Isle of Wight Birding: Day 1

 Saturday 9 December

Many ducks including Shoveler Anas clypeata, Pochard Aythya ferina and Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

Arriving Friday for three days dancing in Sandown, Isle of Wight, Saturday saw us with a free afternoon so after a short visit to the nearby vineyard for a little sampling an buying we retuned to the hotel and then I took off to the nearby small lake on the north-eastern end of the town.  Lots of ducks at the far end, mainly Shoveler but also nor shortage of Pochard and a good number of Tufted Duck but just the occasional Mallard.

Tufted Duck A.fuligula with Common Pochard A.ferina

A score of Coots were paddling around the centre of the water along with a roosting Cormorant and nearer to me a Moorhen plus the gathered Black-headed Gulls. The occasional Jackdaw near the shore then a dozen Carrion Crows arrived once the visiting mother and toddler had distributed some bread.  This also brought in a couple of Herring Gulls to join in the feast in front of me. naturally, there were a few Rock Doves around and a couple of Woodpigeon flew over and away to the trees at the back.

Common Pochard Aythya ferina with Shoveler Anas clypeata

Checking my phone I found I was only less than twenty minutes away from the RSPB Brading Marshes reserve so in the car and off I went.  Arriving mid-afternoon I was immediately aware how wet the area was following all the recent rains so parked at the top of the track overlooking the water to my left. Lots of Wigeon on this water along with a trio of Curlew and many Black-headed Gulls.  At the back of the water a dozen or more feeding Carrion Crows and looking nearer to me, on the other side of a narrow island, I found a few Black-tailed Godwits.  No sooner had the Starling flock flown over than I checked the far left and found a score of Canada Geese and even a handful of Jackdaw.

Curlew Numenius Arquata

A walk along the track was finally halted before access to the path on the right leading to the far pool as the pool across the track was deeper then my walking boots so time to retrace my steps.  The large, flooded field on my left held a good number of Shoveler along with both a Cormorant and a Heron plus a dozen Mallard. It would appear the pair of Herring Gulls preferred to ne on their own rather than with their smaller cousins on the original water. A Magpie flew across the back of the water.

Pair of Shoveler Anas clypeata

Once back at the first water and my car I was able to check again and as well as a few Woodpigeon managed to record three quartering Marsh Harries on the far side but no sight of the visiting White-tailed Eagle that had been seen in the morning, according to the local birder who arrived at that time.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta 

Time to head back to Sandown but took the coastal road so I take a look at Brading Harbour now that the tide was fully out and duly found, as well as many Coot, a pair of Mute Swans and a single Little Egret.  On the shallow water, a handful of both Gadwall and Teal whilst on the muddy edges a number of Dunlin plus Redshank, Oystercatcher and Curlew. Finally, as I left to head home, a hovering Kestrel at the nearby grass airstrip.

Mute Swan Cygnus olor

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling.

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