Farlington Marshes

Thursday 26 October

Farlington Marsh looking east

Car into MG garage in Farlington but necessary to retain for day so off to nearby Farlington Marsh for an anti-clockwise circuit of the usual trail and coming across a dozen or more birders awaiting the reappearance of the three Short-eared Owls that had been seen earlier in the morning.  Beautiful sunny weather and hardly any breeze so a complete circuit rather than just a walk to the abandoned Visitors Centre and back.  And having, packed everything into the car after the two hours forty-five minutes to cover the three miles, a heavy knocking on the roof told me that the rains had appeared and so heavy that I had to wait for storm to settle down before driving back to Warsash.

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

Making my way to the abandoned Visitors Centre I quickly came across a number of Moorhen followed by a couple of Mallard. Once clear of the very puddled track and at the lagoon in front of the VC I found many Teal and Moorhen along with a few Shoveler and Coot.  A handful of Lapwing were resting on the right-hand side and a Robin was quite active behind me.

Teal Anas crecca

Thinking nothing ventured, nothing gained I decided to carry on to the junction in the path ahead to check out the fields in front of me.   Away to my left a Little Egret and then on the field on front of me as well as a small herd of young steers a second Little Egret and a lone Cattle Egret near the beasts.  Away at the back over a score of resting Curlew as a pair of Carrion Crows put in an appearance.  A couple of Meadow Pipits were moving about the field and looking back across the field to my right towards the distant reedbed I was rewarded with a Buzzard resting atop a fence post.

Buzzard Buteo buteo

In order to try and get a better view of the Cattle Egret with the sun presently shining straight into the camera, I continued up the track to the sea wall.  After all, there might well be a few resting birds on the water which was just approaching high tide.  A Magpie flew past on my right  and then, once on the sea wall, I counted a group of eleven Little Egrets and 21 Brent Geese just off the shore.  Behind me a pair of Sky Larks seemed to be enjoying the morning sunshine as they flew around the sky above me.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Having come this far I thought I would continue in as far as the Deeps before retracing my steps with the sun (then) behind me.  Lots of Black-headed Gulls about and a distant flock of Starling away to my right at the far side of the marsh.  The first sight of the local Canada Geese revealed at least a hundred and I was to more than double the number by the time I moved on to the far side of the site.  A Herring Gull passed overhead along wit the first Woodpigeon of the day and, after finding my first of four Grey Herons I was at The Deeps.  All very quiet here apart from a lone Pied Wagtail and, as yet, no activity on the newly created gravel islands, presumably constructed in time to settle before the return of both terns and Little Ringed Plovers next Spring.

Dunnock Prunella modularis

At this point I noticed the large gathering of birders at the southern end of the marsh which indicated to me that something special was being studied or had been recently reported.  So, continuing on and finding a lovely Dunnock foraging in the bushes below, a local birder informed me that the attraction was the four Short-eared Owls that had been seen yesterday.  A distant Kestrel away at the northern end of the marsh and a small flock of Shelduck flew over as I approached the waiting birders.  Nothing had been seen of the owls for over an hour when a few of the birders had recorded three individual hunting the over the grass below.

Distant Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Meanwhile, behind me over the water a large flock of Oystercatchers flew eastwards towards a small island to take their rest.  Deciding after a short rest to continue I found a Blackbird in the bushes below quickly followed by a couple of Stonechat and a very small charm of feeding Goldfinches.  

Small charm of Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

More Meadow Pipits and another pair of Sky Larks brought me opposite a small gravelly island just off shore which was playing host to a very large flock of Dunlin and a number of Grey Plover as well as Oystercatchers.  The few Brent Geese resting on or near the island drew my attention to the even larger flock of these geese actually on the water; a number of individuals in excess of 500.  The Brent Geese have well and truly arrived back for the winter.

Brent Geese Branta bernicla with very many Dunlin Calidris alpina

As I turned north to head up to the viewing point I noted the pair of Mute Swans and then I was at the sheltered reedbed.  A couple of Little Grebes and a good number of Mallard plus more Coots and Moorhens noted as I started to check the waters below me.  At least a score of Pintail, more Shovelers plus Wigeon and Redshanks before finding a handful of Gadwall.  On a fence post at the back a resting female Marsh Harrier and then a trio of Cormorants passed overhead.

Pintail Anas acuta

Finally, after consulting a birder  I met on the far side travelling in the opposite direction who had just crossed the marsh below and confirmed that (other than the gate entrance below) the path was free of mud, I took myself off in that direction to get a closer look at the flock of bids resting "up river" as it were.  Apart from noting the very many Redshank, I also found a few Black-tailed Godwits and a good number of Lapwing.  A single Greenshank was a rewarding sighting along with more Teal and Wigeon.  Ans till there were more Little Egrets to be seen plus the occasional Heron.  A cock Pheasant few out from behind a small bush and then I was back on the main track leading to the car.  Almost within sight of the end when a lone Wren was recorded as my last sighting of the morning.

Mainly hundreds of resting Redshank Tringa totanus

And, as already referred to, no sooner had I got back into the car to record my sightings than I heard the gentle tip-tap on the roof as the rain commenced, within seconds turning into a massive downpour which necessitated a delayed start to me return home.

Pintail A.acuta and Teal A.crecca

Bird seen:

Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Sky Lark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Goldfinch. 

Robin Erithacus rubecula

Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

Dunnock Prunella modularis

Very distant resting Curlew Numenius arquata

Departing Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Lapwing Vanellus vanellus with Teal A.crecca

Mainly Redshank Tringa totanus

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