12th January - Farlington Marshes, Hampshire

I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon at Farlington.  The weather wasn't fantastic, dark heavy clouds, mild and with a breeze that got stronger through the afternoon.  As I arrived the tide was high, and around the sea wall at the car park were about 30 Brent Geese feeding in the shallow water.  It was going to be an afternoon of Brent Geese.

You can see here that they were alert, and as I got a little too close as I walked along the sea wall they were off out into the middle of the water.

I stopped at the lake where there was a significant wader roost, Black-tailed Godwits, Grey Plover, Lapwing and Dunlin in between.  There were also a count of 53 Avocet, the majority grouped together at roost but with others spread around the lake feeding.

The duck and waders were joined by more Brent Geese flying in from the harbour.

While Lapwing flew in from around the marshes to join those roosting on the lake.

I walked on, making my way around to Point Field.  The fields were covered in wildfowl, Readily visible were the Brent and Canada Geese, but there were also just as many Wigeon hidden in the long grass, their whistles giving them away.

Scanning the harbour there were Red-breasted Mergansers, a pair of Goldeneye, and a good count of 27 Great-crested Grebe.  I spent some time waiting and looking over the field in the hope of a Short-eared Owl, but there was very little about at all.  I walked through the field and all I could find were three Robins.

The light was beginning fade so I started to walk back, giving up on the hope of an owl.  A single Brent Goose stood in the middle of a small pool.

Teal were in the small streams and pools by the sea wall, and were also quite nervous of me.  Just after I took this it flew off and out into the harbour.

As I approached the Lake I noticed a dark shape in the water.  I had passed several close in that turned out to be wood, but this looked a lot different.  Checking it out I realised it was a seal.

As I walked closer so the seal dived and came closer to me, inquisitive and just as interested in me.  At first I thought it was a Grey Seal, but as I got a better look I could see the more dog like appearance of the head, lacking the sloping forehead of the Grey Seal.

Then finally the softer dog like appearance with a straight on profile.

The lake was full of Brent Geese, as is the case here all the waders seem to be spooked and flew up.  The sky dominated by Lapwing the first to fly.

There was no sign of any raptors to have spooked them, I half expected to see a Marsh Harrier labouring over the reeds but there was nothing.

The Avocet were still present, here 36 of the 53 counted on the Lake.

As I made my way back to the car I picked out three Pintail at roost.

It was only a short visit, but there were bits and pieces about, the seal probably being the highlight, I have not seen one here before, so close to the road.