5th September - Oxey Marsh to Normandy Marsh, Hampshire

Before we walked around to Normandy we decided to check the lagoons on Oxey, but stopped on the south side of the Oxey Lake where the low water was providing ideal feeding for waders.  There were good numbers of Redshank and at first two Greenshank.  There was exposed algae and sea weed and the Greenshank were feeding around the edge of the green weed.

A Greenshank and the Redshank, showing off the difference primarily the leg colour between the two.

A nice reflection in the water.

Once again the two waders together.

Some nice reflections in the shallow water.

Then two became three, not sure where the third bird arrived from.

Some symmetry from the Greenshanks while feeding.

Note the difference in plumage, the right hand bird showing the silver grey winter plumage, which is an adult bird.  The left hand bird has white fringes to the feathers and a darker plumage and this is a juvenile bird from this year.

Then a fourth bird flew in to join the three.

Satisfied we had enough photographs of the Greenshank we walked back around to Salterns and Eight Acre Pond.  This Redshank had us hoping it was something else, but it was a Common Redshank.

The Little Egrets were still feeding in the water and the dark water was providing some nice backgrounds and some reflections.

We had seen a few Clouded Yellows and strangely the majority of these were of the 'helice' sub species, but they never stopped for a photograph.

Walking on to Normandy it was quiet and as we approached Normandy Marsh the lagoon looked empty.  There were a few Greenshank at the far side of the marsh, and a few Redshank.  We walked around the sea wall to the south side and amongst two Redshank was a single Curlew Sandpiper.  This one a juvenile bird.

It came across the water and then fed just below us close to the shore.

The peachy flush on the breast indicative of the juvenile plumage.

The Curlew Sandpiper then decided to hide form us so we decided to walk to the east side of the lagoon and to use the bench for lunch.  The marsh on the east side was covered in the reddish Glasswort and in amongst tit were a Lapwing.

And a juvenile Ringed Plover.

As we walked back along the southern side of the marsh Ian picked up a wader that dropped down into the same area as the Curlew Sandpiper was seen in earlier.  As we got closer we could see that it was a Knot.

Slightly larger than a Dunlin and just the Curlew Sandpiper, they are grey at this time of year and appear a quite plain, medium sized wader with a rather dumpy appearance.

It moved around the vegetation and when it came back into view the one had become two!

The Curlew Sandpiper was still present, but this time feeding around the rocks and pebbles of the spit in the lagoon.

It looks a very delicate looking wader.

The Knot were then relocated, this time snoozing amongst the rocks.  Knot number one.

Knot number two.

Both Knot together.

Walking back the only wader seen was a Ringed Plover.  It was quite remarkable that on a lagoon that appeared to be completely devoid of birds we managed to see a Curlew Sandpiper and Knot.  A great day, there wasn't the quantity of birds that you would expect to see around the reserve, but the quality for the day was really up there with some other big days here.  Well worth the visit.

5th September - Oxey Marsh to Keyhaven Lagoon, Hampshire

If it has been awhile since visiting Farlington, it seemed even longer to come all the way to the Keyhaven - Lymington reserve.  To be honest I have been wanting to go for a while now but the fire and closure of the A31 has kept me away.

So this morning I was meeting Ian, not at the usual car park, but this time Normandy Lane.  From there we walked out to the marsh and were greeted with an almost empty Eight Acre Pond.  Where there was water there were Little Egret and quite a few Redshank, plus one Greenshank.

In places the shadows created some dark water so we walked up to the sea wall to try and get the egrets with their reflections.  Ian was watching an egret when it looked up and so did Ian and above us was an Osprey high and heading west.

It drifted away and it was back to the Little Egrets, there were fifteen around the pond, most of them in the water but also some in the trees.

So some time for the reflections.  First in the blue water.

Then in the dark water.

On the other side of the sea wall was a Greenshank.  Th elight wasn't perfect but the greenshank was close enough to overcome any problems from the light.

Feeding around the exposed bladder wrack.

Walking on a Redshank stood on a rock at Salterns again with a nice reflection.

We walked across the marsh in the hope of finding some migrants around the bushes but it was very quiet.  Coming up on to the sea wall there was a lovely scene out in the Solent created by the sun behind a cloud.

All three hirundines were hawking insects along the sea wall over the bushes.  Of the swallows they were mainly immature birds lacking the tail streamers seen in the adults.

A warbler was showing in the gorse, any thoughts on what it might be from this shot?  The long wings might be a clue.

Easier from this view, long primary projection and light coloured legs.

A Willow Warbler.

Offshore there was a single Eider, it looked like a male in eclipse.

The tide was at its lowest, but there was water in Butts Bay.  Turnstone and Ringed Plover fed on the exposed sea weed.  This Curlew moved slowly away from us.

Moving out into the deeper water, but still walking, never swimming.

Fishtail Lagoon was almost completely dry and there were only a few Pied Wagtails on the mud.  Keyhaven Lagoon was quiet with no sign of the recent Ruff,. the only bird of interest being a distant Wheatear.

We came back to the Old Tip and walked through the bushes, again with very few migrants about.  Walking down to the car park there were cattle in the corner by the gate and with them were Yellow Wagtail.

As usual they were feeding amongst the feet of the cattle.

As we were watching the Yellow Wagtail, another birder came up to us and told us that there was an eagle coming towards us from the sea.  Sure enough, there it was at first coming low.

At this point we were willing it to come towards us.

But it then moved a little away from us and started to circle which indicated it was looking to gain height.

There is a lot of feather wear, in the primaries and the tail.  Aging is difficult, but I don't think this was an adult, probably second or third year bird.

Better views of the tail here, its gaining the white feathers that give the eagle its name so maybe it is moulting into an adult.

Great views here of the shape of the huge wing span.  It has the name of the flying barn door.  It is the largest bird of prey found in this country, the wingspan a little longer than that of the Golden Eagle.

Fantastic to watch as it circle above us and eventually became a speck amongst the clouds

We decoded to walk back along the footpath off Pennington Lane and returned to the marsh at Oxey Creek.  A Raven was calling endlessly and eventually it showed with another.  It continued to call as it flew around us.

Nice to be able to get some good flight views of Raven.

This is in blacjk and white.

As we watched the Raven, Ian picked up a Sparrowhawk and it was being mobbed by hirundines as it circled above.  Incredible reduction in size compared to the White-tailed Eagle!

We had made our way back to Oxey Marsh and it feels right to pause the account of the day here, part two will take us from Oxey Marsh to Normandy Marsh.