Farlington Marsh

Sunday 19 January

Farlington Marsh from the mirador

The dry, cold and cloudy days continue as collecting friend Richard Osman we drove over to Farlington Marshes for the morning arriving at 9.30.  As we drove along the parking road to the far end a Raven flew up from the ground to a large traffic indicator, so what a way to start the visit.  As we prepared to set off on a clockwise circuit we were joined by two fellow HOS members, Ron , who we had met on previous occasions, and a new member, Laura Croucher who, like me on my first HOS meeting at this site, had mistaken the correct parking area to meet fellow members.  So the four of us set off on our own "Mini HOS" outing!

Mudflats from the mirador

Passing through the bushes at the start f the track we soon encountered both Robin and Blackbird with a couple of Cormorants passing overhead and a resting female Kestrel atop a tree on our left.  A pair of Mallard were on a small pool to our left and, looking up, we watched a handful of Greenfinches fly over us.  The next "pond" produced a Moorhen and and an Oystercatcher on the bank. Then, through the kissing gate and up onto the sea wall with the tide almost fully out time for a long stop to take in the foraging birds on the mudflats.  Lots of Pintail and Teal along with Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatchers.  Away on the far right as many as sixty Brent Geese and further left a number of Black-headed Gull with a Great Black-backed Gull resting on what seemed like an upturned boat.  Behind us in the direction from which we had come a Carrion Crow was resting atop a road sign.

Redshank Tringa totanus

Stopping at the mirador gave us chance to take a really good look at both the mudflats to our left and the large lagoon, no much reduced in size from my last visit, to the left.  On the mudflats more Redshank and Curlew plus very many Pintail but also a couple of Shelduck and a few Teal.

A few of the many Pintail Anas accuta

Meanwhile, on the water a flock of Lapwing on the extreme left followed by a Black-tailed Godwit that flew to the far bank revealing the sleeping Snipe.  Next came a good-sized flock of Teal plus a couple of Herring Gulls. Just  couple of Canada Geese plus the handful that flew over the water, then more shelduck and finally, on the right-hand edge, a massive flock of resting Lapwing totalling perhaps as many 300 individuals.

Scores of resting Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

Moving on and round the corner to continue our walk we continued to find hundreds of Brent Geese plus the occasional Mallard before our first Magpie found by Laura.  A very distant Little Egret then before making our final turn to take us back towards our exit point from the sea wall we came across a large mixed flock of Canada Geese and Wigeon.

Time to take a stop as we approached the Deeps to check the sea line where we found a large flock of Dunlin.  But  not the couple of Shelduck in their company it was the pair of Red-breasted Mergansers just a few metres away on the water itself.  And whilst Ron was finding a nearby quartet of Great Crested Grebes in trying to locater the former, I eased my scope in his direction and picked up three male Goosanders between to the two sightings.  Whilst all four of us were checking the birds it became obvious to me that another small diver was in the vicinity and, eventually getting the scope focused on the bird, was delighted to discover a Black-necked Grebe.

As for the waters around the islands in the Deeps, mainly Shoveler with more Teal and a few Pintail.  In the distance more Brent Geese and then the visit of a lone Raven followed by a pair of Carrion Crows giving a good comparison between both size and tail shape. Off to the left a Little Grebe.  Laura was first to pick out the Heron flew across the back and time to move on before stopping as I spotted the little brown bird flitting around the weeds and inside of the sea wall where I was able to confirm that we had our first Rock Pipit of the morning.

Before reaching the turn inland we stopped once again to check the shore line and found a huge flock of about 400 Dunlin accompanied by the occasional Curlew and Oystercatcher and out on the water many more Pintail.  Looking back across the marsh at least two more Little Egrets.

Curlew Numenius aquata

So onto the old barn and the lagoon now with too little rather than too much water.  A few on the water but about 70 Coot on the grassy bank.  Behind the barn another dozen Moorhen. leaving the barn we took the field path alongside the water finding more teal plus another resting Kestrel.  Then, juts before take a small track on the right to regain the sea wall walk a Marsh Harrier flew over us and on into the reserve.  A Buzzard was resting atop a distant tree and probably one of the pair seen on a fence on out outward walk three hours previously. No sign of the Green Woodpecker spotted by the birder we met but as we made our way back to the car we did find yet another resting Kestrel, probably the previously seen female, along with a couple of Woodpigeon and more Robins and Blackbirds.

Distant Buzzard Buteo buteo

A most enjoyable morning's birding and in good company.  So pleased that Laura was happy to join us and hope we meet up again at a future birding event.

Resting female Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Birds seen:

Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Goosander, Red-breasted merganser, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Dunlin, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Rock Pipit, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, Greenfinch.

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