The forecast looked ideal for migration the day before, but as always seems to be the way the forecast was nothing like reality, there was no real showers and but it was overcast. At the Bridge Street Car Park it was quiet, no sign of any migrants in the bushes around the canal. I met Ian and we walked to view the Bridge Street Floods. On the mud were three Green Sandpipers and a single Common Sandpiper, plus two Black-tailed Godwits. The views though were distant through the scope.
We walked the canal path, but it was difficult to see all of the Posbrook Floods where there were seven Little Egrets and a couple of Grey Herons. In the trees there was a group of Blue and Great Tits and a single Chiffchaff. A Whitethroat was in the willows near the car park.
From the Canal Path we drove around to the Haven and the sea wall at Hill Head. The tide was just starting to drop, and on the beach were only five Common Terns. We looked for the reported Wood Sandpiper on the south scrape from the balcony of the old Cafe as the reserve is still closed on the west side. All we could see though were Avocet and Lapwing.
After some lunch we headed around to Hook, where we parked by the substation and walked to the TLC for Horses Field. In the Donkey field there were two juvenile Stonechats.
Our search for Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear turned up nothing. The only bird of real interest was a pair of Raven overhead.
From the TLC we walked down to the beach and headed for the Meander Pools and the scrape. A Great Egret that has been present for some time flew up from out of the marsh, only to drop quickly out of sight.
Ian picked up a Kestrel that was being hassled by another bird of prey that turned out to be a Hobby. It left the Kestrel and then flew across the beach and out over the water towards Fawley.
there was only a Little Egret on the Meander Pools. As we walked on a Sandwich Tern was flying up and down the tide line.
There were Avocet on the scrape and a single Common Sandpiper. This Grey Heron flew to the island where there were juvenile Common Tern. The adult didn't like this and mobbed very aggressively.
Eventually the Heron had enough and flew off but the tern kept up its attack and as it flew across the water the tern forced the Heron to ditch into the water twice.
A good number of Black-tailed Godwits on the scrape.
Walking back the single Sandwich Tern had become three and they continued to fly up and down the tide line, with the Fawley site in the background.
The dark skies of storms away to the west helped provide a nice background.
No migrants today, but great to catch up and chew the fat with my good friend.
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