10th October - Keyhaven - Lymington Reserve and Leaden Hall New Forest, Hampshire.

Our plans are always fluid through the week as we wait to see what either the weather would deliver or what birds could be about.  On Friday morning news broke of a Wilson's Phalarope on Fishtail Lagoon at Pennington.  There was no doubt this would spark a major twitch and with parking a premium at Pennington we had to decide what would be the best time to arrive.  We opted for 6:30, just under an hour before sun rise.  As it was I arrived at around 6:15 and found the car park almost full.  It was though immediately clear the cars belonged to wildfowlers who were definitely not their for the phalarope.

Ian arrived a little after me and we were also joined by Mark Francis. Just after 6:30 we walked across the Old Tip towards Fishtail Lagoon in the gloom, the light breaking away to the east across the Solent.  I was concerned the clear night might have encouraged the Wilson's Phalarope to have moved on, it was also the coldest morning of the autumn so far with temperatures just above freezing

On reaching the path that drops down alongside the stream by the lagoon we could make out a pale bird on the water, moving closer we could see it was a Grey Phalarope, one of the two that had been there through the week.  A good sign but for once we walked past the Grey Phalarope, and headed to the south western corner of the lagoon, the area where the Wilson's had been reported from last night.  Out on the salt marsh gun fire pierced the calm of the dawn and one or two other birders that had now joined us commented on the absurdity of allowing this kind of activity alongside a nature reserve.

As we got closer to the corner it was possible to make out another pale grey bird underneath the hedge  on the west side.  This gives some idea of the available light 

An excited chatter went around us all, it was still here and we moved with a quickened pace to get better views either on the sea wall or alongside the lagoon below it.  There was no mistaking the familiar phalarope shape and feeding movement, it was though larger and more elongated than the Grey Phalarope we had just walked through.  It was now a case of some quick record shots as I watched it through the 'scope

Behind us out on the saltmarsh the wildfowlers were still shooting, every time a shot rang out duck would wheel around our heads, the Wilson's would stop and we would hold our breath, hoping that it wouldn't fly off with the duck.  Gradually it moved a little closer coming out into more open water, but we were still watching in the gloom, however you could now see clearly the longer body of the Wilson's and the long needle like bill.

With still around 20 minutes to sun rise the skies were a blaze of colour away to the east.

Close up the rising sun beneath the horizon was turning the clouds and some light rain fall a deep red.

Then another couple of gun shots and everything went up, including the Wilson's.  Binoculars strained to get track of the Phalarope as it flew off to the east with Teal, it headed out over Butts Lagoon, but thankfully turned around and circled back, relieved binocular users following it all the way.  We all let out a sigh of relief as it dropped back into the south west corner of the lagoon, but this time much closer to us.

Once settled it started to swim around and moved closer to us.

Whilst the behaviour was "phalarope like" it was distinctly different to that of the Grey and Red-necked Phalaropes I have seen.  The body is much more elongated and with its long neck it stretches cross the water to pick up insects or seeds from the surface of the water.

The largest of the phalaropes, breeds in the prairies of North America in western Canada and the western United States. It is migratory, and should be wintering in inland salt lakes near the Andes in Argentina, this first winter bird clearly having strayed well of course.

Apparently they put on an amazing show as enormous flocks amass on salty lakes of the West prior to migration. There they spin round and round in the nutrient-rich waters, creating whirlpools that stir up invertebrates that will fuel their migration to South America.  In doing so they can double their body weight, they can get so fat they are unable to fly.

When feeding, a Wilson's phalarope will often swim in a small, rapid circle, forming a small whirlpool. This behaviour is thought to aid feeding by raising food from the bottom of shallow water. The bird will reach into the outskirts of the whirlpool with its bill, plucking small insects from the surface.

In comparison the Grey Phalarope will peck at the water surface close to it, but also spinning to disturb the insects.

It was extremely busy feeding and appeared to have no concerns at the number of people that were now turning up to see the bird.  Goodness knows where they were parking!

Wilson's phalarope is slightly larger than the Grey phalarope. It is a dainty shorebird with lobed toes (from which all phalaropes get their name Greek: phalaris – coot and pous – foot, both coots and phalaropes have three toed lobed feet) and a straight fine black bill.

The breeding female is predominantly grey and brown above, with white underparts, a reddish neck and reddish flank patches. The breeding male is a duller version of the female, with a brown back, and the reddish patches reduced or absent.

Young birds as this one is, are grey and brown above, with whitish underparts and a dark patch through the eye. In winter, the plumage is essentially grey above and white below, but the dark eye patch is always present.

Unlike the other two phalaropes the Wilson's prefer fresh or saline pools while the other two spend time at sea.

The dark water was providing some lovely background as the bird swam around vigorously feeding.

From its position out in the open it turned and disappeared into the rushes.  We stood and waited for it to return.  A Robin sang from a bramble close by above the chatter of the birders that were now present, the sun had finally emerged above the horizon.  Overhead Swallows and a single Sand Martin passed through.

We were hearing stories of the confiding nature of the Grey Phalaropes in the south east corner of the lagoon and with the Wilson's currently not showing we decided to go and pay them a visit.

Both birds were on the small pool alongside the main lagoon, the water here was still and providing some lovely reflections, the sun was also just beginning to light up the water and the birds.

This phalarope is quite dumpy in comparison to its larger cousin and has a much thicker bill.  Non breeding plumage is smooth grey above and white below with a black eye-patch. Juveniles are stained with buffy tones.

Both birds were very busy swimming up and down like clockwork bath toy ducks and constantly pecking at the surface of the water, even plunging head first into it.  A completely different feeding technique to that seen in the Wilson's earlier.

The pool is alongside the main path to the sea wall and there was a constant traffic of people and dogs, but despite our concerns these little birds showed no fear of either human or dog, coming very close, so close the long lens was not necessary.

Here mud on the side of the pool turning the white breast brown 

This phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It is migratory, and, unusually for a wader, it migrates mainly on oceanic routes, wintering at sea or on tropical oceans.  The storms of the week before are probably responsible for these two turning up here.

Here picking the insects off the water

A break from the phalaropes was taken in the shape of a female Pintail that was catching the early morning sunshine on the bank.

While on the other side of the path the reeds were backed by the golden sky of dawn.

After the brief break it was back to the Phalaropes buzzing around the pool like an energiser bunny.

Like all phalaropes the female is the more brightly coloured, in breeding plumage she is predominantly dark brown and black above with red underparts (In the USA the Grey Phalarope is known as Red Phalarope for this reason) and white cheek patches, the bill is yellow and tipped with black.  The breeding male is a duller version of the female.

In winter, the plumage is essentially grey above and white below, but the black eye patch is always present. The bill is black in winter. Young birds are light grey and brown above, with buff underparts and a dark patch through the eye. 

The typical bird sex roles are reversed in all three phalarope species. The females pursue males, compete for nesting territory, and will aggressively defend their nests and chosen mates. Once the females lay their olive-brown eggs, they begin their southward migration, leaving the males to incubate the eggs and care for the young.

In this picture the bow wave caused by the little bird zipping through the water has been caught by the morning sunshine and making it look like gold.

Now a series of photographs taken as the bird moved around the pool from one camera to another.  More gold.

Plenty of insects in amongst the reeds and on the leaves.

Out of the water amongst the reeds in the morning sun.

Now Grey Phalaroped out what we decided to return to the Wilson's once again.  Walking along the sea wall a Meadow Pipit soaking up the sun caught my eye on the saltmarsh

The Needles too, stood out across the marsh.

Back in the south west corner the Wilson's Phalarope was hiding in the rushes.  Just beyond it's patch the female Pintail was sleeping in the morning sunshine.

Finally it appeared but distant at the back of the pool.

It would move around at the back of the pool, hiding frequently in amongst the reeds.  When it disappeared my attention turned to the duck flying over, mostly Wigeon they were joined by the odd Teal.

A Marsh Harrier appeared over the back of the marsh, close to Efford Lake.

The hope was the Harrier might move the phalarope but it continued to stay in amongst the rushes.

The number of birders was building once again and while the phalarope continued to hide distantly in the rushes we decided to walk to Keyhaven and around the Highway.

We checked the marsh area, gorse and anthills for possible migrants but there was little about, coming up to Keyhaven harbour a smart adult Great Black-backed Gull sat on one of the boats in the harbour.

Up by the bridge a Little Egret was fishing in the shallow water.

There was very little along the highway, in fact we were more occupied with directing panicking birders who had taken a wrong turn from the car park

At Efford Lake there was a gathering of hirundine.  We stopped to take up the challenge of photographing them in flight.

Swallows

House Martins:

And a pair of Canada Geese for good measure, they were not migrating.

After a cup of tea and something to eat, we headed back to Fishtail, and despite what we had discussed we did stop once again for the Grey Phalarope.

A different feeding technique, plunging into the water, up ending like a duck and giving the opportunity of seeing the lobed feet.

Here at "eye level" showing the rubber bath duck look and also a buff wash on the neck that could indicate a first winter bird.

At the southern end of the pool the reeds were an attraction.

We finally pulled ourselves away from the Grey Phalarope and headed back to the Wilson's, hoping that it would show better than earlier.

Once again along the way we were distracted , this time a Lapwing preening in the sunshine

The Wilson's Phalarope was up against the fence which meant try as I might I couldn't avoid getting some of the wires in the view.

Here it was focus pulled out.

Stretching again to feed

Moving away from the fence it moved along the edge of the rushes

It looks so much more elegant than the Grey Phalarope, more like a Redshank or Spotted Redshank but not quite as big.

Again reaching low across the water to pick off insects.

Now for status, I have seen Wilson's Phalarope in Canada, but never as good and as close as this.  This bird was a first for the United Kingdom for me and of course here in Hampshire.

A great find for all and the chance to compare two phalarope species on the same day withing metres of each other can't be a bad thing..  As it disappeared once more into the rushes we decided to wander off and see if there was anything else about.  As we walked back towards Butts Bay the Grey Phalarope was still performing close to a lot of admirers.

Just past the Jetty we disturbed a wagtail, as it flew it called and then settled on the sea wall, a late Yellow Wagtail.

Past the Jetty a lone Brent Goose stood just off the spit, the only one we saw all day, I had expected more.

We were looking for Spotted Redshank on Oxey Marsh, but first came across a very confiding Greenshank that was focused on preening

This allowed us to get closer and it stopped.

Then promptly popped the beak under its wing but continued to watch me as I tried to get closer.

A little further along we came across two Spotted Redshank, but as we got closer they flew off back to where we had come from.  We decided to go back after them and found them feeding at the back of the lagoon where we had been watching the Greenshank.

The Greenshank too, had moved.

Walking back there were more views of Hurst Castle and the Needles.

Grey Plover in the shallow water just off the spit at the Jetty.

The Yellow Wagtail too was showing much better just past the Jetty

A search of Pennington Marsh did not find the reported Ruff so it was back to the car for lunch and then on to the New Forest and Leaden Hall.  We were hoping for Ring Ouzel on the plateau there.  Our first plan of walking from The Telegraph car park was thwarted due to the number of cars so we headed on the Black Gutter Bottom, parking the cars just off the road and walking down the valley to cross the stream.  I couldn't resist the lone tree on the hill, this time in colourful bracken.

Birds are always a premium here but we managed a few Meadow Pipits and Stonechat.  On the plateau we could find Blackbirds in the berry rich hawthorn trees but there was no sign of the hoped for Ring Ouzel.  In fact the only bird we did see was a single Kestrel.

We walked across the plateau towards Ashley Hole.  There were no birds, but there was a large group of Fallow Deer with several stags with good sets of the palmate antlers.  As we watched the birds a call above alerted us to two Peregrine above us.

We walked slowly with the wind in front of us so they could not catch our scent.  They did know we were there though.

This one appeared to be the boss

Then we became too close and they started to move away, the stags watching us as the hinds moved off

A slow walk away as if to say I see you but I am not worried.

As the deer disappeared over the ridge the sun came out and lit up the bracken in Ashley Hole.

We made our way up to the path and a small group deer came out of the gorse in front of us and headed across the heather.  At a safe distance they stood and watched us.

Here the path that is know as Ashley Walk that leads back to the plateau at Leaden Hall.  We stopped there for a while with a few other birders staring at the hawthorn trees with absolutely no luck!

After that we decided we had had enough and headed back to the car.  A great day with some amazing photographs.  One of those special days that will always be remembered.