Despite the early weather forecasts of dry weather this Saturday, I arrived in rain, but by the time we set off it was dry, but there was definitely the threat of more rain coming. As a result of the overcast conditions it was very gloomy. Small groups of Little Egrets flew overhead in the direction of Fishtail and the saltmarsh. We walked down towards the sea wall, and Fishtail Lagoon.
On the gravel island in the middle of the lagoon were quite a few waders, Lapwings, a few Black-tailed Godwits, and a single Avocet
And a lone Spotted Redshank
On the far side were three Bar-tailed Godwits, unusual to be seen on the lagoon, and more Spotted Redshanks, they were spread out, and feeding with that ferocity, and would hide behind the clumps of bullrushes, but we estimated there were at least ten present.
A large Sparrowhawk flew low across the lagoon, not easy to pick up at first in the gloom, and gone into the bushes before either of us could react.
A Wryneck had been reported yesterday, seen on Keyhaven Marsh, so we decided to walk around to see if it was about, knowing of course that we would have to be lucky, and would probably be staring at grass and gorse for some time.. As we did so we flushed a pair of Wheatear on the path on the sea wall. They were not worried by us and allowed quite a close approach.
These are first winter birds, embarking on their first migration, the buff fringes to the wing feathers very prominent.
It seemed quite happy sitting on the gorse
The other bird preferring the post that ran along the side of Keyhaven Lagoon.
A whistling call, and Ian picked up a Kingfisher that was flying low across the water.
It circled around and returned to the shore, but we couldn't see it, so walked on to try and find it. Despite looking it was know where to be seen, but then suddenly burst from the reeds, and headed out once again across the water.
We were now looking out across the marsh in the same place we had been watching Clouded Yellow butterflies earlier in the month. Today though we were hoping for a Wryneck, but we were not sure if we were in the right place. As we debated this, a Dartford Warbler appear in the bramble below us
It stayed out in the open for a while giving some great views.
The recent reports for the Wryneck, were given as being seen from the "concrete block", and as we walked towards it there was a debate by some other birders on whether it was a concrete block, or really a polystyrene block. The reality is it is a polystyrene block covered at the top with concrete. I suppose it all depends on what is the more dominant, and at first glance it is a concrete block.
Any way it was from here that we stood and watched the bulrushes and grass blow around, scanning the various anthills in the hope that a Wryneck would appear on top of one of them.
It wasn't all grass though, there were a few birds about, a Lapwing in amongst the red grass.
And another two Wheatear.
Rain was threatening, and staring at the grass and marsh was becoming difficult to endure so Ian and I decided that waiting for Wryneck was not what we wanted to do today, so we decided to walk off in search of others. We both knew that when we left it would appear, but were prepared to take that risk.
As we walked back towards Fishtail, and small group of Brent Geese passed us, the first of this autumn.
On Keyhaven Lagoon, there were the first Pintail and Wigeon of the autumn, these Pintail still to retain their breeding plumage.
Out over the saltmarsh we had a distant view of the immature Spoonbill that has been around.
Suddenly our heads were turned by the pinging calls of bearded Tits below us. Looking down there was only a minimal bit of reed, and around them stubble. A pair of bearded Tits were moving through both, using the barbed wire fence as a perch. They kept behind the reeds as they moved along the wire, meaning it was very difficult to focus
After moving a fair way west, and us following them they flew up together and headed back east, flying high and over into the reeds bed on Butts.
On the island in the middle of Fishtail most of the waders had departed leaving a couple of Dunlin, one of which was a juvenile with the heavy streaking on the breast and flanks down to the belly.
Ian picked up the Kingfisher once again, this time sitting on an old boat in the middle of the marsh, where it was smashing a small fish on the side of the boat. After dispatching the fish it sat for awhile
It then flew off over the marsh, and we picked it up hovering over one of the channels in kestrel style. We were to get several more views of Kingfisher during the day, mostly flying out low over the water. In total I would estimate this was three different birds. A little later back in the same spot I saw what was probably the same Kingfisher hovering again while being mobbed by Meadow Pipits.
We walked on in partial drizzle, pushing another three Wheatear ahead of us along the sea wall. At the Jetty there were a good sized flock of Turnstone foraging through the sea weed that had been washed up with the tide. In amongst them were several Dunlin. The Turnstone would alternate between the jetty and the beach, taking the Dunlin with them. We decided to walk down and try to get to the same level as the birds on the jetty. One of the Dunlin was still showing remnants of its summer plumage.
I was able to get close to the Dunlin
Again a juvenile bird.
Leaving the waders on the jetty we walked on, coming across more Wheatear on the sea wall. In total we must have counted twenty different Wheatear around the area, and there was probably more that we didn't come across.
On Pennington Lagoon there were a few Black-tailed Godwits. With the tide as high as it was today I had expected to see many waders about, but aside from Fishtail the water levels in the lagoons was quite high, and maybe this had stopped them from coming in.
In the marsh at the back of the lagoon were good numbers of Curlew though, and they were also quite mobile.
Another feature of the day were the small flocks of Wigeon and Pintail moving about, and coming into the pools. In a strange way, as it signals the oncoming of winter, it is good to have them back.
Rather than walk around Oxey Marsh we decided to cross it, and stopped at the clump of bramble and hawthorn to see if there was anything about. Swallows passed over us, and there were Goldfinches, Greenfinches, and Linnets about. Within the bramble we could hear the contact calls of warblers but were only able to find a couple of Chiffchaffs.
We walked all the way on to Normandy marsh, but disappointingly there were only two waders of note. One a Greenshank flew off as we approached, but the other stayed to allow a good shot of the Spotted Redshank.
As was to be expected a check of Bird Guides revealed that the Wryneck had indeed appeared a little after we left it, we knew it would
We walked back around Oxey Marsh at first in a quite heavy shower, along the sea wall there were more Wheatears, a couple of Dartford Warblers and many Meadow Pipits about. Offshore a drake Eider flew past, and a Great Crested Grebe flew in. A little further on we passed a female eider bobbing about on the water.
The tide was falling slowly, and a small patch of mud had become exposed. Oystercatchers and Grey Plover had taken up residence.
As we watched, two Ringed Plover flew in, and were joined by the Turnstones and Dunlin once again.
On the beach at the Jetty, the Turnstone were working the sea weed still, and in amongst them was one still showing signs of its summer plumage.
As the tide was falling we decided to check out the mud at Butts Bay, but the water levels remained quite high with no exposed mud at all. Very little else was on the lagoons so we decided to head back to the car park for lunch.
Pennington Marsh is still very dry, but there were large numbers of Canada Geese grazing in the middle of it, and plenty more noisily flying in from the surrounding area . I noticed a large flock of small birds, probably Goldfinch and Linnet fly up from the marsh, and then one of the groups of Starling take off and move into a tight flock. Coming in from behind them was what I first thought was a Sparrowhawk, but then realised was a falcon, a male Peregrine. It flew past and out over the camp site.
A quick check of the lake on the landfill site after lunch produced a single Common Sandpiper feeding on the edge.
We hadn't given up on the Wryneck, and we headed back towards Fishtail, to walk on to the "Concrete block" where of course it had been seen this morning. Fishtail was empty of waders, it was strange where they had all gone. However in the channel on the other side of the path was a very confiding Greenshank.
As we walked closer, it would fly off but settle again to feed, only flying off across the marsh when disturbed by walkers coming towards us.
The tide had fallen a little, and exposed the green algae on the mud. With the skies now clearing and the sun out it the colours on the marsh looked quite beautiful.
Despite the fact that the mud was exposed here, the tide was still high elsewhere, and apart from two Dunlin feeding on the mud there was no sign of any other small waders
A single Curlew though stood amongst the algae
There were several other standing and looking longingly at the anthills and grass once again, we stuck it out until everyone else had gone, then decided to call it quits ourselves. The Wheatear and Meadow Pipits were still there as were the Linnets that had the heart race a little bit when they appeared, but the main event refused to show. Wryneck had been a blocking bird fro me for sometime until I managed to see one at Hook a couple of years ago. We did find one last year at Moses Dock, when it appeared in front of us. It will always be an enigmatic bird, but equally frustrating, you just have to accept it and move on
Walking back towards Fishtail the immature Spoonbill had appeared on the lagoon and once again was actively feeding.
They are still an impressive bird, even if they are now becoming a lot more frequent.
It is hard to remember that a sight like this just on twenty years a go would have been a mega record, a Little Egret and Spoonbill being seen feeding together then was very rare, today the little Egrets are accepted as common fare, while we also expect to see Spoonbill too on every visit.
We checked the bay once again, and the tide was still high and there was nothing about. On Butts Lagoon, the few Black-tailed Godwits had decided to roost.
We hadn't seen them earlier but managed to find some Snipe feeding on the edge of the lagoon. There were six present.
It was now quite warm, the mild southerly wind being enhanced by the sunshine. The birds had decided to call it a day, and so did we, heading back to the car park, a little reminder that there is still warmth about at this time of year, a Red Admiral sunning on the nettles.
Despite the lack of Wryneck it had been a good day, and the chance to switch off from the trials of the month.
This post is dedicated to my Father, and to Ian's Mother both of whom surprised us by passing away this month, may they both rest in peace.
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