Around & About in March

Lockdown begins, bad for us, good for nature

After some weeks of the Coronavirus Pandemic spreading itself across the U.K., the Prime Minister announced what would be a virtual shutting down of the Country, we were told to stay at home with only essential shops remaining open.
Luckily we were allowed daily outdoor exercise and although officially limited to one hour, where I go for walks is mostly to places where people don’t go. In other words, further out into the horizons.


Kestrel

The town of Bishop’s Waltham has many walks and close by places to explore. The houses on the north side of the town border the South Downs National Park and to the south it’s mainly fields with streams flowing into the River Meon. North and south I have about 6 variations of circular walks ranging from 4k to 8k, so depending on my general state of mobility, this is a nice variation.

Jackdaw    Goldcrest    Deer
Jackdaw – Goldcrest – Deer

Song Thrush    Fieldfare    
Song Thrush – A late Fieldfare (early March) – Common Buzzard

There are some benefits of being indoors so much and that is to look out the window more and see what’s going on nature wise more closely than usual maybe.
Outside mt window, we’ve had Long Tailed, Blue, Great and Coal Tits, Chaffinches, Goldcrest (right outside my window), Starlings, Jackdaws, Goldfinches and not forgetting Blackbirds and Robins of course

Fox
There’s always one close by !

Not only has Bishop’s Waltham the fields and River, but also a derelict Abbey (or Palace) and two large ponds no further than a 200 meter walk from my Flat.
Both are separated by the Winchester Road; the North Pond is largest more natural with varying depths of water which attract Herons and Cormorants, the south Pond was man made back in the day solely to farm fish. This attracts fewer water birds but does attract Kingfishers, Grey Wagtails and Gulls.

Much to see in the coming months !