New Forest Birding

Friday 19 July

Normant Lagoon looking west

A beautiful warm and sunny morning with hardly a trace of cloud in the brilliant blue sky.  Up early and down at Normandy Lagoon, Lymington by 7.50 and welcomed by the local Magpies and Black-headed Gulls. Approaching the sea wall a number of House Sparrows and once on top of the wall a sight of much reduced water levels.  Lots of Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns about along with very many Canada Geese and then the search for something different.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Juvenile Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii in front of juvenile Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus

To the right of the lagoon, a Herring Gull and distant Curlew and Oystercatcher the, rounding the corner with the sun now behind me, a good view of the lagoon from the south showing very many terns and Black-headed Gulls.  Mainly Common but the Roseate Terns had successfully reared two young and these were now resting on the shore.  Immediately in front of me a couple of foraging Redshank and a resting Little Tern along with a pair of Ringed Plovers.

Little Tern Sterna albifrons

A Whitethroat was seen on a nearby shrub and then the appearance of a few then many Mallards.  Towards the back and rear scores of Canada Geese along with the odd Lapwing but also a score or more Redshank and  a similar number of Oystercatchers.  At the very back, a pair of Stock Doves had come down to the water's edge to drink.

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiatica

Checking the whole water there were no less than four Little Egrets and then the appearance of a sole Black-tailed Godwit and a Cormorant which had arrived to rest on the lagoon.  Finally, a last look a the Roseate Terns before returning to the car to remove my jacket so that the sun could get to both my legs and arms.

Two Juvenile Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii

So on to the short drive across to Pennington Marshes to check out that area.  Again, very many Canada Geese but, once again, Magpie the first bird recorded.  A Heron flew over as I took a short walk along the lane to look at the nearby freshwater pool but found only a handful of Black-headed Gulls and a couple of Woodpigeon, albeit there were a number of "singing" Greenfinches.

Heron Ardea cinerea

Making my way back to the car to take an anti-clockwise circuit of the the main pools, a single Barn Swallow flew across and then I saw the sixty-strong flock of Starlings feeding on the grass in front of me. No sooner had the Carrion Crows flown over than I was checking Fishtail Lagoon on my right.  A few Canada Geese and a nearby Blackbird and moving a little further on I got a splendid view of the many Black-tailed Godwits and the occasional Lapwing.  Over to the left a single Spoonbill with three Little Egrets to the back of the water.  Also close by n their own island a group of fifty resting Avocet that had been joined by a few more Black-tailed Godwits.  Not too many Mallards on show but then noted the small number of feeding Redshank and even  pair of Greylag Geese.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Passing Butts Lagoon on my left a large number of Coots and Mallards present but no Tufted Duck,  The pair of Mute Swans were on the water with their three well-grown cygnets and then  a single Moorhen. In the reeds immediately in front of me many singing Reed Warblers and a Common Tern flew over.

Female Mute Swan Cygnus olor with her three cygnets

Once a the seat corner and looking across the water to the land on the right a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls and, walking along the spit, both a Ringed Plover and a Curlew. A little further away a small group of Oystercatchers.  Then moving left along the side of Pennington Lagoon very many Canada Geese plus more Mallards and Little Egrets. Another couple of herons were seen before I turned left and took the path back to the car park.  Yet another Heron and a few Black-tailed Godwits on the pond to my right and, once back at the car, a passing Blue Tit.

Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus

Time to sort out the gear and car and then head off back to Warsash with a slight diversion to spend half an hour at Eyeworth Pond in Fritham.  Not a lot of activity with a score of Mallards on the water looking for a friendly face to feed them whilst, meanwhile, somebody had been placing seed along the gate which was gratefully being taken by, mainly, House Sparrows along with a handful of Blue and Great Tits plus a regular Marsh Tit and just the one male Chaffinch.  A maturing Robin also put in an appearance showing the first signs of a red breast as it began to lose the rest of its juvenile spots.

Juvenile Robin Erithacus rubecula with Blue Tit Parus caerileus

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Spoonbill, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Back-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Roseate Tern, Little Tern, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Barn Swallow, Robin, Blackbird, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch.

Blue Tit Parus caerileus

Marsh Tit Parus palustris

Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta

Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa with Lapwing V.vanellus at front

Distant Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

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