Lepe Country Park, New Forest

 Friday 1 November

Leaving Warsash with Richard Osman we were at Lepe Country Park on the Solent shore opposite the Isle of Wight by 9.30and ready to see what might be about.  Greeted by Robins as we made our way cross the road from the car park to walk to the hide overlooking Dark Water and once walking the boardwalk through the trees soon encountered both Carrion Crows and a Jay.  A stop at the view point also produced a calling Cetti's Warbler and then a few Jackdaws before continuing on to the hide itself.

Coal Tit Parus ater

Once inside the hide we noticed that the two feeders in front of the hide were empty but, nevertheless an occasional visit from both Coal and Blue Tits to investigate.  Meanwhile, there were a few nuts left in the feeder at the side of the hide and through the facing window we saw regular visits from Coal, Blue and Great Tit.  Indeed, ere long a visit from a Great Spotted Woodpecker so the accompanying photograph taken through glass.

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major

From the front windows we had view of the water and a Heron posing atop a nearby fence.  Slightly further away a range of waders including a small flock of Redshank and single Greenshank and Curlew.  Looking more to the right I picked out a handful of Snipe, well camouflaged against the floating weeds, and then a few more and looking further right even more along with ten Lapwing.  Altogether, a total of 22 Snipe. 

A few of the many Snipe Gallinago gallinago

A Little Egret flew across and up river to join a second and soon after the Great White Egret moved in the opposite direction to come to rest in front of the hide but at a distance.  Nearby a couple of resting Cormorant and a little further away a few Back-headed Gulls.  Further away still and only just noticed by myself and two other birders in the hide, a passing Marsh Harrier low over the reeds. Strange to see a single Starling on the shore line nearby but also a second Heron standing on the bank behind.  At this point  a pair of Canada Geese flew upriver honking away.  Meanwhile, with the window now open and the camera resting in my hands as I watched both Blue and Coal Tits feeding on the side feeder, two of us saw a female Sparrowhawk swoop down onto the branch above the feeder but, seeing me looking at her, quickly shot up and behind the leaves in the tree before I could even lift the camera, nevermind press the trigger!

Great White Egret Egretta alba

Time to move on and as we made our way back to the road following the same clockwise direction a Blackbird moved out from the bush in front of us a handful of Chaffinches were recorded before noting the resting Woodpigeon on the wires above.

Once back at the Visitors Centre we continue along the shore and on to nearby pools behind the beach. Here we found a pair of Mute Swans aside a quartet of Canada Geese with a foraging Curlew in front.  A couple of Jackdaws rested on nearby post before we noticed the distant Kingfisher on a fence above the Mute Swans.  A Moorhen paddled into sight and then the first appearance of the large, forty plus, flock of Linnets that were moving around the small site.  Towards the far end a male Stonechat and a couple of Pied Wagtails before we finally made our way back to the car.

Very distant Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

Our homeward journey took us along Lepe Road and into Inchmery Lane where, stopping near the Beaulieu River estuary, we were able to find a resting flock of over twenty Brent Geese along with a couple of Herring and a few Black-headed Gulls.  Then it was on via Exbury and back to Warsash.

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo with Great White Egret Egretta alba

Birds seen:

Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Lapwing, Snipe, Redshank, Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Linnet.

Heron Ardea cinerea

Distant Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

Distant Redshanks Tringa totanus

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