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| Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa |
Sunday 6 March
Dropped off at Cowes Lane at 9.45 to start my circular walk along Workman's Lane to the Solent shore then along shore via the Scrape and Spit back to Home in Warsash at 11.30. A cold breeze a the start but dry and clear and even some sun as I neared the end of the 5.5km walk through the Hook with Warsash Nature Reserve area. A final total of 29 species which included no less than 260 Brent Geese but also a range of ducks and waders plus a single Common Scoter beyond the main sea-resting flock of Brent Geese off shore at the end of Workman's Lane.
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| A few of the more than 100 Brent Geese Branta bernicla |
The initial walk along the lane produced over a score of Carrion Crows along with seven magpies. Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird and Great Tit were also recorded. Finally reaching the shore with the tide on its ay in, no less than 150 Brent Geese and about 30 Wigeon on the sea. A small gravel island held a few Cormorant, a score of Oystercatchers and a few Herring Gulls whilst the Black-headed Gulls were spread along the shoreline. It was beyond this group that the lone Common Scoter was diving.
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| Brent Geese and Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus resting off shore |
Making my way north I found way back in the trees from the shore both Jackdaw and Wood Pigeon but little else until reaching the Meandering Pool which held a couple of Shoveler and four Teal. Next up the Scrape which produced a pair of Mute Swan, Mallard and Shelduck along with a single Little Grebe.
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| Mute Swan Cygnus olor |
All then relatively quiet until reaching the Spit where check on the seaward side found a resting flock of Oystercatchers along with a number of foraging Carrion Crows. In addition a couple of Curlew were noted.
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| Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus resting near the Spit |
However, once on the sheltered side more Wigeon and a few Black-headed Gulls before finally finding another large flock of Brent Geese plus a lone Canada Goose stretching from here to beyond the School of Navigation pier. Here I even had a small flock of Wigeon with the passing "Queen Elizabeth" in the background as it made its way home to the port of Southampton.
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| Wigeon Anas penelope with the liner "Queen Elizabeth" passing in the background |
This area also produced the first of a large presence of Redshank. Further on round towards the pier a mixed feeding flock of mainly Ringed Plover and Dunlin but also containing a couple of Turnstone and a few Black-tailed Godwits.
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| Redshank Tringa totanus |
Continuing on towards the final stretch of shore a Little Egret was noted in the small pool inside the School of Navigation and then another score of Redshank on the shore along with a few more Black-tailed Godwits.
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| Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa in breeding plumage |
Birds seen:
Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone, Back-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow.
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| Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula, Turnstone Arenaria interpres and Dunlin Calidris alpina |
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| More Brent Geese Branta bernicla |
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