The ducks consisted mainly of Wigeon, Pintail and Teal.
I walked to the sea wall, and on the marsh just before the wall, a lone Wigeon was whistling.
Up on the sea wall there was little about. The tide was low. A pair of Avocet flew towards Butts Bay.
It was then a case of scanning the sea with a fellow birder. There were several Red-breasted Mergansers, and then a Great Northern Diver that was hardly on the surface at all spending time under the water. The only grebe I could find was a pair of Great-crested Grebes. A pair of Eider flew into the bay, but other than that there was little else moving.
At the jetty there were good numbers of Dunlin and Turnstone, and for a brief moment the Purple Sandpiper was about, but then I lost it as the waders flew off. A curlew called come from the edge of the water
Then calmed down.
A Great-crested Grebe came in close, probably the only grebe I will see on the sea today.
The tide was still low, but didn't appear to be going anywhere in Butts Bay. The Brent Geese were arguing amongst themselves.
There was a large flock of Brent Geese on Fishtail, and a single drake Pintail.
For once the Pintail swam closer rather than swimming away. Then found some shallow water to stand in.
The perfect spot to preen.
First the wing feathers
Then the eponymous tail
Then a ball of feathers
Then back up again.
The geese flew off leaving a Lapwing on the small island
I walked to Keyhaven lagoon and there were more duck upending, at the back of the lagoon was a large flock of Lapwing. The duck were Wigeon, Pintail and Shelduck.
As I walked back a couple of Dunlin were feeding along the channel.
I decided to walk the sea wall once again. As I passed the Jetty, a pair of Ravens flew over calling.
They flew around and one landed on the marsh scattering the Lapwings as it dropped down.
The tide now was rising, and there were flocks of waders flying around as the amount of land available to roost on was covered. Knot were gathering at the end of one of the spits.
Back on the marsh, the Ravens had got together.
And one seemed to be nibbling the neck of the other. Ravens breed early in the t=year and maybe this is part of the bonding.
While the Ravens were getting it on a Little Egret sat on one of the islands in the middle of the lagoon.
Earlier there had been plenty of mud visible, but now the tide had risen and pushed the Turnstones further up the beach, while a few were standing on the jetty itself. In amongst them was the Purple Sandpiper.
After a preen they all flew down to the sea weed that was washed up on the beach, the Purple Sandpiper following the Turnstones, who roll the sea weed over with their heads like little bulldozers.
It then seemed to prefer walking and feeding along the tide line
As well as the Turnstones there were a few Dunlin. The birds didn't seem to concerned as I edged closer.
As the waves broke on the sea weed, the Purple Sandpiper would jump up in an effort to avoid it.
It was extremely confiding
Then a few calls from the Turnstones, maybe they had realised that I was close, and they all flew off, including the Purple Sandpiper.
They flew around, but returned to the sea weed quickly.
I decided it was time to move on, so walked back along the path towards the car park. In the flooded marsh there were feeding Canada Geese, the Wigeon, Teal and Pintail, plus large flocks of Black-tailed Godwits. As they fed they continually called to each other.
My plan had always been to leave here at midday and head on to Romsey to see if I could get to see the Hawfinches at Mercer Way, however the weather was turning bad, the drizzle now constant. I was mulling this as I watched the godwits, when my phone went off. It was a cryptic message from Ian, who was not supposed to be out. All it said was "Yes" many times and a thumbs up emoji. It didn't take me long to work it out. He had seen the Black Redstart that was reported at Hill Head yesterday. I decided then that I should go there on my way home, and leave the Hawfinches for another day, when the weather would do them justice.
It took just under an hour to get there, the Christmas traffic slowing things down in Lymington and Lyndhurst. As I arrived at the chalets I met Ian, who had to shoot off. He showed me where the bird had been, but wasn't there now.
Now I have seen many Black Redstarts, when in Munich at work they breed around the railway station, and can be seen outside my office window. However I had not managed to see one in Hampshire, mainly because I have never gone out of my way too, due to seeing them so frequently. So I stood and waited. Nothing happened so I walked around the chalets, and along the beach. On the sea was a lone Great-crested Grebe, but no sign of the redstart.
I walked back through a path, and there it was sitting on one of the chalet fences
As I walked closer it dropped to the grass, then flew under a car, and then back to the fence and finally the wheely bin, before flying off over the chalet to the beach side.
I couldn't find it on the other side, so stood and waited to see if it would appear. Out on the sea a single Common Scoter flew around the bay.
I walked back and found it once again, this time on a chain link fence, and it was a little more cooperative.
The white in the wing, the feint orange red tail and the dull grey colour make this a first year male. As the spring comes the grey will become much more darker and black, and the tail a very vivid red as it flicks it constantly. From the fence it was constantly looking down to the grass.
It dropped to the lawn, picked up something, and then flew off once again over the roof of the chalet, back to the beach side once more.
I walked around and found it searching a hard standing
It was still very active, and would only allow me to get so close. It then flew off to the path between the chalets. In certain light it would appear brown in colour, and at other times take on a slate grey appearance.
It continued to move about, and I decided I didn't want to chase it any more, and decided it was time to head home to warm up, and get ready for Christmas. Tottenham were also playing Burnley this evening, and I fancied that they might come good.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
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