Larking about in the New Forest

Paid a visit to the New Forest this morning to see the Great Grey Shrike which reports had suggested was pretty faithful to the same site. And so it was, sitting on wires, dropping down occasionally to hunt. Also enjoyed reasonable views of Woodlark at another site nearby, at least until they were flushed by marauding dogs whose owners were complaining bitterly about the injustice of being expected to keep dogs under control at sensitive sites during the breeding season. Not that they had taken a blind bit of notice of this request! And when dogs bark at you aggressively, why do their owners always blame you for having a tripod? Moved on from there to Blashford Lakes hoping to photograph Brambling - although fewer finches were present than the last time I visited, a couple of male Brambling were very confiding around the feeding stations.