We left the last post at the ponds at Salterns, we were still enjoying sunshine while to the north the clouds were still a dark steely grey, a sign of rain and inclement weather. All it was doing for us though was to provide the perfect background for the sunlit reeds and winter trees.
The hoped for Garganey did not appear, in fact there were very few duck on the pools, but what there was were showing spectacularly in the sunshine. This drake Shoveler, like all the others, a sleep in the sun but with one yellow eye keeping a watch on what I was doing.
There were one or two Teal, again snoozing in the bulrushes, the like picking out the colour in the feathers of the head.
We walked around in hope of coming across the Kingfisher again, but only managed to find this group of four Little Grebe.
It was unusual to see the Little Grebe here, they are normally found in high numbers on the Eight Acre Lake, when we walked past there later on it was as if some one had pulled the plug out and there was more mud than water, clearly the Little Grebe were not happy with that.
I love the reflected colours of the reeds that are twisted in the reflections here.
One Teal coming out of the reeds to again show off the colours.
And the Shoveler, awake and cruising across the pond.
As we walked away a Little Egret flew through, once again a white plumaged bird contrasting with the dark grey clouds in the northern sky.
The main pond alongside the dock was quiet, only a Common Redshank present, but as we walked around the pond we came across a single Spotted Redshank in the far north east corner and it was kind enough to provide us with some of the best photographic opportunity I think I have ever had with this species.
I started off from the top of the sea wall, but quickly realised it would be better if I could get down to eye level. As I did so a dog barked and the combination of the two spooked the Teal, which in turn spooked the Spotted Redshank, but it didn't go far, settling back down still quite close to us, it now began to turn on a show.
The Spotted Redshank is arctic wader that occurs
naturally across the Arctic Circle, from Scandinavia to Asia, and migrate south
(southern Europe, Africa and south Asia) for the winter. They are closely
related to the Greater Yellowlegs and Greenshank, and all have
the basic leg and foot colours of the shank family of birds.
They are energetic foragers are often up to their flanks in
water rapidly feeding with traditional sideways movements; or swimming,
occasionally immersing the head and neck at which point they look like upending
ducks.
They appear much more elegant than the Common Redshank, with longer legs and neck.
It wasn't clear if the wader was walking or swimming through the water, here definitely walking
In these shots almost Phalarope like in behaviour, stabbing at the water
Spotted Redshanks feed on small invertebrates, such aquatic insects and their larvae, as well as insects, spiders and worms.
It would work the pool, moving all the way around the edge of the pool but completing a circuit, before going back and doing it all again.
It then came out of the water and stood on the top of the vegetation, showing the long orange red legs and its overall elegant appearance.
With lots of shots and the redshank beginning to repeat itself we decided that we should move on, this was the last image.
Leaving the Spotted Redshank, we walked past the drained Eight Acre Lake, where there were good numbers of Redshank taking advantage of the exposed mud.
Walking towards Normandy Marsh we could hear the calls of Mediterranean Gulls above the squarking calls of the Black-headed Gulls. Birds could be seen both in the air and on the islands in the middle of the marsh. The gulls are now in full breeding plumage with the full black hood and bright red bill.
This particular Mediterranean Gull was sporting a green ring with the symbols "RO3X", this individual was apparently ringed in Northern France, which is closest I can get to the location.
There were four Dunlin feeding on the marshy area.
A single Pipit was seen on one of the islands, I managed to get on it just before it flew off, there was evident pink on the breast and it was definitely not a Meadow Pipit and I was happy it was a Water Pipit.
There was a central group of 22 Avocet in the centre of the marsh, but other pairs dotted around the area. We were all prepared to photograph this pair as they rested, but the scene was photo bombed by a Ringed Plover and Redshank.
I picked up the adult Little Stint that has been present through out the winter. It was feeding along the edge of one of the islands, I managed to get Ian onto it just before it flew off. It would seem this is the normal behaviour of this bird. We picked it up a little later, viewing from the west side of the marsh, but again too far for a photograph and as I tried to digi scope it was off once again.
There were five Red-breasted Mergansers at the back of the marsh, two males and three females, here one of the males was displaying to the three females on the island.
Two pairs of Avocet were feeding together, here just three.
The fourth coming closer.
Heading back into the wind, the threatening skies had moved away and the sky was full of the puffy white clouds over Oxey Lake.
I over look the Oystercatcher, it is a noisy bird that flies around all the time. But there is a beauty there especially at this time of year as they assume their breeding plumage.
A rather stately looking Curlew on the tideline.
Walking past Salterns the skies were looking a lot less menacing.
Rather than follow the sea wall we cut across Oxey Marsh, as we were walking up to the sea wall, presumably the same Spoonbill as earlier, was flying towards us.
Gliding in, it banked and dropped towards the lagoon which then required a wings held high landing.
The angel pose
Then it was down to work and some serious feeding. We dropped down to get to eye level once again, you wait as the Spoonbill shifts its head and bill from side to side, what you are waiting for is when it lifts the bill from the water and tosses what ever it has caught and swallows it.
There is a slight crest on the back of the neck, that the wind would occasionally lift up
We left the Spoonbill to feed it moving slowly away from us. The walk back to the car park was uneventful, although as we walked past the Shoveler Pools all the waders and duck went up for no clear reason, in the air we were able to pick out a few Golden Plover and once they settled we found the mainly white plumaged Ruff
It was another quality visit to the Keyhaven-Lymington Reserve, with some great birds, wonderful light producing some great photo opportunities
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