Tuesday 5 August
Dry but quite cloudy ere the Sun finally appeared late morning and a steady, light breeze most of the time. Arriving at Normandy Lagoon south of Lymington in the New Forest by 10 o'clock, all appeared very quiet with the water lookimng just about deserted save for the score or more of resting Canada Geese. However, having already recorded Goldfinch, Woodpigeon and Stonechat as I approached the water on the sea wall the scope soon found a couple of Shelduck and a few Mallard. One close and two distant resting Cormorants before finding the resting fifteen Oystercatchers at the far side of the lagoon.
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| Stonechat Saxicola torquatus |
Moving further on along the wall towards the sea and left-hand turn I stopped to check some resting Black-headed Gulls and found a trio of Ringed Plovers. The Starling flock passed oved in mass formation and then round the corner to check the islands with the sea behind me. On the main island a score of Greenshank and a few more Redshank resting at the far right-hand end along with a lone Little Egret. In addition, a Little Grebe was feeding close by. The opposite end also held a dozen or so Redshank.
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| Little Egret Egretta garzetta with Greenshank Tringa nebularia and Redshank Tringa totanus (behind) |
But checking the front edge of the larger island I found, midway, hiding in the rocks a pair of Dunlin plus a single Turnstone along with a handful of Ringed Plover. Then a movement caught my eye as I followed the single Sanderling that was making its way (to my) left. Behind the small birds a couple of foraging Pied Wagtails and, eventually, more Little Egret sightings.
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| Greenshank Tringa nebularia |
On the open water a pair of Great Crested Grebes and checking the far marsh between lagoon and the Solent I found a single Great Black-backed Gull and a Common Tern as well as a few more Black-headed Gulls. This part of the seawall with its covering of small bushes also provided a number of Linnets and at the far end I was able to find a couple of Lapwing and another Little Egret.
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| Little Egret Egretta garzetta |
As I made my way towards Lower Pennington Lane I stopped for ten minutes near the sailing club and added Wren, Blue Tit and House Sparrows.
By just after 11.30 I was parked up at the bottom of the lane and ready to take an anti-clockwise walk around the Pennington Marshes. A number of Barn Swallows as I passed through the gate followed by Woodpigeon and a Greenfinch. It was immediately obvious that the water levels had seriously depleted leaving a mixture of shallow water and many completely dried up area. To my right a handful of Canada Geese and only number seen on the whole sight. A trio of Dunnock came to feed on the grassy path in front of me and a Magpie passed and down towards the dried lake.
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| Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta |
Nothing to see (yet) on Butts Lagoon but a walk along the seawall above Fishtail Lagoon produced a quartet of Avocet and a handful of Mallard whilst, at the far end, a score of resting Black-headed Gulls. A couple of Herring Gulls were resting on the bank on the sea side of the wall. And as I made my way back to Butts lagoon I noted the juvenile Moorhen and a couple of Pied Wagtails of the dried mud below me. Passing by Butts Lagoon I found both a solitary Heron and an adult Moorhen.
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| Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta |
However, on a spit heading out into the Solent in front of Butts Lagoon I did find the resting fifteen Eider Ducks. At the same time a single Cormorant flew by heading west.
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| Resting Eider Ducks Somateria mollissima |
Turning inland to walk back to the car, I found every pool completely dry and not even appearing damp. More Linnets were seen along with a feeding family of five Stonechat rapidly moulting into adult/ wintering plumage. So ending a pleasant morning and a final tally of 37 species.
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| Lapwing Vanellus vanellus |
Birds seen:
Canada Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Eider Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Sanderling, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Stonechat, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet.
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| More Redshanks Tringa totanus |
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