Warsash Shore

Tuesday 11 April

The rain had not arrived by 10 this morning so I took the chance and walked along the Warsash shore and down to the Meandering Pool via the Spit and the Scrape to see what might be about as the tide was now two hours past low tide.  Cloudy with occasional hazy sunshine but very windy making walking difficult as I headed south and resulted in most small birds being hunkered down and lacking any song.

No sooner past the harbour and a few Black-tailed Godwits and Black-headed Gulls before a pair of Blackbirds and a passing Woodpigeon. Just a single Oystercatcher on show and a couple of foraging Carrion Crows until past the School of Navigation pier when many more Brent Geese were encountered and the score or more of recently seen Black-tailed Godwits suddenly turned into seventy plus. And in their midst a pair of Shelduck.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Passing alongside the Spit I was able to add a male Mute Swan and a couple of Cetti's Warblers were making me aware of their presence. Exiting the small spinney I could hear then see a couple of Sky Larks and a Magpie was resting atop a nearby bush. Then it was on down to the Scrape where a little more shelter helped me to update records and observe the associated bird life.  A pair of Canada Geese at the back of the water and either resting or on the water a further dozen Shelduck.  A smaller number of Mallard also present along with a trio of Little Grebe and the female Mute Swan. Four Gadwall were also present and a solitary Lesser Black-backed amongst the mainly Black-headed Gulls having just passed a couple of Herring Gull near the Spit.

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

Moving on down to the Meandering Pool I found the first of eight Linnet to be seen and a Little Egret hidden at the back of the Scrape and a second approaching said meandering Pool.  Also on the latter water a pair of Teal and further quartet of Black-headed Gulls. Time to make my way back home with the wind no behind me and almost immediately another Magpie and a small number of Starling at the back of the burnt gorse. A Heron flew away from the stream between the beach and Scrape and passing by the Spit I noticed a single resting Cormorant on the seaward side and one of only three seen Redshank at he inner side's water's edge.  Here also a few more Oystercatchers and a single Dunlin close to a Curlew.  All then very quiet until passing the Strawberry Fields where a pair of Robin were foraging on the path in front of me.  And home with hours to spare before the drenching rain finally arrived.

Birds seen:

Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Sky Lark, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Linnet.

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