New Forest 's Solent shore

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus

Friday 26 January

A bright, sunny start albeit a little on the cool side with a cold breeze once on the shore when friend Richard Osman and I arrived at Normandy Lagoon, just south of Lymington. Just before leaving the end of the M27 to head towards Lyndhurst the pleasure of seeing a Red Kite above us crossing said motorway.

No sooner has we arrive than we saw both Blackbird and Woodpigeon and as we prepared to leave the car a couple of Robins in the nearby hedge. As son as we reached the sea wall with the low sun immediately ahead of us we looked to our left and found Normandy lagoon alive with birds including a small flock of Brent and the occasional Canada Goose.  Near at hand a couple of Shelduck and within close proximity a party of eighteen Avocet and a good number of resting Teal.  Checking the water we then added Mallard, Wigeon, Shoveler and Tufted Duck with the last leading us to at least six Goldeneye.

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna with Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta and Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

Moving on the end of the initial wall and along the far side we added a Great Crested Grebe whilst below us on the lagoon a very close Spotted Redshank.  There were numerous Lapwing and at least a half-dozen resting Cormorant. Whilst there were many Lapwing, the Dunlin numbers ran well into the hundreds and they seemed to be constantly on the move as a flock. Only a handful of Oystercatchers and a single Little Egret but closer inspection not only produced a number of Pintail but also a single Red-breasted Merganser and a trio of Little Grebe.

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

It was as we made or way back to the car that we finally located the Slavonian Grebe well out into the Solent. But looking towards the east we also found the quintet of Spoonbill resting on the far shore of a spit just off the shore and once back on the last leg of the wall a Great Crested Grebe in the water below us and a Curlew on the far bank accompanied by a Carrion Crow.

Mainly Pintail Anas acuta with Canada Goose Branta canadensis and Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus

Moving on to nearby Pennington Marshes we were once again greeted by both Blackbird and Woodpigeons and, at the first entry point greeted by a number of Canada and a good-sized flock of Greylag Geese. Also present on these flooded meadows were a number of Lapwing, a couple of Magpie, a few Herring Gulls and a lone Pied Wagtail.  Up against the boundary fence both a Rabbit and a single Roe Deer.

Having parked the car at the end of the lane we first took the short walk down to the fresh water pond on the right of the non-vehicle lane where we found just a handful of Herring and  single Black-headed Gull that flew over to join a dozen others on the nearby marsh.   Back to the car and then take the right-hand path alongside the pools down to the cost pat Fishlake Lagoon and on to Butts Lagoon.  Scores of Brent Geese and both Heron and Little Egret.  On the water a range of ducks including Shelduck, Shoveler, Wigeon, Pintail, Teal and Mallard plus a handful of foraging Turnstone and a couple of Coot.

On the far side a wandering Carrion Crow and then taking a first look at Butts Lagoon from the northern end we found a quintet of Tufted Duck along with a pair of Mute Swans and a feeding Little Grebe. Once on the seawall overlooking Butts Lagoon from the west we managed to find the single Bearded Tit that was feeding in the reeds below us albeit partially masked by the all reeds in front.  behind us a Great Crested Grebe was fishing in the deeper water.  making our way back to the car a last look across the nearby flooded meadow found a single Gadwall on the distant pool with a small number if Wigeon in front of it.

Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus

Time to set off back to Warsash but a slight detour on the way took us to the eastern outskirts of Romsey where we found that the two Waxwing feeding and resting near the allotment were still present at least ten days after the first sighting report.  Not as clear a view as last week but, nevertheless, a bird that is always worth seeing.

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Spoonbill, Red Kite, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Common Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Waxwing, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling.

Hundreds of Dunlin Calidris alpina - retsing at last

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

A few of the any Teal Anas crecca

Our Romsey Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

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