Your good heath

Don't panic, it's just the stonechat warning you and your dog not to wander onto the heath, for fear of disturbing her nestlings.

This curious bird, that looks as if it's wearing a pair of orange underpants, is just one of many populations of both rare and common bird species that make their nests in our heaths during the spring/summer.

As news comes in that many migrating birds face starvation because the world's largest reclamation project in South Korea has all but destroyed their most important refuelling station, we thank our lucky heather that The New forest, with its heaths, valley mires and ancient woodland, has been a Special Protection Area under the EC Wild Birds Directive since 1993.

The New Forest is recognised worldwide as one of the few strongholds left for some species.

To a non-twitcher, the sound of the first cuckoo in the forest heralds the first taste of spring, and deserves a wish.

But there are hundreds of species, including those protected by law, that can be seen hovering just inches above the heather.

Clive Chatters, Deputy Chief Executive for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and a huge Forest and wildlife enthusiast, has an eye for spotting birds from miles off.

Walking along the heath Clive points to the horizon and says: "Here comes the Dartford warbler. The punk rocker of the bird world. You can always tell because he looks like he's wearing a bright Ben Sherman shirt and looks a bit rough; slightly unkempt. He'll be flying in to the heath, where he no doubt has a nest."

Sure enough he's right.

For the novice twitcher, the Dartford Warbler is the bird most commonly thought of in context to the New Forest. Management of the open heath is closely linked to the requirement of this little bird.

But instead of making a home for its babies in the safe canopies of the old oaks, this bird, like many of the Forest birds, rear their offspring in the mature dry heath and gorse. Here the 540 pairs that currently reside in the New Forest find the optimum habitat.

This is the highest recorded pairing on record.

To the more experienced eye, where you'll find a Dartford warbler you could encounter the summer visiting nightjars and resident meadow pippits; the commonest bird encountered on a heathland walk.

During May, you'll be very lucky to see a nightjar and its babies, because they rely on their amazing camouflage and ability to stay still to avoid being seen in daylight.

Sadly, like many ground nesting birds, nightjars have their nests attacked by predators such as foxes and stoats, and crows and magpies, and sadly sometimes our own dogs.

Clive explains: "Nightjars are skilled at hiding. Most people don't realise they are even there. Ramblers will then take off through the heather, or dog walkers will allow their pets to run off into what is potentially a nesting ground. This scares the birds off.

"Unlike the Forest, which is like an experienced boxer who can take a lot of hits, as long as it's given some rest, the birds are easily frightened off. We need to be aware, particularly from May to July, that birds do nest on the ground. So tread carefully."

As the New Forest comes alive with the sweet plaintive song of the Woodlark, you may even catch a glance of a bird of prey like the sparrowhawks, common buzzards, hobbies, kestrels and the rare honey buzzard, all protected by law and all regular visitors to this area.