Ian and I were back at the car park in Lower Pennington Lane early this morning just after sun rise. The first early start for some time. We were hopeful of finally catching up with some of the migrant waders that are to be found at this time of year. We set off across the Old Tip on the western side. Fishtail Lagoon was now only partially flooded a lot different to the situation we faced in the spring and also into the summer.
There are a few view points from the Old Tip and we scanned through the waders that were feeding on the shore. A couple of Snipe, some Dunlin and a much smaller wader, one we were hoping for, a Little Stint.
It was gloomy despite being just past sun rise, clouds were obscuring the sun rise so these were not the best of images, but it clearly was a Little Stint.
We walked to the sea wall and scanned across the lagoon for anything else. There were a few Avocet and plenty of Black-tailed Godwits, while Dunlin fed along the far shore. In the western corner there were only Black-tailed Godwits.
We walked on to Keyhaven where an adult Little Egret did not like and immature bird being on the same mud. The egrets look very amusing as they engage. The head is held up and they strut, the adult chasing the immature (lacks the yellow feet) away.
Finally the sun broke through the clouds, you could immediately feel the warmth from the suns rays.
With very on Keyhaven Lagoon we walked back to Fishtail where we found the Little Stint on the far shore.
It was still a little too far away for any decent shots so we walked on around Butts Bay and then to Butts Lagoon where there were three Spoonbill feeding.
The next lagoon was Jetty and at the back with two Dunlin was a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper. Here a good comparison between two species that can be confused. The Curlew Sandpiper clearly bigger with the supercillium and longer decurved bill that gives it's name.
They started off at the back but gradually came a little closer. The second of the waders we were looking for.
Instead of moving on we detoured back down the footpath to check the Shoveler Pools on Pennington Marsh. Despite some good mud and shallow water the three pools were devoid of any birds. Walking back a Sparrowhawk flew over.
Back up on the sea wall the sun was trying, shards of light highlighting the Isle of Wight behind the metal work at Jetty.
But the sun was facing a considerable challenge as the easterly wind was pushing cloud across the sky.
We walked around the sea wall. On the small pools on Oxey Marsh there was a Greenshank showing very well.
As we approached Moses Dock another Greenshank, this one with what looked like a damaged wing.
As we followed the Greenshank there was a Stonechat calling. It turned out to be below us amongst the bramble. Clearly in the late stages of moult.
At the Salterns Lake yet another Greenshank.
I was able to get down from the sea wall to be able to get a view at eye level.
Then a chance to have Redshank and Greenshank together, the difference so clear with this image.
We walked around to Normandy, where there were a few more Greenshanks on the western side, while we could see waders from the south side of the wall. The tide was rising and out on the saltmarsh were a small flock of Grey Plover, mostly still in summer plumage.
Oystercatcher were flying in to the lagoon to see out the high tide.
We walked around to the eastern side, but apart from more Greenshank there wasn't much showing. Walking back there was a different view of the Grey Plover.
Earlier there had been Dunlin and Ringed Plover feeding around the small island by the sea wall. Walking back we scanned through the Dunlin once more and this time we found a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper.
Once again I dropped down from the sea wall to get at eye level.
A Ringed Plover cam close too.
It then flew to the left where it joined the Dunlin to feed.
The Curlew Sandpiper usually associate with Dunlin on passage and you assume they get along. However this piece of video suggests otherwise.
We left the waders on Normandy and walked back. Passing Salterns there was a Lapwing in the spot usually occupied by Spotted Redshank, stood amongst the flowers I slowly slid down the sea wall to get the shot.
We walked across Oxey Marsh and back up on to the sea wall, with the tide high the Turnstone were roosting on the metal work at Jetty. We couldn't find the Curlew Sandpiper on Jetty Lagoon and assumed that the bird on Normandy could have been the same one. The Spoonbill were still feeding on Butts Lagoon and this was there reaction as a Spitfire flew low overhead.
some more video now, this time of the Spoonbill feeding.
There were a dozen Eider in Butts Bay, they all looked like eclipse males.
We walked back to the car where we had lunch at 11:00 am, well we had been up early. From the cars we walked down the Ancient Highway. The only thing of interest was two Wigeon calling from the balancing Pond. A search though did not find them, just ended up flushing all the duck.
We hung around the Keyhaven Harbour in the hope we might find a Kingfisher, but despite the hide tide we didn't see any. We set off back around the sea wall. At Keyhaven Lagoon there was a collection of gulls at the back with several Little Egrets. We had hoped we might find the Little Stint closer on Fishtail, but Bird Guides had now reported a Little Stint on Normandy. The western end of Fishtail was quiet, but when we reached the small islands we found a Curlew Sandpiper once more on the small island.
As I photographed the Curlew Sandpiper I realised that there was a Little Stint present too, was this additional to the one on Normandy or had it come back? As I tried to get some shots both the Curlew Sandpiper and the Little Stint flew to the bigger island. We lost the Curlew Sandpiper, but the Little Stint was feeding around the edge of the island keeping out of the wind.
It was amusing to watch as it navigated the larger birds, namely Black-headed Gulls and Teal, moving at speed with clockwork legs across the shingle.
Views of the split supercillium here.
So we had our wish, the stint closer.
We had walked a long way and were both quite tired. We decided to walk around Butts and Jetty once more. The Spoonbill were still on Butts Lagoon and as we walked past Jetty Lagoon a Knot dropped in to join the Black-tailed Godwits and then almost immediately flew off.
When I think of the number of these birds seen a couple of weeks ago it was nice to see a single bird.
The weather was not what we had expected today and to really enforce this it started to rain as we walked back to the cars. The sun never won its fight with the clouds and the easterly wind was quite chilling. But overall we had a good day, and appropriate end to August.
