Birding Warsash

 Friday 4 August

Many of the 53 resting Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta  at the Scrape

A quiet day and the prospect of no rain so some birding from home in two sessions.  Out at 8am to walk along the shore and on down to the Solent and back with clear blue skies for the first hour before the dulling clouds arrived.  After a two-hour break for an early lunch a short walk down Workman's Lane with detours to both the horse field and the Chilling Head pathway before heading back home, the afternoon being somewhat dull and cloudy but at least with neither wind nor rain.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Making my way past Warsash slipway I was immediately presented with not just Black-headed Gulls but also a score or more of Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Curlew and a Little Egret. Moving on towards the path below Strawberry Fields a Blue Tit crossed in front of me and the first Magpie of the morning. Approaching the School of Navigation a couple of Carrion Crows foraging on the mud and then chance to double-check on the number of Black-tailed Godwits where I also found a couple of Redshank and a lone Greenshank in one of the gullies alongside a second Little Egret.

Distant Greenshank Tringa nebularia

The exposed mud between the School on Navigation and Spit held more Black-tailed Godwits, Curlews and Redshanks plus a few Oystercatchers. Once a the narrow channel on the lees side of the Spit a number of Mallards along with a pair gadwall and more Black-tailed Godwits and Little Egrets.  Also present a single Canada Goose and very many resting Black-headed Gulls.

Moving through the little copse to gain the main shore path I observed a few Woodpigeon along with a pair of Long-tailed Tits and a couple of Blackbirds.  The pathside hedge as I approached the spinny also produced a half-dozen House Sparrows. Looking back to the seaward side of the spit  only a few Oystercatchers but a number of men searching for oysters, which must have been a distraction for the waders and their attempt to feed.  I though gathering oysters here was forbidden?

Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus

So on towards the Scrape passing a few more Magpies and noting the Cormorant moving down water towards the Isle of Wight. Just as I reached the fist "proper" view of the Scrape's water I noticed the pair of feeding Roe Deer a mere twenty metres or so away on the far side of the stream separating the shore from the meadow.

Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus

Once at the better view points many Mallards recorded along with 29 resting Avocets and a few more Black-headed Gulls.  Searching also produced a trio of Little Grebe and another Little Egret. So on to the Meandering Pool which was only just visible beyond the tall grasses but with no bird life.  The gorse are, however, did produce a Linnet, Goldfinches and a single Song Thrush.

With my turning point the thick bramble bushes next to Chilling Head I was able to add a single Dunnock and a quartet of Whitethroat. The fence around the entrance to the Chilling Head tunnel held a Willow Warbler and back at the coast path I noted the two Sandwich Tern moving close by up Southampton Water and a Pied Wagtail on the beach itself.  Also present a number of passage Barn Swallows accompanied by a single Sand Martin.

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus

Making my way back to the Scrape a Stonechat on a nearby tree attracted my attention as did the pair of Mute Swans on the open water and yet more migrating Barn Swallows and a pair of Pied Wagtails on the beach.  Once back at the Scrape I noticed that the Avocet numbers had increased to 53 along with a juvenile Moorhen and a pair if immature Shelduck.

Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

And so back home for coffee and short rest before part two of my birding exercise but, a the same time, noting not just the Herring Gulls but also a single Yellow-legged Gull on the mud approaching the School of Navigation and then the sight of a pair of resting Little Tern. With the incoming tide pushing the birds nearer to the shore it confirmed the good number of Black-tailed Godwits and more Curlews and Little Egrets but also a dozen or more Redshank.

Curlew Numenius arquata

Arriving at the top of Workmans Lane around 1.15, I immediately recorded both Blackbird and Robin along with a resting male Kestrel on the wire above my head. Continuing on down the lane to take the path alongside the horse field, I added a Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crows.

Male Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Walking along the bottom of the horse field I stopped to watch the Buzzard and, at  the same time, listened to the yaffling Green Woodpecker. Away n the distance, no horses on the field today, I once more sore a couple of feeding Roe Deer and then, to my right, a quintet of foraging Magpies.  Barn Swallows were feeding over the long grasses and as I returned to the road a couple of Goldfinches in the tree ahead of me. Very little to add as I completed the walk down to the shore, where the water was now at high tide, save for a couple of Blue Tits and a Song Thrush.

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

Taking the path back to the lane form Chilling Head having seen both Black-headed and Herring Gulls over the water, I was surprised and delighted to in a lone Northern (Common) Wheatear feeding in the horse paddock in front of me and even manged to get a distant photograph. And so ended a lovely return to birding my local patch with a final total of 44 species.

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Wheatear, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Linnet.

Distant Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis

Herring Gull Larus argentatus

Gadwall Anas strepera

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