Wednesday 6 September
An early morning start saw me at the Meon Shore, Hill Head just before 8 at an almost low tide on a still and very warm, cloudless, sunny day. Starting at the harbour I could but not see the numerous local Mallards along with a family of Mute Swans and a couple of Coot. Walking to the far side also produced a number of Turnstones at the river mouth a resting Cormorant. Naturally, there were many Black-headed and a few Herring Gulls.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCHpDKRx2Z8KxvfOv05bYXN3XwvdNNfSCfDNK3HZq1bBUF9Kcao7FmTGrTSmSXeOCe1XUGFxaJyy2spCO0KU5ndlKk3BfOpR3eRd5evNSQhg5UDH8T4Ytal6Yz2HQp8Eh2G2YPYw1SKKeL4REJ_JK2L39bjfX7ty29jVX-OZj-H_f6RtaSmsMQKGl-8mk/w400-h266/MuteSwan090682%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Mute Swans Cygnus olor with two cygnets and Mallards Anas platyrhynchos |
Looking along the Solent shore to the west very many more gulls along with a few Oystercatchers and a larger number of foraging Redshank and a Dunlin. In addition to more Mallards out on the open water at least a quartet of Gadwall.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9-rWJmjkUs2fLL83ng58pXL-L7o2PryrEHrnLbEvfaLO8yrfiYV1dxMY0eDJdUFpDml3Hm8XY2X3xx7oUHP0juHEw6CqhwxkCZqpxYj-lp0obFtW8rXSf47yWNQdHTCIHVLcgMbDaM_FpBY0p-IoNqN10Kqjm3u3cAvWPlz7ZaUtsCDwdLyME48Plq2x/w400-h266/Redshank090691%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo watching a Redshank Tringa totanus |
Back to the viewing point overlooking the adjacent pool and neighbouring reserve, a slight diversion into the cafe area produced a Blue Tit, then many more Coots and Mallard plus, on the island, a mixture of Mallard, Moorhen and the missing Mute Swan cygnet. On the far side an adult and two juvenile Great Crested Grebes whilst at the southern end a single Shoveler and a halfdozen Gadwall. In the reserve itself on the just visible pool a number of Lapwing. As I was about to depart a Kingfisher flashed away upriver and a Magpie flew across the water.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhlTz7WxmbwJoFV9QQJkr8NXC3pJ0eYwo7kl4iawavHEgeRhryUSuo6NMEXUKNHL9JTMsJOoGQGpQ9mzybaDYkwDZ7oKYolEp2h8BIgvRQzOpi7ZR0JvewINn1GcQVlN_wfJAYhzf2z_1KkKQs_FZxrrvlpcrUnnbPp4FR5a60sFMpVU4tUI0lo5KkyWQ/w640-h364/TitchfieldIsland090696%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Lagoon island with the missing Mute Swan cygnet and others |
Once back on the shore a walk northwards along the front produced Woodpigeons in the reserve whilst a lone Common Tern flew northwards up the Solent. On the beach many more Black-headed and Herring Gulls along with Carrion Crows, Turnstones and Oystercatchers. Even a single Starling was seeking out a meal. Finally, at the far end of the road, a score of Starlings and starting out on the return journey home a quartet of Barn Swallows on the wires.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kDbct_CUW0jPM2h-wqmrfyE23-W_b4dx6dSc-waLMzy5qAD7O5eTgCjk04O63MWkqG_3hVG6XKD_mkJhObY1ZgF947ch-mKwmKn1QIiJEP5oeB8j673M5UXS_C7n0Kp9cs8XQ7WCWygOYSKSFittC1Ke0lEUeKFx94vk8QRQsmazuOUx-JtblZB6cdin/w400-h266/Starling090603%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
A few of the Starling Sturnus vulgaris flock |
Birds seen:
Mute Swan, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Barn Swallow, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMg3Ds-DqOpvs-E1T5LjQ6EScdRORS0ydhoBhJcu3i3qzgNOaCQnKNsGv8os83nA8-XwInr_7kSMDNQMZKUJ2KBonKGRX-EjbLTqu6k3NetcxNBz7bLqYwxWr4TMr1TZiET6ahQI8N6Y534iRGLmh1R6rTB0NQ5pNYrWvGX_JUqvGZQie2jCx5x-CorTn6/w400-h266/MuteSwan090699%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Mute Swan Cygnus olor and Mallards |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7D386rCxdHkGp0YwMPgiTjB8OVZyddz4f59h4C-4Chx6VUMgyav1My7ssWTt9NbeeQ-VnQnc_KhGYP6uAd3mYD8HWgbxzT-v6YVfWUPHV0Fz1UpnzCzBcubStTsIJAb0eHcyvDMml9wUPcJuy8y-JK6OC8kc1-tznAPqwr5wAwLQm6X-FGF9CDRBIXH3/w400-h266/Cormorant090684%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6euk-OY1mJ7DKSFAfB2mLzoG9d24PvkOqPe8YNxZKYQJWvvnkGoEHkodkr0wqCVNbOk3st7ha5h69qoD1V3t7deBxjCzoKBOWQocWMnyHlxt6uP71FRrlCBzjEpKYAzp1r9RzZtA5cTTbtZZyvAwfClUOXIgbbb0CwASyh7-RDm0FFCa_UZTlSa6oG_t/w400-h268/BlackHeadedGull090690%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCJeYWA2zjBnhU-KKm4tu_J824mSvCqZ9SqWncpIsuDD1z-djY05icu6KKJNhqAKkWA4rOsD1nOMbcVaV3ajDhKwwSpBkbZZu8iwXLi5vtqyjqLOCtpgAHr413UDjY_oRzqKFF5IJMb9a3a8H67YxTE_3VMuPxBmx_OCYafBDR78InnG6PKOfoBvsD2fe/w400-h266/GreatCrestedGrebe090600%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Juvenile Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jol7w6UWnStlm4sWSopbnpoxPgGNf7-Zu-lc-F9juqUJTY87YRwgorUhXa5Et-FTDERtReZpKhqO9VFmy9-uZhZj8uKq2iYwdDvh8BtK3mq6zkiBIBuyCJi4ClN7ikQtAhxAZlBT5HkwUTDAqkMZ_6AcfpTpkDDJVxYnxoI141U52UMyJbHvG58_YmIC/w400-h266/Oystercatcher090685%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zXk2qJogb7s68ekGy5rukxYQma6xANZ2Cr2YpZ12fDC2hztTb6FppnzWfZrU72uCPlRcKCb6Cyy_nOmkC135M4_ZZd5Clygo8vFRIe-7yJgHxNHdMdL6HlCfZqW6Rw8-nicmNzs38w7Ywn5uSTf8l64F1SWUKm1BjnDG6UCngL2ljIkJw6wNC1DXk09J/w400-h268/Shoveler090697%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Shoveler Anas clypeata |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQDJWrZ12wf5jsaIDo6vLI9Hq8DSjFQMeFHQ0XZGrPlsTJKC7HE8NWJBM9NMhXnD92f-aZ7aPM7coEgoVcr00Na2VgNKHrssOIrDNkzE1VSP1bHEKAOFP1gNGOkLLMiCy7oBYBr2yODyGWrUND0JjWIyQ5arU9lrwtxgapa8zkW7v8GYvSkR_utpBaw9t/w400-h266/Redshank090687%20(1%20of%201).jpg) |
Redshanks Tringa totanus |
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