Sunday 3 August
Somewhat colder and windier than I had anticipated so a little short on clothing! Making my down Posbrook Lane first a passing Barn Swallow then a Jackdaw atop a roof on the left. Not to worry, at the Meon shore in front of Titchfield Haven by 7.45 am where I found a good number of Black-headed and many Herring Gulls. Also present a quartet of Common Tern. Also on the lagoon as well as the harbour shore a number of Mallard plus a dozen Turnstone. On the far side, a single Grey Heron. Just a trio of Cormorant resting on a little breeding platform and on the shore a lone, sleeping Oystercatcher. The surrounding bushes produced both Woodpigeons and a Magpie along with a large flock of approximately fifty Starlings.
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| Turnstone Arenaria interpres |
Thirty minutes later I was back in the car and making my to Farlington Marshes, where I arrived at 8.40 and spent 2 1/4 hours undertaken a clockwise circuit having first made an initial visit to the observation area overlooking the lagoon. Lots of Canada Geese, well over a hundred, feeding on the freshly revealed mud as the tide started its outward journey, as I made my way to the end car park. Woodpigeons in the neighbouring trees and bushes along with a pair of Greenfinch and then I was out on the sea wall with a good view of the many Canada Geese plus a number of both Black-headed and Herring Gulls. On my way to the observation area I came across a Meadow Pipit on the path in front of me.
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| Juvenile Shelducks Tadorna tadorna with a Lapwing Vanellus vanellus in the foreground |
Once at the observation area the lagoon below produced many more Canada Geese along with both a good number of Mallard and Coot. Towards the left a handful of Shelduck and on the far left side the resting waders including Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Avocet, and a large mixed group of Redshank and Greenshanks. Just a couple of resting Cormorants.
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| Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa to the front with both Little Egret Egretta garzetta and Oystercatcher Haemantopus ostralegus. At the back the mixed Redshanks Tringa totanus (left) and Greendahnks Tringa nebularia. |
Before retracting my steps to take the field path across to the old barn by following the river, I checked the far side and found both a hovering Kestrel and a quartering Marsh Harrier. A double-check on the cattle on the far side finally produced a single Cattle Egret. The waders to the left, now in front of me, were mainly Black-tailed Godwits but also a handful of Avocet and the occasional Oystercatchers. Whilst a couple of Lapwing strutted the shoreline, I was able to view the resting Redshanks and Greenshanks.
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| Redshanks Tringa totanus (left) and Greendahnks Tringa nebularia |
Following the field path I came across a trio of Magpies and a second Kestrel whilst at the riverside a pair of Little Egret and dozens of Sand Martins feeding just above the water. This area also produced the first sighting of the massed Starlings, totalling well over 200, along with the first Carrion Crow of the morning. Ere long I was at the old barn and very little, other than more Sand Martins feeding over the lagoon, o be seen.
Moving on I came across the first Linnets of the morning along with a pair of Collared Doves and then I was back up on the seawall making my way towards the Deeps. The shore line off to my left produced a small collection of Curlew plus a single Whimbrel and then both a handful of Ringed Plovers and Dunlins. At the back of the Deeps a resting quartet of Grey Herons and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull passed overhead.
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| Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula |
Continuing on round the perimeter I finally came across the only Moorhen of the morning just before reaching the viewing point where I noticed that many of the earlier seen waders had now moved on. A lone Mute Swan had appeared on the main lagoon and on the muddy beach to my left both a Curlew and Redshank foraging along an exposed stream through the mud. So back to the car and homeward bound just before 11 o'clock.
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| Juvenile Curlew Numenius arquata |
Birds seen:
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Mallard, Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Greenfinch, Linnet.
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| Turnstone Arenaria interpres |
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