Warsash and Solent Shore

Buzzard Buteo buteo

Thursday 15 May

Warm sun and a little broken cloud but a cool northerly wind this morning requiring an extra layer for my walk along Warsash shore and on down to the Solent shore and as far as the Meandering Pools before undertaking the return journey. The two-hour walk confirmed that all the winter visitors have now departed resulting in much fewer birds in terms of both Species and overall numbers. before reaching the School of Navigation pier just the one Black-headed and seven Herring along with a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls.  On the shore a foraging Collared Dove and high in a tree to my left a resting Greenfinch.

Record shot of the distant Greenfinch Carduelis chloris 

The small pool behind the pier held a pair of both Mallards and Canada Geese. Moving on down to the Spit a few more Herring Gulls and a couple of Carrion Crows.  The small spinney at the far end produced a Blue Tit, and nearby Reed and Cetti's Warblers.  Moving on down to the Scrape my first Linnet of the morning and a pair of Gadwall in the adjacent canal.

Linnet Carduelis cannabina

At the Scape the small island and nesting floats were hosting the breeding Black-headed Gulls and on the water a pair of Canada Geese with three young goslings.  At the back both a Shelduck and Oystercatcher with the other half of the pair on the almost flooded little island to my right where I also found more Gadwall. A Common Tern was fishing nearby and a lone Barn Swallow flew over the water. 

Breeding Black-headed Gulls Larus ridibundus plus the Canada Goose Branta canadensis family

Nearby another Skylark as I moved on down to the Meandering Pool and also found more Stonechats and Linnets. Once at the Meandering Pool a pair of Little Egrets and another Shelduck. 

Male Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

Female Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

The return journey produced a Moorhen at the Scrape and male Blackbird as I passed through the above spinney.  At the Spit opening a couple of resting Cormorants and then, on the final leg of the walk, a raucous noise above and looking up found a Buzzard being mobbed by a couple of Carrion Crows and a Black-headed Gull.  The final bird of the morning was a male House Sparrow as I approached the harbour.

Buzzard Buteo buteo being mobbed by Carrion Crow Corvus corone

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Cormorant, Little Egret, Buzzard, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Collared Dove, Skylark, Barn Swallow, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Linnet.

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

Gadwall Anas strepera

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

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