Warsash and Solent Shore

Saturday 9 March 

Out just after 8 for an early walk, noting both Carrion Crow and a pair of Great Tit as I left the house,  down to the Solent shore with the hide almost in. Passing the slipway at Warsash a handful of Brent Geese and Black-headed Gulls with  over a score of Turnstone and a couple of redshank on the shore below Strawberry Fields.  Posing on a bush to my left as I continued on a lone, singing Robin and then, approaching the School of Navigation pier a Curlew, more Black-headed Gulls and a dozen Wigeon in the company of three Oystercatchers.

Turnstone Arearia interpres

Looking across the water to the end of the Spit I could see a flock of fifty resting Oystercatchers and behind me, on the small pond, a lone Little Egret.  So on down tot the Spit itself confirming more Black-headed and a single Herring Gull I recorded a pair of Carrion Crow and another Curlew resting on the high ground. Lower down and in shelter of the bank a party of 22 Ringed Plovers, a pair of Redshank and many more Wigeon.  From the shore side I was able to lock on to the resting/feeding Black-throated Diver out on the Solent.

Curlew Numenius arquata with Turnstone

A walk along the shore almost as far as the Scrape produced a pair of Mute Swan, four Canada Geese, six Shelduck and more Black-headed Gulls on the water.  having exercised the acing leg, time to make my way back before the expected rain.  A couple of Cetti's Warbler in the reed bed to my right and close to shore near the pier a Great Crested Grebe.  Walking back along the path below Strawberry Fields first a pair of Collared Dove followed by a trio of Woodpigeon and, finally, a Magpie foraging in the small dinghy storage yard in Warsash.

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

Birds seen:   

Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Wigeon, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Black-throated Diver, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Robin, Cetti's Warbler, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow.

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