Weston Shore, Southampton

Thursday 17 September

A few spots of rain as I set off for a quick visit to Weston Shore at the top end of Southampton Water as it meets the city's old dock.  Tide almost full out but very limited for birds.  From the southern car park mainly many Carrion Crows and Herring Gulls along with a couple of passing Cormorant, a dozen or so Mallard, handful of Little Egrets and a few Oystercatchers.  From the northern car park near the cafe mainly Black-headed Gulls plus a few more Oystercatchers and Little Egrets.  Strange to say but just the one Rock Dove (Feral Pigeons) and also a single Woodpigeon but  couple more in the trees behind the shore.  However, from this vantage point mainly Black-headed plus a single Great Black-backed Gull.  But out a the water line I did note a pair of feeding Black-tailed Godwits.

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

Moving down the coast a mile to the entrance to the Victoria Park in Netley at least fifty Black-headed Gulls on the shore and on entering Sophie's Pond on the other side of the road a trio of Moorhens making their way back to the water.  On the water itself a pen Mute Swan with her three well-grown cygnets and a quartet of Mallard.  All must have assume that I was one of the regular feeders as suddenly all the Black-headed Gulls along with Mallards and Mute Swans were either immediately in front of me or in the air above the water of this small pond.

Mute Swan Cygnus olor

Birds seen:

Mute Swan, Mallard, Cormorant, Little Egret, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow.

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