The weather after Christmas has been mixed to awful, today though was meant to be a little window, so a chance for one more birding trip of the year. The decision was a visit to Hayling island to start. When I left home it was dry and did not appear too windy, but as I got out of the car at the Oyster Beds it felt like a very strong wind. Walking to the sea wall the waves were also quite high and even though it was low tide it was very difficult to see anything.
What water there was in the old oyster beds had a few duck on it, several Mallard and a few Shoveler that looked very smart in the morning sunshine.
The walk around to the furthest lagoon was sheltered and did not feel too bad, however once out in the open the wind was quite strong and the water even more choppy away from the bridge. I scanned around to the north and found several Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, but not the hoped for Black-necked Grebe and Long-tailed Duck, turning the attention to the west I came across 4 black duck, again viewing was difficult, as two stood up in the water and wing flapped to show white wing panels I was certain they were Velvet Scoter.
I did the best I could to get some digi-scope images, but what with the wind blowing the scope and choppy sea this was the best I could do.
The largest of the scoters, the drake Velvet Scoter is
a striking bird; his pure white secondaries contrasting with the majority of
his plumage, which is blackish. He also sports a tiny white eye patch,
while his bright orange-yellow bill is swollen at the culmen. The duck is dusky
brown, with pale sub-ocular patches.
Looking at these images I believe these are two pairs, but could not be
certain
Here a wing flap of sorts
Dark clouds were passing away to the south and despite the radar showing them as beyond the Isle of Wight there was a squally shower which required some shelter, this being achieved by getting out of the wind. While sheltering a drake Goldeneye flew on to the lagoon and when the rain eased a trip back to the lagoon was required to get a closer look.
But it didn't stay long as soon flew off and away to the north.
The wind made it almost impossible to see anything, so I decided to take the short trip back across the bridge and from there take the footpath out onto Southmoor. It has been some time since I last visited and was amazed at how much the fields have flooded as a result of the sea wall breach. The salt water killing off a lot of the vegetation and leaving only slat marsh.
I followed the path alongside the creek which was very muddy, as I reached the mouth into the harbour a Greenshank called and flew and started to feed on the edge of the creek. The water and mud was dark and this always produces a nice background for pictures of Greenshank.
Once upon a time the Greenshank was a passage migrant seen only in the spring and autumn, but today and on the south coast they are almost an all around the year bird.
I walked the sea wall and negotiated the breach in the sea wall.
Close to shore there were Wigeon and Pintail, looking out across the water I could only find Great Crested Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers. I decided that the wind was far to strong for any meaningful searching and came to terms with the fact that Black-necked Grebe and Long-tailed duck were going to elude me in 2022. Walking back I found three Greenshank roosting in the newly created salt marsh along with a Curlew.
The next part of the day's plan was a trip to Farlington in the hope that the Short-eared Owls would show. The wind was definitely going to be a problem, but I was hopeful it may ease. On leaving the ar park I headed towards the Information Hut. On the stream Teal, and a pair of Black-tailed Godwits were close in. One Godwit got a little too close to the other and was lunged at to move it on.
Feeding together had to be a socially acceptable distance.
A little further away three Godwits were at roost.
In the field on the south side of the footpath just past the information hut there were hundreds of Brent Geese.
Close up they are a striking Goose.
Along with the Brent there were huge numbers of Canada Goose and Shelduck, the Barnacle Goose was there with its white mate and the White-fronted Geese were reported but I didn't manage to see them, although truth be told I didn't search hard.
Walking around the east side there was a group of Pintail on the sea close to the sea wall. A striking duck at the best of time but in the afternoon light light they looked splendid.
I never appreciated how long a duck the Pintail is. They have long necks and will feed in deeper water than other dabbling ducks, but here the body appears longer than those of say Mallard, Gadwall or Wigeon.
Birds were also flying in from the harbour as the tide rose.
The afternoon light was also highlighting another beautiful duck, the drake Shoveler, these two resting on the pools of the Deeps.
Wigeon were by far the most numerous duck on the marshes and they were constantly being joined by birds coming in from the harbour.
On reaching Point Field it was a case of settling in and waiting. The owls prefer to hunt this area as the long grass hides many voles. As I stood watching I noticed movement in the grass not to far away, At first I was elated thinking we had found one, but then realised it was a Kestrel that had caught a vole and was now consuming it in the grass.
It stayed in for the whole time I was there, every so often you would see a wing appear or the tail bob up as the wind caught it.
The wind appeared to have eased but it was still quite fresh. Nothing was showing.The light was perfect and the Field looks amazing in black & white.
The tide was almost at its height and Knot had covered the small island off the bottom of Point Field.
I moved to the west side of Point Field, but it made no difference, there were still no Owls. I turned my attention to the setting sun over Portsmouth.
And the huge flock of Knot that came low across the water searching for a suitable roost site that was dry.
The light was now almost gone and the Owls had not shown, there are many reasons but listening to some tales of previous days one has to wonder if photographers have something to do with it. At one point there was a stream of people coming around the sea wall, almost as if a coach trip had turned up. It was time to call it a day, walking back the Brent in the field took to the air and headed out on to the harbour water.
The Kestrel that had been in Point Field accompanied the walk back to the car park. I had hoped to have a couple of special birds for the last trip, but it wasn't to be, it had been good though to get out, the cobwebs were well and truly blown away
A way to the south west it was a spectacular sunset over Portsmouth, a fitting end to the day and Year.
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