Once again though it was raining as I joined the M27 just outside Southampton, and headed west towards the New Forest. I was meeting Ian at the Puttles Bridge car park just off the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive. We had been here once before earlier in the New Year, in fact in search of the same bird, a Great Grey Shrike. The hope being today that as we were in the middle of winter the widely reported bird would still be around. Our visit previously was probably a little to late and we were unsuccessful.
From the car park we set off across the heath towards Holm Hill. Crab Tree Bog was on our right hand side, a gentle valley that ran around the outlying hill. We walked around Holm Hill, and then walked out into the bog to scan a line of Silver Birch trees that the shrike has been frequenting. The process is always the same with great grey shrike. They almost always frequent a large territory, but will use vantage points where available, and this is how you find them. Being a light grey and white they stand out clearly. We scanned and found several white blobs but they turned out to be Birch Polypore fungi.
We crossed the bog with the lonely sound of crows calling, and the occasional seep and cackling calls of Redwing and Fieldfare overhead. Ian then picked up another blob at the top of a large birch tree that this time was the shrike. It was extremely distant and we headed towards it. The line of trees we had hoped it would be in provided cover and we were able to get good views if still a little way off.
I did take a few photographs but it never changed positions at all. It was though great to have found it relatively early in the day because I had visions of us walking around searching endlessly with no luck. This was my first local Great Grey Shrike for some time.
A deep stream prevented us from getting any closer from where we were so we decided to walk to a footpath to our left and then try and come closer to the tree from the other side. One more photograph before we set off.
We made our way through the bog which was quite deep in places and I was a little concerned that my wellies would not be sufficient cover.
Walking along the path we could still see the shrike at the top of the tree, and we headed towards it walking through a patch of burnt gorse. As we got closer we continued to watch the distant shrike, but disaster then struck as it flew off and completely vanished. We scanned the area but there was no sign of anything. Conceding defeat, we headed back to footpath and then decided to walk around the area to see if we could relocate it. This involved walking around a plantation and then following a path down to a footbridge over a stream. There were lots of Redwing and Fieldfare in the area, a group of Fieldfare could be seen in the tops of the trees.
There was still no sign of the shrike as we walked the path back towards Holm Hill. The sun was now breaking through and lighting up the heather. This is a view of the line of Silver Birch where earlier we had seen the shrike.
With time moving on we decided against further searches and walked back to the car park. A stream runs pastthe side of the car park, and there were great and Blue Tits in the bushes with Redwing again in the tops of the trees.
Also, unusually, a single Long-tailed Tit.
We decided to head down to Pennington for the afternoon. As we approached the small car park at the end of Pennington Lane we hoped that there would be some spaces to park. Our luck was in, and we set off back down the lane. On the marsh there was a large gathering of Golden Plover. Counting was impossible but it looked like in excess of 300 birds.
Brent geese were all over the camp site feild, and more continued to pour in from the direction of Oxey Marsh.
In the hedgerow bushes Fieldfare and Redwing could be seen and a sizeable flock of Linnet.
We took the footpath past the Night Heron pool, checking the trees for Little Owl with no luck, ad the marshes to the right where there were good numbers of Oystercatcher wit a few Black-tailed Godwits.
We took the path alongside Oxey Creek. The tide was well out and a Little Egret was fishing in the shallow water, waggling it feet to attract something to its dagger like bill.
We walked up to the sea wall at Moses Dock. The tide was out, and there was still an hour and a half before it was at its lowest. The tides here at Keyhaven and Pennington do not behave in the same way as elsewhere, probably as a result of the Isle of Wight and the Solent. Sometimes low tide can be high and it seem as if there is little difference between the two. The birds too seem to disappear at high tide, taking to roosting in the salt marsh ratrher than the lagoons. Today the tide was very low and there were waders to be seen. Dulin fed with their clockwork efficiency on the exposed mud.
A pair of Avocet flew into the lagoon behind Oxey Creek.
While a Curlew waded in the middle of the creek.
Wigeon were in the small pools behind the sea wall. As we approcahed there was a lot of neck stretching, and looking as if they would fly, which as we came closer they eventually did, flying past us and heading onto the creek
Then the take off, an explosion from the surface of the water using the wings to lift off almost vertically rather than paddle across the surface.
Then away past us.
A Redshank walked around the edges of the pools.
While the two Avocet that had dropped in earlier were joined by another.
As you can see the birds are colour ringed but it is difficult to get any detailed information. I do know that Avocet are being colour ringed at Needs Ore.
A little further along the sea wall were four female type Goldeneye, the first here for the winter. There are only three here, the other one had dived.
There were eight Avocet on the saltmarsh across the bay, but something spooked them and they flew off initially heading out into the Solent and around the the point heading west.
But as we suspected the quickly came back, flying low over the water in the sunshine.
The area around the Jetty was covered in bladder wrack and there were Dunlin, Redshank and Turnstone feeding in amongst it. There were also Grey plover close to the sea wall. These are a difficult bird to get close to and we crept up on one bird before it took off and headed out to the tip of the sand bar.
Curlew could be seen on both sides of the sea wall, this one feeding in the tide.
While on the other side it was mostly about some preening and sleeping.
A little further along there was a Curlew in the water at the edge of the waves. The sunlight back lit the wader and the silhouette was superb against the silvery water.
We had walked on beyond the Jetty, but when the sun came out I noticed looking back that it was picking out the lovely silvery plumage of the Grey Plover. We turned back, and despite the plover edging away from us as we approached managed to get some shots in the lovely golden sunshine.
As we approached it moved to slightly deeper water.
Then flew to a pile of wrack, turned to show its other side, the sunshine catching the silver and black feathers delightfully.
Then as we clearly became too close it flew off again showing the lovely detail in the wings.
We walked up to Butts Bay where there were plenty of Dunlin in the bay. Walking back to the car park took us past the small pool alongside the path and here a pair of Wigeon were on the water again the drake with some lovely reflections.
A little further on in the darker water a drake Mallard.
We noted the Golden Plover as we returned to the car and as we stood around they all took to the air, it was an amazing spectacle as they all moved together really high in the sky. Here is only a part of the flock that was in the sky above us.
We walked the Ancient Highway towards Keyhaven in the vague hope of finding something. We did come across a pair of Ravens using the posts on the tip just past Efford Lake
We reached Keyhaven Harbour and stopped to view the lake behind the sluice, there was little other than Mallard and a few Coot. As we were about to move on a Peregrine flew overhead, crossing the Pans. We watched as it picked up a considerable amount of speed and scattered a group of feral pigeons. We never saw the Peregrine again, the Black-headed Gulls in the field all flew up and a few pigeons flew off. Once again what was impressive was the speed that the falcon managed from almost a glide.
We went into the hide in the hope of seeing a Kingfisher, but left after about 20 minutes having only managed a few House Sparrows and a Brown Rat. We took the sea wall, about 70 Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour, but very little else. Our hope of a Short-eared Owl was fading fast. Scanning the salt marsh we couldn't find any Peregrine on its post, but then one appeared overhead again and headed out over the Solent.
It too picked up speed and we watched as it picked out a woodpigeon and the chase was on. It was difficult to follow as it twisted and turned. We don't think it was successful, but again couldn't be sure. Tow displays of speed and agility was a good end to the day.
On Fishtail Lagoon there were Wigeon, Shoveler, and Mallards Pintail could be seen at the back of the lagoon, mostly at roost, although there was one drake close in, I love Pintail.
Two different views.
On the other side of the sea wall there was a single Dunlin along the small creek that runs close to the wall.
The afternoons are short at this time of year, and with about an hour to go before sunset when the sun was in it was very gloomy. From the Old Tip the skies away to the west were partially overcast, and as the sun set shards of light were sent down over the lagoon and the marshes.
Fishtail lagoon was given a silvery effect.
Suddenly all the geese out in the fields behind Efford Lake were up and their calls could be heard first before seeing the skeins of Brent Geese heading towards the lagoon. As they did so they passed through the glowing sky created by the setting sun.
The geese passing through the golden light.
So another day comes to an end, the weather had been kind to us, and we had been fortunate enough to get to find the Great Grey Shrike, a first for some time. The year is now heading towards it's end, but hopefully still time for a harrier or owl to turn up.
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