Monday 13 December
Got it wrong this time! Left it a little late to set off for a walk up the Hamble river top the protected area and no sooner almost half-way and a steady drizzle started as well as the fading light on a half-in tide. Going to get anyway so continued to my original destination. One way to see how waterproof the year old birding coat/raincoat is! No sooner out of the door to cross the road than foraging Wren and then the first of a handful of Wood Pigeon as I approached the riverside walk.
It my have been poor light but the incoming tide had brought the waders nearer to me and straight away a trio of Brent Geese with more during the upstream walk. Alongside the geese both Black-headed Gulls and Redshanks. A single Greenshank feeding alongside a Curlew was a pleasant addition as was the Black-tailed Godwit and looking away from the river to the bare trees at the rear of the marsh a Magpie and small number of Starlings.
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| Greenshank Tringa nebularia (above) with Redshank Tringa totanus |
The first inlet, now rapidly filling, held over 50 Wigeon and I was to find a further thirty upstream. In and out of the seaweed a number of foraging Turnstone and the first of eight Grey Plover.
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| Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola |
A lone Little Egret was resting in a small creek on the river side of the track and a couple of Carrion Crow were also seeking food. On the large green area a quartet of heron and a couple of Oystercatchers along with more Curlew. Finally, along with the second group of Wigeon, the small flock of Teal were resting in the protected area so giving a final tally of 18 species in the hour; not too bad considering the weather conditions and lack of good light.
Birds seen:
Brent Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Little Egret, Heron, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling.
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