Normandy Lagoon

Sunday 16 March 

A beautiful clear, sunny day with not a cloud in the sky.  But it was cold and very windy!  Arriving at Maiden lane, Pennington the HOS group had already moved off so , taking and anti-clockwise circuit round Salterns and Oxey Marshes I caught up with the group before continuing on to check out Normandy Lagoon before heading back to Warsash.

Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

Odds and ends rather than groups or flocks of birds so Canada Goose, Coot and Little Egrets picked up on Acre Pond and in Maiden Dock Mallard, Oystercatcher and Curlew.  Approaching Oxey Marsh I recorded the first Black-tailed Godwit along with Lapwing and more Teal.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Once on the sea wall overlooking Oxey lagoon I soon noted far more Teal, Wigeon and Lapwing and out on the water  three distant Eiders and a Great Black-backed Gull.  Looking into the Solent a pair of Red-breasted mergansers headed eastwards over the water and then back to the lagoon where we found more Shelduck and a score of Black-tailed Godwits.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Turning inland a pair of Gadwall on the pond on my left and making my way back towards the Salterns Marsh a single Redshank.  Then it was straight on to Normandy Lagoon where I found very many Shelduck and teal along with Wigeon, Shoveler, Tufted Duck and a lone Mute Swan.  Plenty of Black-headed Gulls on sight plus a couple of Cormorant. Another Redshank and a singe Turnstone before coming across the small Avocet flock as I watched the arrival of a dozen Brent Geese.  Two Little Grebe were fishing out of the main lagoon.

Brent Geese Branta bernicla

Leaving by the first exit I walked back to the car along the lane but managed to find both a Magpie and Woodpigeon before reaching the road.  Once on the road both a Blue Tit and Robin were seen in the trees alongside.  Finally, passing through Lymington, I came across both Jackdaws and Rooks.

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow.

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