Hayling Island and Farlington Marsh

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

Saturday 2 November

A dull, cloudy with poor light yet still calm and mild.  With the tide time all wrong for local shore walks I decided to drive over to Hayling Island after lunch and see if the Snow Bunting reported at Sandy Point for the past two days was still hanging around.  Arriving at 2.30pm and parked the car I walked up to the shore path and headed east towards the nature reserve with only vague instructions where the bird had been seen.  Within a minute of starting the shore path walk half a dozen long lenses pointing in the same direction was obviously a big clue, so I joined the visiting birders and passing pedestrians, sat on the wall and took photos of the Snow Bunting as it foraged on a small pebble mound less than three metres away.  What could be easier!

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

Still poor light but decided I would call in at Farlington Marshes on the way home and walk to the lagoon in the shortest clockwise direction.  However, as soon as I turned off the main road onto the access lane I stopped to check the mud below now that the tide was well out and noted a score of Brent Geese along with a couple of Shelduck and a small flock of gulls, mainly Herring but also a few Black-headed and a single Great Black-backed Gull.  On then to the far end of the lane, car parked and off to the lagoon as above.

Arriving at the old barn, just a couple of Coot on the lagoon but to my left behind the barn on the stream and flooded and no less then 25 Moorhen with another dozen Coot and a pair of Mallard. rather than return to the car I decided to complete the clockwise circuit of the marsh and set off towards the sea wall.  A couple of Canada Geese in the field to my right and on reaching the first junction I looked ahead and that field held well in excess of 100 Canada Geese.  A Woodpigeon flew over and in the last field on the right more resting Canada Geese plus a cock Pheasant.  At that point a male Stonechat crossed the path in front of me and came to rest atop a small tree to my left.

Four of the hundreds of Canada Geese Branta canadensis

Once on the sea wall it was obvious how far out the tide had flowed but one Little Egret foraging along with a handful of Black-headed Gulls.  A Little further on and a trio of feeding Curlew. To my right in the neighbouring field a lone heron and a small flock of Starlings following the cattle. A little further way to Magpies on the grass. So onto the Deeps where a good number of Wigeon were seen along with a quartet of Mallard.  In the reeds below a calling Cetti's Warbler.

Continuing on to the end and turning right for the next stretch hundreds more Canada Geese close by and, hiding within the flock next to its white goose, the long-staying Barnacle Goose.  Difficult to photograph as the birds were grazing in a small trough. Another Heron in the flooded ditch and a Carrion Crow sitting on the sea wall in front of me.

Record shot of distant Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis (second from left)

Continuing on round the last straight back to the car park I stopped at the view point to check the large lagoons below.  Over 50 Wigeon resting to the left along with a few mallards and at least four Pintail at  the back of the water.  A Great White Egret was near the reeds in the further lagoon along with many more resting ducks but too distant and dark to identify.  A Cormorant took off and disappeared away over the marsh and on the sea side a lone Redshank feeding at the water's edge.

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

Birds seen:

Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Great White Egret, Moorhen, Coot, Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Snow Bunting.

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

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Lepe Country Park, New Forest

 Friday 1 November

Leaving Warsash with Richard Osman we were at Lepe Country Park on the Solent shore opposite the Isle of Wight by 9.30and ready to see what might be about.  Greeted by Robins as we made our way cross the road from the car park to walk to the hide overlooking Dark Water and once walking the boardwalk through the trees soon encountered both Carrion Crows and a Jay.  A stop at the view point also produced a calling Cetti's Warbler and then a few Jackdaws before continuing on to the hide itself.

Coal Tit Parus ater

Once inside the hide we noticed that the two feeders in front of the hide were empty but, nevertheless an occasional visit from both Coal and Blue Tits to investigate.  Meanwhile, there were a few nuts left in the feeder at the side of the hide and through the facing window we saw regular visits from Coal, Blue and Great Tit.  Indeed, ere long a visit from a Great Spotted Woodpecker so the accompanying photograph taken through glass.

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major

From the front windows we had view of the water and a Heron posing atop a nearby fence.  Slightly further away a range of waders including a small flock of Redshank and single Greenshank and Curlew.  Looking more to the right I picked out a handful of Snipe, well camouflaged against the floating weeds, and then a few more and looking further right even more along with ten Lapwing.  Altogether, a total of 22 Snipe. 

A few of the many Snipe Gallinago gallinago

A Little Egret flew across and up river to join a second and soon after the Great White Egret moved in the opposite direction to come to rest in front of the hide but at a distance.  Nearby a couple of resting Cormorant and a little further away a few Back-headed Gulls.  Further away still and only just noticed by myself and two other birders in the hide, a passing Marsh Harrier low over the reeds. Strange to see a single Starling on the shore line nearby but also a second Heron standing on the bank behind.  At this point  a pair of Canada Geese flew upriver honking away.  Meanwhile, with the window now open and the camera resting in my hands as I watched both Blue and Coal Tits feeding on the side feeder, two of us saw a female Sparrowhawk swoop down onto the branch above the feeder but, seeing me looking at her, quickly shot up and behind the leaves in the tree before I could even lift the camera, nevermind press the trigger!

Great White Egret Egretta alba

Time to move on and as we made our way back to the road following the same clockwise direction a Blackbird moved out from the bush in front of us a handful of Chaffinches were recorded before noting the resting Woodpigeon on the wires above.

Once back at the Visitors Centre we continue along the shore and on to nearby pools behind the beach. Here we found a pair of Mute Swans aside a quartet of Canada Geese with a foraging Curlew in front.  A couple of Jackdaws rested on nearby post before we noticed the distant Kingfisher on a fence above the Mute Swans.  A Moorhen paddled into sight and then the first appearance of the large, forty plus, flock of Linnets that were moving around the small site.  Towards the far end a male Stonechat and a couple of Pied Wagtails before we finally made our way back to the car.

Very distant Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

Our homeward journey took us along Lepe Road and into Inchmery Lane where, stopping near the Beaulieu River estuary, we were able to find a resting flock of over twenty Brent Geese along with a couple of Herring and a few Black-headed Gulls.  Then it was on via Exbury and back to Warsash.

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo with Great White Egret Egretta alba

Birds seen:

Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Lapwing, Snipe, Redshank, Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Linnet.

Heron Ardea cinerea

Distant Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

Distant Redshanks Tringa totanus

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Warsash and Solent Shore

Pintail Anas acuta

Thursday 31 October

Last day of the month and, having missed the previous four weeks whilst away in Spain, yet to see the return f the wintering Brent Geese, albeit many Wigeon and Teal are already back on the Hamble River and Warsash shore extending down to Southampton Water. So an early afternoon walk down past the Scrape to the meandering Pools to coincide with the receding waters following the second high tide. The time between the repeat high tide and low water is around three hours so a fairly rapid outflowing of water, especially given what I might expect on the return journey.

Leaving the car park are just the odd Black-headed Gull to be seen plus on overflying Woodpigeon. Not until up the incline towards Strawberry Fields before a Magpie seen crossing in front and a quartet of Woodpigeons on the field itself.  Then, on reaching the Navigation pier, the first Redshank on the shore along with a lone Herring Gull and a trio of Pied Wagtails on the roof of the large shed roof holding the stored water craft. From just beyond able to look across the water the entrance to the Spit and note the hundred plus resting Oystercatchers. A pair of Mute Swans were making their way out of the Spit's lee and a couple of Canada Geese flew over.

Redshanks Tringa totanus

The water now ebbing slowly away and turning right to approach the Spit itself a small flock of seventeen foraging Redshanks. A dozen Carrion Crows on the path in front of me which then very much brought me within close sight of the start of the water in the less of the Spit and there, immediately in front of me, no less 27 Brent Geese.  Away to the end of the Spit a lone Cormorant and a better sight of the very many resting Oystercatchers. As I continued up the Spit to its end a further 61 Brent Geese recorded along with 130 Wigeon and a few Black-headed Gulls. Just the one Little Egret but a further two recorded before I set out on the return journey. To my left a House Sparrow followed by a pair of Goldfinches were feeding at the edge of the reeds.

Brent Geese Branta bernicla

All quiet then until I  reached the Scrape where I found a further 60 Brent Geese along with  ten Mallard and a dozen Pintail.  Further checking the water produced a Heron and 37 Black-tailed Godwits along with a Moorhen, four Gadwall and 24 Teal. And as I watched a Robin popped up out of the bust in front and rested on a nearby branch.

Pintail Anas acuta with Teal Anas crecca

A Cetti's Warbler was calling and a Curlew noted at the back of the water as I moved on towards the Meandering Pools which only produced a second Heron and ten more Teal. However, having recorded a small flock of Linnet as I passed by the gorse area, a second look at the Scrape did also produce a lone Coot at the very back. Nearer to me a Stonechat was posed atop a small shrub and once back near the Navigation pier a lonely Rock Dove with an apparent wing problem before another couple of Woodpigeon were noted.  Finally, a Dunnock slipped across the narrow path off to my right and with the tide now well out below Strawberry Fields a I observed more Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank and Curlew along with a handful of Dunlin to give a final total of 32 species for the walk.

Male Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Pintail, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Hose Sparrow, Goldfinch, Linnet.

Brent Geese Branta bernicla

Heron Ardea cinerea

Carrion Crow Corvus corone

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

The resting Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus

Redshanks Tringa totanus

Wigeon Anas penelope

Pintail with Moorhen Gallinula chloropus, Teal Anas crecca and Little Egret Egretta garzetta

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