5th November - Keyhaven - Lymington Reserve, Hampshire

Early November has been a good time for me to visit Keyhaven, however it has been in the past in sunny still and cold weather.  This morning it was misty on the journey and in the car park it was a little misty looking across Pennington Marsh where the geese grazed amongst the cattle.  I set off in the still conditions towards the sea wall at Fishtail lagoon.

Ahead of me over the reed bed of Butts Lagoon a female Marsh Harrier was hunting.

It wasn't successful and the harrier decided to fly towards me, coming quite close, not something that happens often here.

Walking up to the sea wall the tide was slowly rising, there was still mud showing in the channel close to the sea wall where Wigeon were present.

On Fishtail there were good numbers of my favourite duck, the Pintail.

There was still an island in the marsh off shore and there was a single Grey Plover.

The duck were moving on Keyhaven Lagoon and out to the sea, a male Shoveler.

A drake Teal.

The Pintail were on the rising tide close to the sea wall.

All the birds went up on the Keyhaven Lagoon including these three Avocet.  All along the south coast the numbers of Avocet are well down, and rarely reach double figures.

The Pintail were also flying around.

Walking back to Fishtail there was a Dartford Warbler calling in the gorse by the sea wall.  I caught a glimpse, but it wasn't giving itself up in the gloom this morning

There was one Pintail on the water on Fishtail.

And a couple of drake Tufted Ducks.

On the other side of the sea wall in Butts Bay the Wigeon were getting ready to move as the tide crept up.

Walking around Butts Lagoon to the Jetty Lagoon I heard a Bearded Tit call.  I stopped and picked out a female Bearded Tit on the edge of the reeds.

It was pinging as if realising it was on its own and wanting to find others.  Some interesting marks on the head and back.

Some females show these markings on the head and back.

It might not have been the sought after male Bearded Tit, but this female Bearded Tit showed some interesting plumage markings.

I walked around towards Oxey Marsh where there were plenty of Stonechat in the bushes and Linnets feeding on the path.

A lovely drake Wigeon on the pools close to the sea wall on Oxey Marsh.

And on the approach to Moses Dock a Greenshank was on the pools on the north side of the sea wall.

And a snoozing drake Teal.

I walked all the way around to Normandy.  There were two Spoonbill present on the lagoon an immature bird and this adult Spoonbill.

Preening on one leg, the other folded up under the wing.

A good stretch.

What I didn't realise while watching the Spoonbill was that there was a Spotted Redshank feeding close by.

A drake Shelduck on the shallow water close to the south side of the lagoon.

Back to the Spoonbill, the adult now feeding.

Adult alongside the immature bird.

Another catch this time a shrimp of sorts.

The Spotted Redshank was a little closer feeding with the diagnostic "up ending" on a frequent basis.  The challenge always being to catch it as the head same up and avoid a series of upended tails.

Then it was buzzed by a Greenshank and the Spotted Redshank flew off calling.  I was pleased with this shot.

The Greenshank settled near the shingle.

And was then joined by the Spotted Redshank, still calling.

But here both the Spotted Redshank and the Greenshank alongside each other.

the Spotted Redshank alongside the Black-tailed Godwits.

Finally on its own.

I decided to walk back, heading again around the lagoons.  As I walked up to the east end of Salterns a Kingfisher flew to a post.

There had been quite a few Kingfisher about today, I saw them on Pennington, Normandy and Fishtail, but this was the only one, a female, to settle long enough and in good view.

After lunch I decided to walk around the Ancient Highway to Keyhaven.  There was plenty of activity and I stopped to watch a group of Long-tailed Tits.

There were also Blue and Great tits in with them and as always they were then joined by a Chiffchaff.

Then a surprise, a Firecrest appeared, flitting about around the lichen.

This is the first time I have seen or heard one along the path.

There was little on the falling tide as I walked back to Fishtail around the sea wall.  Out on the marsh the Brent were calling and there were also Curlew and of course plenty of duck.  On Fishtail I was taken by this Shoveler and its reflection.

Despite the gloom and very settled conditions it wasn't a bad day, much better than my last visit with plenty of duck around.  The one concern ios that lack of suitable wader habitat, but hopefully this will change.