![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOvoLgMxM9sbhMMoTP70E0SMVXL3dubcIJt8GGpfVy_VIBk2B1VxosLrQeg6a-5lNBw3upOwrGTUxorUdXK0fhdIv73L6B2HZ8iMGUfI2VwAczyDj8msUekTWwmna0jF7UPIf3SYdnIJ7Ou9JhaCNtmCBNSo3Lg6wwx-dH29FkDljzskCrscl_CpvZA/s320/BrentGoose112993.jpg) |
Brent Goose Branta bernica |
Tuesday 29 November
A dry, calm day but severely overcast, dull and cold! Time to keep warm as I undertook a double walk along the local shores. First, southwards along the front of the village and on down to the spit where I picked up Southampton Water and continued on down to the Meandering Pool before returning to the harbour to take the footpath access to the Hamble River so that I could make a return walk up to the conservation area. In total a distance of just about five miles in the three hours since leaving home at 9.30 to coincide with the low tide a few minutes after 8.
Starting at the yacht club very few birds about other than a number of Black-headed Gulls but no sooner down towards the School of Navigation than scores of feeding Brent Geese to be seen along with a good number of Redshank and a few Ringed Plovers. Just the one, initial, Curlew observed and a handful of Carrion Crows. A small party of Feral Pigeons made their way inland along with about a score of Common Starling.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQkSsb8RRBHyasSpnWhEEGm0lGhCL_-9eMOaD9fhNigXhcfPJL69m9Q6SPVh_-Y1KcP6L_Vf11mKi-IXbrLisA5xegJesarBi0JVxB-psYAcHKhRoPx4DVIYqX9MnqCypERNCZpfD86GnhJZrXN6Fs3LZuWtvKD8_cSyZKY8SjDmV5JBr_RVVys9CrQ/w640-h426/BrentGeese112979.jpg) |
A few of the many Brent Geese Branta bernica |
Once round towards the spit more and more Brent Geese and large numbers of Dunlin along with a couple of Grey Plover.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2-XkGtHNq9HXzDyU7ZCkD2VYaDRgZVuDbHoftQ9dYa08CeiE2AfgO4mdQjN3zA3TUVsORk3APUCvYV2IyLfCDn5BKsute16BbAwpud6nXp8BY0RKs2MNUm_K26-djYAHR8DTpuBePj_u2mlwgmNhzxhp3R1xiGFjBL_fl4SRv70JYV5mCzyCI5P5VA/s320/GreyPlover112974.jpg) |
Distant Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola |
A few more Redshank and Ring Plovers and, behind me, a steady movement of Wood Pigeons. A single Pied Wagtail and a calling Blackbird on the inland side of the path and then the first Oystercatcher of the morning on the mud. By the time I had passed the spit I had recorded well over a hundred Brent Geese and twice that number of Dunlin. A single Great Black-backed and a handful of Herring Gulls gave a little relief from all the Black-headed Gulls. Whilst there were a few Mallards about and a handful of Teal, the inland stream in front of the spit contained the usual high numbers of Wigeon along with more Black-headed Gulls. On the sea side of the spit, numerous Dunlin, very many Oystercatchers and a lone Little Egret.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppuI2TIJb8w6pCmwMPEH_Qnq7yAAX1r4UlvSRxSH86Nu4p29u1-wBanHfNeiv8NfbiEjjzdG8WYtT8N7j9r0WJtafeRsJakV20j2UhFAtu3vkbXQ5eFQ2KW91K8WP9iJjZ0zGMMsd5RvmhnSaBI-17xu-2350JNhX8wBjaxiWdvfc5FLisY3HzXE91A/w640-h270/Dunlin112962.jpg) |
A few of the very many Dunlin Calidris alpina seen during the morning |
On to the Scrape where I was delighted to find a group of nineteen Pintails along with a dozen Canada Geese and a couple of Little Grebe. A lone Mute Swan was resting in the brook between the shore and the fields. In addition, a single Shelduck and a quartet of Gadwall to make up the numbers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJV73aeudFqPKNC35Tft88bCxtXhpDpWx55Dbkv8tcmzMOmIb6zDOIAuyNl4X7wtJfpag5Sovsw1AimqHgfXEcGynX3KDToOQlAIGd-5b6mrIWM-F5w4QNNMB4eLUkFwil1avebGVqcui_xVpTLavQ_00shGRzse_VTMY2HhVXP2s1zYcZ3SauTHeR-w/w400-h266/Pintail112969.jpg) |
Male and two female Pintail Anas acuta |
Very little on the Meandering Pool other than a few Teal and a pair of Shoveler and the path alongside the fence proved to be very disappointing with just the occasional Magpie. However, on the far side a flock of approaching 200 Wood Pigeons was moving between the trees. The return walk along this path provided a half-dozen Pied Wagtails and seven Meadow Pipits in the burnt area just before I re-joined the grassy edge of the bank. Nothing new on the Scrape but a Moorhen was feeding in the brook near the Mute Swan.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWtGyS1k_dI66AxfBUkbIxFyiDsvcsa5vd282ZN7reKcgWAQNG27OEciCVgSCb3ACpgiNVe0GWPXqGqekZkOOAMT8HZyUjyRgAHTn6xFJXs1hJ1Y0KU5wCM9_1UKJZrwQmSnsQtmkrmseD0u_dwRL4MiJl8VIMeV2ktBQGtX7j3jAloHOr_-gvKX_6A/s320/MeadowPipit112972.jpg) |
Happily feeding Meadow Pipits Anthus pratensis |
Once back towards the School of Navigation still plenty of Brent Geese and Ringed Plovers to be seen along with a handful of Turnstone. A Great Crested Grebe was in the midst of the channel and working my way back towards the harbour I was able to add both a Heron and pair of Black-tailed Godwits. On the path itself a trio of Dunnock and almost at the end of the walk a couple of Great Tits.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiL8LVOKYKm7QxtZ7CUZKUkKtuV7hFwA8Ubf5IHYv7p24EqdJYeks4uGEK3PuzfMJF-7mrn31HiJRFWq7ERa93tjJ_9_OmDzaXe0OAhuuWd4vCVpuJUgSS7lPzhNvIt1fqReqXznZAuO0TIKMxs5uLw_pbs9CtsaDabZ3qleQQwiQGKm0tm0Jkk80DXw/w400-h130/Teal112996.jpg) |
Sheltering Teal Anas crecca |
And so on to the River Hamble. The tide still had a few hours to go before reaching its peak and initially just a couple of Black-tailed Godwits and a Curlew as I head up towards the ferry crossing and the fist inland pool. Soon I had added both Turnstone and Black-headed Gulls and the first of a handful of Carrion Crows to be seen.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_7RAumu4u89ugY6cHcJ5g6GEpLaEE-Pff3O8PJ1k1jDYeBt-H3Ww0p4h6hT0djvNowhQ63NxAw-cfYXn7jJ2P4s8bkm-d_rv_BhXix6VjtB3sf17Q-f4jYYv4an0V8T2yPDlB3QOoQAFHHnLJ43lzn7IM5BaE1XlkoXqEemDVzBTmLcpHTLiP0mNGg/w400-h268/BlackTailedGodwit112988.jpg) |
Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa |
Then hundreds of Dunlin and, maybe, two score of Ringed Plover along with a single Oystercatcher and more Curlews and Redshanks. There were many Wigeon on the river near the shore and the first of a few Herring Gulls. A Cormorant flew down stream across the meadows and then I found a feeding Great Black-backed Gull. Ringed Plovers were feeding/resting on the grassy meadows before the tide reached the area and the small bay opposite held a fishing Little Grebe.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjWQ-A37Tg6GQq_4wWeg8YojuIVPWYRdKYj1_cyo1C-onRooIrjfpUMFIKGefS7ciySoUlNBaB1k1py5Z8vWZvdLZAgOj6cF020bKbq8H6Jg8LxOP9KQkK7CSlp7FdQGvdESXVw7RY3d90lMv4YhiX6BNDBf1mSoIUj5CGc69m9Z9-CdU3TZ62uKJZg/w400-h268/GreatBlackBackedGull112991.jpg) |
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus |
Once up at the conservation area two score of resting Teal along with double that number of Wigeon. Two Greenshank and a Little Egret made up the numbers whilst a Carrion Crow posed on a post watching all that was going on. Just the one, lonely Heron and then back to start and return home. Moving down the river I added both Magpie and Starlings in the gardens beyond the meadows and, again, a huge hundred plus flock of Wood Pigeons moving about along with a few more Curlew.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJE4mKjXQZIyE5OhCRr6S4lTuH7ePclmMLOQD-M7FZVnTcUygaUN_6d57CJAls6IFwW68eCm8zTkEmwUiT-tiZz_l9J42tHFbq8WjtAf6hjnpDpFpMczH-xLfyiOAyu9NLiLDK5_xAegnheOJmVil8Wxuw_04MmbJdGCPOTYgKTGz_pRhb_legm6yCg/w400-h266/CarrionCrow112994.jpg) |
Carrion Crow Corvus corone |
Birds seen:
Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Rock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPXGzhF3V2UhSXopwrholPlddmv_zq8HJrLye8LWqSSGbHE5UzfvXZ-6z3BPj3YqslhbDR6VSLXRCyBye3TARRheYQw485FrXXlSeHnv14MFxaNktTL2waw4Yhni7XXJOM0TRdA_-lgnuVWPoEiG2ATHGSfHw5Th2VPVvo6lHnrSlacDkd9agynHwzg/w400-h268/Curlew112905.jpg) |
Curlew Numenius arquata |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-zBGttFbKlbHCR68JN8Yz43oKQWlgYAt3yAx8psKx9LsGy3_OPGvpGxf9NuNapZOSSHXp-S-LSsNVaGfsYrQgqLaD66KX6ahQ7Er8uD1L7VcQFFJMFsnJ754Xfkjle1nbis70LnKjaBlkiEv3x8FD5pFT0qSvx4EJJvVSS-ojKSU7eIuGPihBoSwbQ/w400-h266/Greenshank112995.jpg) |
Greenshank Tringa nebularia |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrbyNQvH__AjPVQnTXjmwK3JOBnhdeapQ7UezgbtWJ_SUmKhQrt7JECDReDf8Fh32huYchN5dmKtEzkTR4UjTxzWuICfn2Tn7w-3Ee8paG0eof_z3oC_AaRbekqoHmSMIkAMGc5hS7_VZUcVbARws8U2T_vI2qUSr8KwCsQdQ6eCqc8_0IKACQ6DvSw/w400-h268/LittleEgret112901.jpg) |
Little Egret Egretta garzetta |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat5Yjprm5kq00WMfO_GbeRC6HAbJF38AqJMfXBu50zJPx3zoQS5AINphNRiDIE1hYdAIMUnquumbfuDJk5Mmu7YtZ4dF9ujfjPlG82EU1A6GRkbjYwYi2V7hNGBjseFZH1jpoF9vofoHJsQmmq3ZVjPhnShsr1QjgcXv9A4zCOOURQYIxk3jHxTKvcg/w400-h266/Redshank112989.jpg) |
Redshank Tringa totanus in front of Dunlin C.alpina |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFJwjr6dtosqK7UzsGuKHY3S0eZl8LyfgGqrp5nefmumKmLJK5qxHhSCTcL8bggyQyAVbyxyJWeSfXExTapVRzlth8KueWCl2S_-v3FcUSWQHGr3Mx5olVboRBf-IWhDBC4oq5KLwt0MxZVLtpWta8vMY2282crdIjpBFtoBQcyEkfNTidm9c00OWyw/w400-h266/Wigeon112963.jpg) |
Wigeon Anas penelope |
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