjars on my evening runs.

I carried out my last piece of Atlas work, a 2-hour TTV around Bramshaw Wood on Thursday on a fittingly beautiful morning. There were a number of highlights - the pick being a juvenile Redstart and a Bullfinch feeding young.

I also lead a small group around Blashford Lakes HWT last week. We found the usual Woodland birds, rafts full of Common Tern chicks and this obliging Grass Snake below the hide.