The cold spell continued through the week with temperatures of as low as minus eight degrees at home. This morning was cold and frosty, but there were signs that conditions may start to change towards the end of Saturday. I arrived at the car park at the end of Lower Pennington Lane before sun rise, I was here for the newly reported American Wigeon and felt it was important to arrive as early as possible to get a parking space. As I waited for Ian to arrive I had a look around the frozen marsh, this morning completely devoid of birds. The bramble was tinged with white from the frost and away it the distance the sun was still below the horizon, but lighting up the morning sky.
Pennington Marsh was completely frozen.
I picked up a distant Spoonbill heading towards the west, flying over Fishtail Lagoon and away towards Keyhaven, then the first of many Marsh Harriers to be seen today.
The American Wigeon had first been reported on Thursday and was with the large flock of Eurasian Wigeon that were to be found either on Efford Lake or on the surrounding fields.
We walked the short distance to view the lake, the lake was almost completely frozen, but on the far side of there was a patch of water that was completely full of duck, they were mostly Eurasian Wigeon, but there was also Mallard, Gadwall and Tufted Ducks. With some help of some other birders I managed to locate the American Wigeon in amongst the Eurasian. A scope was essential and I was able to digi-scope some images to provide a record of what was my first American Wigeon in this country for over thirty years and the first in Hampshire, I have though seen many in the USA when there. Fortunately it is a male and can be seen in this image second bird in from the right.
Male American Wigeons are distinct from the male Eurasian
Wigeon have a white patch from the forehead to the middle of the crown and an
iridescent green band from the eye to the back of the head. They have a pinkish-brown breast and sides,
browner than the Eurasian Wigeon, that are separated from the black undertail
coverts by white flank feathers. Now in the centre of the image
There have been nine records accepted of American Wigeon in Hampshire, but none accepted in this century despite several reports, the problem of possible escape and hybridisation having always need to be eliminated. This bird was also seen to be in the company of a possible Pintail-Wigeon Hybrid. Here the bird is in the centre of the frame.
It will be interesting to see if this bird is submitted and accepted.
It didn't look like the flock of Wigeon were going to leave the open water, not even a Marsh Harrier drifting over seemed to disturb them. We decided we would move on and return later when hopefully it would come out of the water to graze.
We headed across the old tip, like almost everywhere Fishtail Lagoon was frozen and there was a large group of wildfowl in the middle, dominated by Canada Geese on the outside there were Pintail and Teal in the middle, but interestingly no Wigeon.
Walking up onto the sea wall the tide was still quite high despite it being several hours after the reported high tide time. On the salt marsh was a group of Greylag Geese, probably the same that I had seen earlier in November.
Butts Lagoon, like all the others was frozen, the ice reflecting the clouds that were drifting across the sky.
Three more Greylag were out on the ice, the early morning sunlight reflecting off the ice and lighting up the geese with a warm glow.
We were checking the sea for any sign of the reported Slavonian Grebe, but apart from a single Great Crested Grebe there was nothing to see. After the Jetty, is Pennington Lagoon and a Little Egret was attempting to fish in the only available water between the ice and the shore of the lagoon.
Maybe if the angle is changed I can be a little bit more lucky
A little further to the back of the lagoon a Grey Heron stood on the ice in the sunshine.
The Brent Geese were also catching the warm sunshine, but in flight.
A little further along there was a group of Wigeon grazing on the grass on the slope of the sea wall. As we approached they became alert to our presence.
Gradually the duck flew to the sea, but not all at once, others just keeping an eye on us.
But eventually they all moved out to the sea.
Ian picked up a solitary Spotted Redshank standing in the middle of the lagoon, looking a little confused,
Spotted Redshank like to feed in brackish water, their technique one of up ending, the ice then was probably very confusing.
Eventually it decided to fly off and was joined by another, they flew around calling but eventually they settled back down on the ice again.
They still had a quizzical look about them.
Lovely reflection in the ice.
The two Spotted Redshank on the ice.
From Pennington Lagoon we walked on, there was still nothing to see out on the water, but as we came around the bend at Oxey, the tide was falling and exposing the mud and bladder wrack. Turnstone and Dunlin were feeding in the sea weed while Black-tailed Godwits chattered away in the shallow water as they fed. A lone Ringed Plover was on the sand.
A little further along as the path bends to the west there was a group of Black-headed Gulls and with them at least four Mediterranean Gulls. Adult birds they look as if they are starting to get the all black hood of the breeding plumage.
There was a group of Shoveler and Teal on the water at Moses Dock and also a Little Egret that had found a spot with open water to hunt in.
We debated whether or not to walk on, the lagoons and lake were all frozen and most of the birds were either out on the mud or not about at all. Deciding to make our way back across Oxey Marsh we headed down the footpath along side the creek. I didn't give the white egret in front of us a thought until Ian pointed out that in fact it was a Great Egret.
Like the Little Egret earlier it was finding the ice a problem, but in places there was some open water, here around the concrete sluice. The bill smashes into the water.
Success!
As we watched the Great Egret a Greenshank flew up the creek and landed on the mud quite close to us. It was now a case of Great Egret or Greenshank?
Greenshank won.
Leaving the Greenshank we made our way along the path to get closer to the egret. A stunning drake Wigeon, for once, didn't move as we walked past it.
The egret was not concerned as we edged closer.
It moved a little bit away from us but still appeared to be quite unconcerned, its main objective was to stay upright on the ice and to find a area of open water.
It became clear that it had a red ring on the right leg, which we were close enough to the bird to be able to read.
The letters read "ACA" and Ian managed to find out that this bird was ringed in Somerset and that it had been reported from Clennon Lakes in Paignton, Devon in the summer where it was observed as being very obliging and almost oblivious to the presence of people.
While allowing us to get close it would move away from us, here finding the company of a smaller Little Egret that was not happy about its bigger cousin getting too close.
Looking for any opportunity to get through the ice. I wonder what goes through its mind when confronted with ice? Is it just another challenge or is there a recollection from experience previously of what to do, unfortunately we will never know.
A close up of the impressive bill.
Finally it flew off, but headed back to the ditch where we had first seen it. We followed the path around the past flooded patches that looked like open water, but were very much frozen, in places there were stones scattered across the ice where people were either inquisitive as to whether it was frozen or not, or were just trying to break the ice, something that seems to be ingrained in people.
As we passed a flooded part a small wader flew up, we didn't flush it, it flew across the path. The bill was short, not like a Snipe but the shape was, if a little smaller. I watched through the binoculars as it flew low across the field before dropping quickly out of view. As it did so I could see the dark markings on the back, but what struck me the most and convinced me of the identification was the dullness, it lacked the white that you would see in a Common Snipe and I was happy this was a Jack Snipe.
We walked across the marsh in an effort to relocate it, we flushed a Common Snipe from a different area but were not able to find the Jack Snipe.
A group of eight Avocet had flown in and settled on the marsh behind the lagoon, but before we could get there they were flushed and flew off.
Back on the sea wall we headed west towards the Jetty, a Little Egret was finding the ice confusing, having landed on the ice it was stabbing at the surface, maybe following something beneath the ice. It was also having difficulty standing up as it slid across the surface.
As we stood talking to another birder, four more Avocet flew low over the lagoon clearly looking for a place to land and feed. Once they realised that the water was frozen they pulled up gained height and flew over the sea wall and out to sea
Jetty Lagoon had a large number of Mallard standing on the ice, but to one side was a pair of Gadwall.
On the other side of the sea wall the rocks were exposed as the tide dropped, a Curlew made its way methodically around the sea weed covered rocks.
A Grey Plover was also amongst the rocks.
There was still quite a bit of water in Butts Bay, but where there was mud exposed there was a lot of waders, including Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstone.
We were going to return to Efford Lake to see if the American Wigeon was showing better, but we found out that a couple of men had walked around the lake, supposedly to break the ice, I think the fishermen were deliberately looking to flush the duck on purpose. Either way the Wigeon had all flown off, last seen heading towards Keyhaven apparently.
The channel that runs alongside the sea wall had a distant Greenshank and we decided to walk on and see if we could get close. A single Rock Pipit searched for morsels on a large bed of sea weed.
The Greenshank left the water and made its way through the mud gulleys, but we were able to get close.
It then raced away from us, but only to join a Spotted Redshank further along the channel
It was lovely to see two of the more elegant waders together.
Both had a similar feeding technique, dashing about and stabbing the bill and head into the water. The Spotted Redshank was probably a little more animated than the Greenshank, upending more into the water.
Great views of the Spotted Redshank, probably one of the birds seen earlier on the ice.
It then changed the feeding technique, behaving more like an Avocet, with a scything action, moving the head from side to side with the bill partially open. It did this for quite a while and would come up and swallow something.
It then came out of the water and stood on the mud, the bright orange red legs standing out.
At one point it had the piece of paper rubbish behind it! But it did slowly move away.
Again, a very elegant wader and today we managed to find three of my favourites, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank and Avocet.
On the other side of the sea wall Fishtail Lagoon was frozen, but as pointed out earlier there was a lot of duck sitting on the ice. Present were mainly Teal and Pintail.
Pintail were also moving from the lagoon, the perfect opportunity to photograph this beautiful duck in flight.
This drake jut waddled past the group of Teal and Pintail.
The beauty of the duck captured here.
A male Reed Bunting sitting in the lichen covered bushes at the end of Fishtail.
Walking around to Keyhaven Lagoon there was quite a number of Wigeon and Pintail out on the mud. We scanned through them in hope the American Wigeon was present. The hybrid was but there was no sign of the American Wigeon.
As we stood watching the duck a Raven called and then a Peregrine appeared, going at speed.
It was a large Peregrine, so probably the female, but what happened next was both spectacular and amazing. It chased a Raven, twisting and turning, but then a little further away I think the Raven made off and a crow became the attention of the falcon.
It was relentless, you normally see it the other way around, the corvid harassing the bird of prey, but this was all about the falcon and the corvid was it seemed fighting for its life.
But it was an attack in the way Peregrines do, stealth and surprise is the modus operandi and here it was in full view and using talons to attack in full view.
The rounded tail is probably that of a Crow, the size difference too is not that distinctive as it would be with a Raven. There definitely was a Raven present and the Peregrine did chase it to start with, but I think it ended with a crow as the target.
Why was the Peregrine attacking? Well we don't think it was hunting, more like it was chasing the corvids away from a recent kill. This is based on the fact that in one of the first photos taken, the Peregrine has a full crop, so we assume the corvids tried to muscle in and the Peregrine was a little upset, just hope it did not get indigestion with all that activity.
Here you can see the crop.
Finally the Peregrine headed away, it didn't return to the saltmarsh where it seemed to come from, so again it could have been that its kill was stolen.
We walked on heading towards Keyhaven. Looking across the harbour I picked out two Spoonbill feeding in one of the inlets.
I walked down onto the beach and then walked to the edge of the water to get a better view. A lone Grey Plover was one shore close by and was not concerned about me joining it.
The Spoonbill had stopped feeding and were now preening. From the pattern on the bill these were adult birds.
As we watched another Spoonbill flew in from higher up the harbour, it didn't drop in close to the other two, appearing to keep its distance, again an adult bird.
The original two then moved out of the water onto the saltmarsh to do what Spoonbills do best.
Through out the day we had views of Marsh Harrier, with the duck all concentrated in places the harriers would fly over. While watching the Spoonbill a male and female flew past and as we approached the car park at Keyhaven we could see a female type over the reed bed by the Avon Floods.
It then dropped into the reeds, with the frequency with which they were being seen today we stood and waited and sure enough it reappeared over the reeds.
We were watching at almost eye level with the reeds so the harrier was flying towards us. Head down scanning the ground between the reeds and rocking to and fro on the wings.
It would fly in a circle around the reeds and at one point was joined by another.
Then a hover and it dropped lower into the reeds.
It reappeared and flew more directly away, higher towards the marshes.
We made our way back to the car park, stopping to scan groups of Wigeon in the hope of finding the American, we couldn't and thanked all that we had turned up early. It was seen later though.
Back at the cars we had lunch and were entertained by the hundreds of Brent Geese that came over heading towards the saltmarsh and sea. They clearly were not sure where they wanted to go as they also came back once again to land in the holiday park fields.
with about two and a half hours left of daylight we decided to head into the New Forest and Black Gutter Bottom. There have been reports of a male Hen Harrier coming into the roost, so the intention was to be in position to watch for this. Whilst it was still sunny there was cloud about so we were hopeful we would be able to get a clear view.
Walking down the hill to the stream at the bottom of the gutter the famous tree was on the horizon and of course I couldn't resist it.
We felt we had some time to explore before we need to be at the view point so we walked up the other side of the valley, stopping for a Goldcrest that was feeding in a clump of gorse.
It was deadly silent and pretty much bird less aside from the Goldcrest and a couple of Crows around Leaden Hall. We scanned Ashley Hole, nothing.
Walking the circuit there was a Buzzard sat in a tree at the west end of the path.
With still over an hour to go before sunset the sun was very low in the sky and with the clouds was already sending signs of the setting sun.
Back at the Black Gutter Bottom it was gloomy.
We crossed the stream and as we walked up towards the viewpoint a call behind us alerted us to a group of four Egyptian Geese, not what we expected to see!
Others were present at the view point and a very distant Merlin was pointed out, perched at the top of a birch tree.
The presence of the Merlin started us talking to one of the birders and he nonchalantly mentioned that the Male Hen Harrier had come into roost at 14:30, we had missed it and apparently so had he. Devastated, we wondered where we were when this had happened and rued the fact that we hadn't come straight to the view point. All we were left with was to scan the area in front of us and hope maybe a ringtail would appear.
With about 40 minutes to sunset it was now very gloomy and we decided that we would leave it, The afternoon once again had failed to live up to the morning and once again Black Gutter Bottom had drawn a blank, surely one day we would be successful here. But it would be wrong to dismiss the success we had in the morning.
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